Translanguaging: Harnessing our Students’ Languages for Classroom Success

Translanguaging – what and why

A recent buzzword you may have heard in the world of ELL is translanguaging. What is it, and why should ELL teachers strive to support translanguaging in their classrooms?

Translanguaging is moving fluidly among multiple languages, something multilingual learners do naturally! When we harness all of our students’ linguistic resources, we support student growth and success in our classrooms. Translanguaging is not merely providing translations for students into their primary languages–though that practice can be one support offered to multilingual learners. It requires intentionality and dedication on our part to give students ownership of their learning.

There was a time when adult educators strictly expected our students to “only use English in the classrooms.” While we were able to validate this approach as language immersion, it turns out that this wasn’t actually the best practice, and such restriction is not supported by linguistic research! Can you imagine being unable to speak English for hours of your day even though it could really help you? Would you be confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed? Allowing, in fact, encouraging students to converse in their native tongues in the classroom provides them some collective ownership over their learning, and it also gives them opportunities to better comprehend our well-thought-out lessons. When students can call upon all their language resources, they are better able to focus on the new classroom content at hand.

Translanguaging in the classroom

First, we need to understand that as instructors, we must make time and space to facilitate language connections for students. As important as it is to be timely with our curriculum (because there’s just so much to cover), it’s also important to provide instructional supports from various angles to ensure comprehension and language growth. Here are some ways that translanguaging can improve an ELL classroom:

1. Google Translate (or your translation program of choice)

Is it cliché yet? It’s definitely not a perfect program, but isn’t it also encouraging when our students can point out where it goes wrong? (Naturally written translations are only useful when students are literate in their primary languages.)

In my classroom, I embed translations directly into slideshows in as many languages as are represented if possible (but I’ve yet to find Karen except as a dictionary, one word at a time). An example is in the image here; students are encouraged to take pictures of the translations that fit them. Then they study the translation and compare it, side-by-side, to the English text. This kind of task is something I find very effective, but it’s not fast, which leads us to the next method for using translanguaging in the classroom.

2. Time

Not only do students need adequate time to read, analyze and compare the translation to the English text, but they need time to discuss with classmates that speak the same first language. This process can’t be rushed. They may have questions to ask each other or to ask you. Spend time discussing word origins, finding similarities among the languages, and breaking words into parts. It’s true that translations are subpar on occasion, but that’s also an opportunity for students to provide the appropriate corrections. How impressive is that? You can take additional time here to make the corrections together as needed as you edit the translation. Another option is to reword the text in English and try a translation in a different way for students’ to find greater accuracy. Now the students are the experts, and you are learning from their expertise. Sounds like teamwork and collaboration and collective learning!

3. Observe and Identify

We’ve all seen that utterly confused expression spread across a student’s face, haven’t we? That’s your cue to trust your teacher instincts. Encouraging translanguaging may be helpful here.

In addition to providing time to read, compare, and discuss, it’s crucial to slow down and utilize impromptu translanguaging when you observe and identify the need. For example, when students question a word even after reading the English definition, we often look for an image to provide something concrete. How is the word defined in other languages–of which our students may know many? Once they provide that feedback, they take their own notes, perhaps writing the word in the other languages that they know. When we return to this word in the text, students see it now in both or multiple languages, cementing it with translanguaging.

Unfortunately, not all words are concrete and not all can be photographed. It’s not difficult to find a picture of a couple hugging, but that’s not love. When a translation tool is in your back pocket, you can pull it out as needed, whether that be from the browser on your computer or on an iPad displayed under a document camera onto the big screen (or however you project for students) or letting students work and read together in groups with their peers who speak the same primary language.

Some additional tips:

Apple devices come equipped with the “Translate” app that may also be helpful, but I’ve found that it’s more often inaccurate. For Android users, Google Assist or Google Translate are readily available for almost every language. However, the only Karen translator that I’ve found is the “Karen-English dictionary”, which effectively translates a single word.

The Google Translate app is capable of taking photos of text and automatically translating it into multiple languages into text and audio as well as a voice-to-text feature. In your browser, you can find the Google Translate website here. It has a variety of capabilities, from uploading entire documents and websites for translating to using voice-to-text, and if you’re logged in to Google, it will even keep a history of or save your translations. You can copy the translations for pasting easily by scrolling down and choosing the copy icon, too (as identified in the photo below with the red arrow). Many languages include audio; simply select the speaker icon. Super helpful! (And as soon as Karen is added, it will be almost mostly perfect.)

Do you speak any of the languages that students are speaking in your classroom–even a little? If so, use it occasionally to encourage translanguaging. If not, learn a few easy words and purposely incorporate them. Students become extra invested in the classroom when they hear the instructor speaking their languages. Personally, I treasure the look of surprise I see when I ask a new Somali-speaking student, “Magacaa? (What’s your name?)” or when I inform Spanish speakers, “Es hora de descanso (It’s break time).” Could translanguaging even lead to greater student retention? Possibly!

Perhaps you’re still asking, “When is the best time to provide pre-planned translations?” In my experience, adding translations after new vocabulary has been presented and students have already had time to read and analyze a text in English is the prime time. It’s not a lead activity but rather a support. Translanguaging is a tangible method to bolster student achievement in your class and encourage greater independence outside of it. Such independence builds confidence, and confidence is the perfect companion to student success.