El Futuro Es Multilingüe: Moving from Monolingual Resistance to Engagement with Multilingual Texts

ABSTRACT

Discussions regarding the use of multicultural and multilingual texts in classrooms often focus on representation and students’ right to their own language in culturally and linguistically diverse settings. Even when conversations about White privilege occur, linguistic privilege is seldom addressed. This theoretical paper focuses on the use of multicultural and multilingual literature in White, monolingual (English) spaces. The author asks: what is the responsibility of educators who teach in monolingual English, White spaces to disrupt the privileged position of English monolingualism as a taken for granted norm? The author proposes the use of multilingual code-switching in literature as a pedagogical tool for engaging White, monolingual students in deconstruction of their White, monolingual (English) linguistic privilege. This paper suggests that educators’ consideration of multilingual texts in White, monolingual spaces can promote further critical reflection on the pedagogical challenges and possibilities as we engage in the ongoing work of anti-racist pedagogy.

KEYWORDS:

• Multilingual literature
• multilingualism
• code-switching
• white privilege
• linguistic diversity

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tamar Bernfeld

Tamar Bernfeld is a 3rd year PhD student in the Language, Literacy and Culture (LLC) program at the University of Iowa. She holds an undergraduate degree in cultural anthropology from the Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and an MA in Applied Linguistics with a graduate certificate in TESOL from the University of Pittsburgh. Tamar has been teaching English Language Learners in community and academic contexts, as well as working as a writing instructor and consultant with both international and domestic students for 20 years. Her professional and academic interests include working with multilingual writers as they transition from English support courses to other academic writing contexts, exploring the ideas, practices, and implications related to notions of “Standard” English in academic writing, and examining White, monolingual privilege in the context of English teacher education.