Translanguaging: Language, Bilingualism and Education

by Ofelia García, Li Wei

The emergence over the last 10 years of the analytic concept, 'Translanguaging', has had a forceful impact on the field of Applied Linguistics. This book addresses how it has contributed to our understandings of language, bilingualism and education. Ofelia García and Li Wei trace the development of the theory of Translanguaging and consider its relationship with traditional theories and models of language and bilingualism. Based on practices by students and teachers in a variety of educational contexts, this book describes how Translanguaging is used by bilingual learners to learn and by teachers to teach. Ultimately, the book affirms the transformative nature of Translanguaging; it involves the act of languaging between and beyond systems that have previously been described as separate, and in so doing, new meanings emerge and new understandings are generated, transforming not only semiotic systems and speaker subjectivities, but also social structures.

Genres: Linguistics, Nonfiction, Teaching, Education

175 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Ofelia García is Professor in the Ph.D. programs of Urban Education and of Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Literatures and Languages at The Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA. She is the Associate General Editor of the International Journal of the Sociology of Language.

Reviews

[Mike Mena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garcia offers a thought-provoking approach to reimagining bilingual education. Her approach questions everything we know about language. Excellent and authoritative book on the translanguaging pedagogy.

[Errol Orhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty solid introduction to the concept. The book takes care of both theoretical and practical issues. I think it could do with some more empirical evidence, but the approach is quite young, so: perhaps in the future!

[Boritabletennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good short yet extensive exposition.

[Donald Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using García and Wei’s work as a starting point for my MA dissertation. Informative and easy to grasp.

[Ester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lest i forbindelse med master. Interessante perspektiver rundt flerspråklighet.