Host:
Welcome back to another episode of “Teacher Spotlight”! I’m your host Caitlin Llewellyn and today I am joined by two friends of mine _Alex__ and __Kate__. When it comes to teaching, there is a lot to cover. There’s the classroom design, faculty issues, time management, classroom management, I mean there’s a lot! One of the more hidden things that we are discussing today is the idea of translanguaging. _Alex__, can you maybe give our listeners an idea of what this topic is or what it looks like?

Person 1:
Sure! So translanguaging has multiple definitions but it mainly can be defined as the ability to fluidly communicate with multiple languages through using resources. So by breaking that down, it really means to not fixate on one language and to instead promote multilingualism and blend cultures together. This could be used in classrooms to communicate to students who don’t speak one language fluently to promote inclusivity.

Host:
That sounds so helpful especially now with students who speak multiple languages at home! Kate___, would you agree with this explanation of translanguaging?
Person 2:

Yes I completely agree! Translanguaging is the ability to fluidly interchange languages. It doesn’t favor one over the other and incorporates fusing them together to communicate effectively. Translanguaging impacts classrooms in a positive way. Students are able to understand and learn at the same pace, without needing to be pulled aside.

Host:
Growing up my teachers would pull students outside with another teacher who speaks the given language and I feel like this was excluding them. It almost puts a target on their back and draws unnecessary attention towards them.
Person 1:
Yeah I agree. It makes the students feel like it’s their fault for not understanding, however it’s the school who’s at fault for not being equipped to communicate without favoring one language. There are so many tools now compared to the past, which promotes translanguaging in the classroom.

Host:
How would this impact teachers? Does it help them or what would it accomplish in the classroom?
Person 2:
Teachers need to have a growth mindset for translanguaging. All this means is that the teacher should see language as multiple intelligences, not just one common language like English. It impacts teachers by giving them more opportunities to connect with their students. It might seem like extra work in the beginning stages, but it makes it easy down the line to have a smooth classroom. I mean it takes more time to try to pull students out and communicate rather than just do it all at once.

Host:
Do you guys feel like teachers should have prior training on this before getting the job? Maybe it could be included in their college courses or teacher training sessions.

Person 1:
Yes. Before the job is offered to the teacher, they should be aware of using tools to communicate and have basic knowledge of methods to use to communicate with multilingual students. Not necessarily knowing languages inside and out, but more so having an idea of what they can do to translate the curriculum to accommodate the needs of their students.

Host:
I see what you mean and completely agree. It should be a crucial part of training and preparation for the classroom. So what does translanguaging look like in the classroom?

Person 2:
It differs for every room and teacher, depending on how they choose to approach it. I would put up multilingual posters and images to encourage students to learn other languages, as well as motivate students to include others. Seeing cultures displayed helps kids to realize that there are unique languages and cultures to explore outside of their own. Translanguaging could also look like switching between languages while speaking. This is a challenging method but it would be amazing to hear a teacher switch between two different languages or even more while presenting a lesson!

Host:
I really love these ideas! It could be another fun way of designing your classroom to make it comforting and relaxing. Even one poster can make a huge difference in how the students feel. What advice would you give to teachers or even people involved in the school district itself?

Person 1:
Learn to see cultures outside of your own. Think about how hard it is to sit and not understand the lesson because you don’t understand the language that’s being communicated. It’s similar to not understanding math where you feel lost and left out for not picking up an equation fast enough. Learn it before jumping into the classroom to benefit the students and in turn form deeper connections with the students and have less work to do down the line.

Host:
What advice would you give to future educators or even students?

Person 2:
Learn how to see others just as you would see yourself. We focus so much on ourselves that we put ourselves in a bubble and only accept our ideas. Going back to the growth mindset we should all learn that there's room much for improvement. Even learning a few words in a different language can be helpful. It doesn’t take much effort to try and understand others and it can truly make an impact on your students. The same idea goes for students; learn about others. You can make new friends by attempting to use multiple languages. It’s so simple and can be useful to include others.

Host:
Thank you both for giving me this opportunity to learn about translanguaging. I appreciate your insight and feedback, and I’m sure our listeners do as well. From this I think we can all take away the lesson of learning to look past ourselves and promote inclusivity. I’m your host Caitlin, see you next week.

Endnotes:
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