Translanguaging, Coloniality and Decolonial Cracks: Bilingual Science Learning in South Africa

This book explores the linguistic ethnography of bilingual science learning in a South African high school, challenging the deficit narrative and leveraging students' full semiotic repertoires in learning specific concepts. It examines the linguistic landscape, staff and student beliefs, and implications for decolonial pedagogical translanguaging in Southern multilingual classrooms.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 13 January 2023
Publisher: Multilingual Matters

In this linguistic ethnography of bilingual science learning in a South African high school, the author delves into the intricate connections between classroom discourse and broader themes of de/coloniality in education. The book boldly challenges the pervasive deficit narrative often employed to describe the abilities of linguistically-minoritized youth, instead opting to explore the complexities and potentialities inherent in harnessing students' comprehensive semiotic repertoires for the acquisition of specific concepts. The author conducts a thorough examination of the linguistic landscape within the school, shedding light on the beliefs and attitudes of staff and students that contribute to both the perpetuation and undermining of coloniality. A critical translanguaging lens is applied to analyze the multilingual and multimodal aspects of students' science meaning-making in both a traditional classroom setting and a study group intervention. Finally, the book offers insightful implications for decolonial pedagogical translanguaging practices in Southern multilingual classrooms.

In this linguistic ethnography of bilingual science learning in a South African high school, the author explores the intricate connections between classroom discourse and broader themes of de/coloniality in education. The book challenges the pervasive deficit narrative often employed to describe the abilities of linguistically-minoritized youth, instead opting to explore the complexities and potentialities inherent in harnessing students' comprehensive semiotic repertoires for the acquisition of specific concepts. The author conducts a thorough examination of the linguistic landscape within the school, shedding light on the beliefs and attitudes of staff and students that contribute to both the perpetuation and undermining of coloniality. A critical translanguaging lens is applied to analyze the multilingual and multimodal aspects of students' science meaning-making in both a traditional classroom setting and a study group intervention. Finally, the book offers insightful implications for decolonial pedagogical translanguaging practices in Southern multilingual classrooms.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 233 x 157 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800413566