In Other Words: Translating or “Para‐Phrasing” as a Family Literacy Practice in Immigrant Households

Abstract

S In this article we report on ethnographic research that explores the range of ways in which Spanish‐English bilingual immigrant youth interpret English language texts for their families. Drawing on participant observation in the homes and classrooms of 18 young adolescents who serve as interpreters for their families, 86 transcripts of theseinterpreters' oral Spanish translations of English texts, and 95 journal entries written by the youth about their translating experiences, we document the multiple literacies of daily life that youth engage in while translating or “para‐phrasing” for their families. We focus on interpretations of written text for close family members, done at home, and chart the domains of these multiple literacies. Using an activity setting/interactional analysis, we then examine how two home “para‐phrasing” events unfold and contrast these with activity settings for literacy learning in school. This largely unexplored literacy practice is a common one in immigrant households, and we argue that bilingual youth's experiences as cross‐language “para‐phrasers” can be used to support the within‐language paraphrasing that is an important part of school literacy practices.

Being and Becoming American: Triangulating Habitus, Field, and Literacy Instruction in a Multilingual Classroom

“…Practices such as integrating students' native languages and home-community literacy practices into instruction may slow native language loss and support students' L2 development and academic achievement (e.g., Gersten, 1996;Gersten & Jimenez, 1994;Guerra, 1998;Heath, 1983;Robert T. Jiménez & Gámez, 1996;Lucas & Katz, 1994;Orellana, Reynolds, Dorner, & Meza, 2003;Truscott & Watts-Taffe, 2003; Van den Branden, 2000). However, as McKay & Wong (1996) found in their research on Chinese immigrant students, factors affecting students' investment in learning a second language Volume 8 Number 3 Fall 2006 Page 3 extend beyond the curriculum and include powerful discourses of language and literacy that guide individuals' choices of language and literate practice, and similar forces are at play in teachers' pedagogical decision-making (New London Group, 1996).…”

“…In addition to privileging English, mainstream school-sanctioned literacy activities (shared storybook reading, alphabet magnets, book discussions, and encouraging young children to compose their own stories) are emphasized throughout the document. Omitted is translating, or cultural brokering (Orellana, Reynolds, Dorner, & Meza, 2003), doing paperwork, reciting religious texts (Cruickshank, 2004;Gregory & Williams, 2000), or other everyday literacies. The cultural expectations are clear: By engaging in these mainstream literacy activities, you are not only helping your child to progress academically, but you are being a good American.…”

“…This marks a shift from the bulk of the research on instruction for linguistically diverse students, which has tended to focus on technical aspects of language acquisition and instructional methods (Grinberg & Saavedra, 2000). While a growing body of literature has analyzed student and community language and literacy practices within a critical frame (Cruickshank, 2004;Gregory & Williams, 2000;Guerra, 1998;Hagood, 2004;Moje, Ciechanowski, Ellis, Carrillo, & Collazo, 2004;Orellana, Reynolds, Dorner, & Meza, 2003), my work with Joyce extends this line of inquiry to the complexities of teachers' personal language and literacy backgrounds and the instructional context. However, further theoretically nuanced and methodologically rigorous research is needed to understand how teachers' own linguistic and cultural resources interact with the sociopolitical contexts of their professional worlds, what sorts of language and literacy practices are (re)produced through this dialectic in the glocalized spaces of multilingual classrooms, and who stands to benefit from these practices.…”

“…While a wealth of recent research has explored how students' and families' literate resources impact learning and student investment in schooling (e.g., Cruickshank, 2004;Dyson, 2003;Gregory & Williams, 2000;Moje, Ciechanowski, Ellis, Carrillo, & Collazo, 2004;Orellana, Reynolds, Dorner, & Meza, 2003;Purcell-Gates, 1995), few studies have examined the language and literacy resources and assumptions that teachers bring to bear in multilingual classrooms. In this paper I present case study data of a "mainstream" 1 teacher (Joyce) and her efforts to meet the language and literacy needs of her multilingual third grade students.…”

Access to culturally responsive teaching for English language learners : mainstream teacher perceptions and practice on inclusion.

“…The Census Bureau predicts that by the year 2030, nearly 40% of students who enter public education will speak a language other than English at home (Thomas & Collier, 1997). Often, ELLs must avoid their native language at school, diminishing its usage to only at home (Orellana, Reynolds, Dorner & Meza, 2003). In the home, English is limited and only used to translate.…”