Elementary Translanguaging Writing Pedagogy: A Literature Review

Abstract

While a wealth of research shows the social and academic benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism, the education of bi/multilingual learners often focuses on transitioning students to English. Based on this fact, the first aim of this article is to highlight translanguaging as a model that challenges monoglossic language ideologies. The second aim is to present a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies (2000–2020, 47 studies) that highlight translanguaging as a pedagogy for elementary bi/multilingual students’ writing development. Due to the historical scholarly focus on reading over writing, especially at the elementary level, this study focuses on translanguaging pedagogy in the context of elementary writing. Findings showed four themes: (a) audience awareness and authentic products, (b) collaborative learning and composition, (c) multimodal composition, and (d) simultaneous literacy instruction. I argue for further engagement with students’ families, communities, and identities in the writing process and an exploration of the transformative potential of translanguaging writing pedagogy.

Examining Teacher Candidates’ Pedagogical Practices and Stances Towards Translanguaging and Multimodality in Writing

“…A recurrent finding in our study was that TCs were generally open to translanguaging, but only as discrete and temporary strategies for beginner English learners, a finding that echoes previous research on plurilingualism and translanguaging (see, for example, Burton & Rajendram, 2019;Dault & Collins, 2017;Salmerón, 2022). When they included translanguaging, this was followed by qualifications and conditions, which reflected a distinct monolingual ordering of school life (Kim et al, 2020).…”

Translanguaging with Digital, Collaborative Writing: Early Multilingual Composers

“…Translanguaging in composition can help encourage MLs by engaging in authentic social tasks such as responding to peers and teachers, engaging bilingual audiences, teaching and/or learning another language, and positioning oneself as bilingual (Rowe, 2022b). Students may translanguage across writing processes, including during the initial idea generation to the final production, but most importantly, use their languages flexibly (Salmerón, 2022a). García and Kleifgen (2020) encourage adopting a multimodal translanguaging perspective that brings MLs from the margins of literacy knowledge to the center with their metalinguistic abilities to think critically about texts, language, audiences, and purposes.…”

“…Translingual practices through multimodal composition have been explored by researchers (e.g., Brown & Allmond, 2021; Rowe, 2020a; Rowe & Miller, 2016) and have been found to reify the value of linguistic diversity as well as build a collaborative classroom community. Thus, multimodal and multilingual literacies can and should be joined in digital, collaborative writing (Salmerón, 2022a).…”

“…Thus, Figure 1 demonstrates that research and educational standards encourage merging writing and multimodal digital tools. The teaching strategy explored here will demonstrate how collaborative multimodal writing with a translanguaging framework can meet educational needs, standards, and interests while tapping into linguistic resources for the benefit of all students (Panos, 2017; Salmerón, 2022a).…”

“…As a part of the study, we attempt to close the gap between research and practice with ongoing responses to teacher and student needs that were uncovered during the iterative process (Cobb et al., 2003). We address the paucity of research in developing professional knowledge of implementing technology for MLs using a collaborative and assets‐oriented opportunity through translanguaging (Brown & Allmond, 2021; García & Kleifgen, 2020; Pacheco et al., 2021; Salmerón, 2022a). We address this need found in data from teachers and present a strategy for all teachers of MLs to invite translingual composition through collaborative writing in a shared digital space.…”