En Comunidad: Lessons for Centering the Voices and Experiences of Bilingual Latinx Students

by Carla España, Luz Yadira Herrera

Drs. Carla Espana and Luz Yadira Herrera's schooling and teaching journey reveal the power of educators to create either liberating or dehumanizing spaces and experiences for bilingual Latinx students.

En Comunidad brings bilingual Latinx students' perspectives to the center of our classrooms. Its culturally and linguistically sustaining lessons begin with a study of language practices in students' lives and texts, helping both children and teachers think about their ideas on language. These lessons then lay out a path for students' and families' storytelling, a critical analysis of historical narratives impacting current realities, ways to develop a social justice stance, and the use of poetry in sustaining the community.

As the largest group of bilinguals in the U.S., bilingual Latinx students need teachers to not just welcome them into their classrooms, but also to advocate with and for them, for their languages, and for their lives. En Comunidad offers classroom-ready lessons that amplify the varied stories and identities of Latinx children. Each sequence of lessons follows a critical bilingual literacies framework for any educator teaching bilingual Latinx children
- focuses on issues of language, literacies, and power
- recommends carefully-curated texts and multimodal resources featuring Latinx voices
- centers a translanguaging pedagogy that honors bilingual Latinx students' language practices. "In this book, Espana and Herrera treat seriously the idea that the cultural and linguistic practices of Latinx children are legitimate and should be made central to their educational experiences. It is a must-read for all educators who work with Latinx students."
-Nelson Flores, Ph.D., Penn Graduate School of Education

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Race, Latinx, Social Justice

208 pages, Paperback

Published February 20, 2020

Reviews

[Nawal Qarooni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. Imperative. Devoured. To validate, celebrate and humanize our bilingual students and purposefully craft counter-narratives to the 'master' culture that often serves to diminish -- to thoughtfully approach literacy and humanities education with Latinx history at the heart -- THIS is what it's about. Reading it I thought how sad that my own education didn't embrace my ancestry or translangualism; how suddenly SEEN I felt as a daughter of immigrants. And how desperately I want this experience for all students. Deeply personal and essential, it's a text I'll revisit time and time again for coaching teachers and planning lessons. Highly recommend for all educators, particularly those who teach Latinx populations.

[Emmett O’Keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for any educator who wants to rethink or reexamine the ways in which Bilingual Latinx youth experience schooling in America. It is in the tradition of Valenzuela’s “Subtractive Schooling” and other critical pedagogy texts. Highly recommended.

Note: Though it primarily focuses on grades 3-8 English/Bilingual classes, there are good discussions of pedagogy and TONS of resources for teachers at any grade level or content area.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK!

*deep breath*

These two amazing women crafted a much needed book for all those who educate Latinx students. Although I do not teach quite as many Latinx students as I did at my old school, I still teach quite a few and so much of this book resonated with me as I read through. These amazing students deserve to have their voices heard, affirmed, and celebrated. Don't know how to do that? Read this book. Then go do it.

[Kali Burks-Mosier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would put this book in the "skimming" category for experienced teachers, especially in the beginning. First and second year teachers can definitely benefit from reading this and gathering the lesson structures. There are great resources and novel selections to choose from. The later chapters seem very beneficial to those interested in teaching social justice and connecting the present to your curriculum.
Overall a good read

[Mellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

another read for class but really good. i appreciate the explicit ideas and lesson plans that can be implemented across different grade levels. very insightful. slay. (also go mellie for actually reading books for class)

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO important, whether or not you have bilingual Latinx students.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me wish for my own class of students again so I could try out the wonderful ideas. I’ll be recommending this one to a few teachers I know.

[Sean Kottke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading for teachers on centering the experiences of multilingual and Latinx youth in the classroom. Accessible, timely, practical, and with loads of text recommendations.

[Miroku Nemeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential resource for anyone who really teaches real communities like here in the Central Valley of California. Excellent.

[Mills College Library]

370.117 E772 2020

[Alivia Ellington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logging this even though it was a professional development book for school .. SO GOOD

[Jess orellana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for educators.