¿Por qué no los dos? The importance of translanguaging in bridging language, literacy, and engineering

Abstract

The changing demographics of the United States has led to a dramatic increase in the number of students from different linguistic backgrounds. However, due to the prescriptive nature of language and the establishment of language policies in the U.S. educational system, English continues to be the "privileged" language for STEM while equal access opportunities continue to decrease. Although English Language Learners and Emergent Bilinguals are interested in - and can understand - STEM concepts, the lack in English proficiency is often assumed to be the limiting factor in getting students to engage in STEM activities. Thus, it is important for educators to appreciate and acknowledge the linguistic repertoires of students as they engage in STEM activities. In an effort to help teachers recognize these linguistic assets, this project sought to create an environment where English and Spanish could be used as tools for meaning- and sense-making. The goal of this study is to inform how teachers can design engineering activities that consider ELLs needs. In this paper, we present an example of how translanguaging practices of teachers contributed to the understanding of science and engineering practices and the application of engineering design processes in the classroom.