Teachers' translanguaging practices and "safe spaces" for adolescent newcomers: Toward alternative visions

• Published in: Bilingual research journal Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 73 - 89
• Main Author: Lang, Nora W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Routledge 02.01.2019; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Academic Standards; Access to Education; Adolescents; Anxiety; Bilingualism; Code Switching (Language); Communication (Thought Transfer); Educational Strategies; English (Second Language); English language; High School Students; Immigrants; Language Usage; Literacy; Literacy Education; Native Language Instruction; Peer Relationship; Program Descriptions; Program Design; Safety; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Self Contained Classrooms; Spanish; Spanish language; Teacher Education; Teacher Student Relationship; Teachers; Translanguaging; California
• ISSN: 1523-5882; 1523-5890
• DOI: 10.1080/15235882.2018.1561550

This study investigated structural features of a newcomer program housed within a comprehensive high school and language practices among newcomer students and their teachers. Findings indicate efforts to provide newcomer students with "safe spaces," opportunities for language and literacy development in English and Spanish, and access to rigorous content. Structural features of the program paired with one teacher's translanguaging practices, however, resulted in the prioritization of safe spaces, conceptualized as a physically separate classroom that sought to minimize language anxiety. Ultimately, by interpreting translanguaging as a way to avoid discomfort rather than to leverage newcomers' dynamic bilingualism, this particular conceptualization of safe space afforded limited opportunities for the development of English language and literacy practices. Findings include implications for the design of newcomer programs and teacher preparation.