Designing and facilitating language interpretation experiences with 2^nd and 3^rd grade bilingual learners: Learning from teachers’ experiences

ABSTRACT

The purposes of this exploratory case study were twofold: (1) to understand the strengths and challenges teachers experienced when designing and delivering language interpretation tasks for use with second- and third-grade bilingual students, and (2) to ascertain what teachers perceived to be the benefits and drawbacks of the instructional approach for their students. The approach, Así se dice (That’s how you say it!), asks Spanish- and English-speaking bilingual students to discuss, interpret, and translate text-based passages collaboratively. This culturally and linguistically relevant process engages students in metalinguistic and metacultural analyses incorporating reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Findings indicate that through careful scaffolding and opportunities to debrief, teachers can implement and reflect on innovative instructional approaches that are rooted in pedagogies of biliteracy, explicitly develop metalinguistic awareness and create hybrid spaces to disrupt language separation in dual language classrooms. From teacher reflections and classroom observations, we learned that the choice of passage content and its length influences successful implementation. Further, it is critical that teachers have done the translation prior to the lesson. Participants universally expressed value for the strategy in terms of students’ language and literacy development, while also identifying the unique challenges it presented for them as educator

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susan Hopewell

Susan Hopewell is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder in the division of Equity, Bilingualism and Biliteracy. Her research centers on the biliteracy experiences of Spanish-English bilingual learners throughout the United States. She is the current director of Literacy Squared.

Kathy Escamilla

Kathy Escamilla is Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is a co-founder of Literacy Squared. Her research focuses of issues related to the development of bilingualism. And biliteracy for Spanish-English speaking emerging bilingual students.

María Ruíz-Martínez

María Ruíz-Martínez is a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research interests include exploring the intersection between Latina educators’ classroom language practices and Latina mothers’ home language practices.

Katia Zamorano

Katia Zamorano is a former doctoral student at the University of Colorado Boulder in the division of Equity, Bilingualism, and Biliteracy. She currently serves as a bilingual district instructional coach in Texas.