Linguistics – Translanguaging TCU

Reading: Vershawn Ashanti Young’s “Should Writer’s Use They Own English?”

During our interview, Dr. Steve Sherwood of the W.L. Adams Center of Writing at TCU claimed that Vershawn Ashanti Young’s “Should Writers Use They Own English?” made the single most convincing argument for non-standardized English in academic writing that he

Textbook: What’s Language Got to Do with It?

This textbook comes from two applied linguists, Keith Walters of Portland State University and Michal Brody of Sonoma State University, and focuses on linguistic diversity, the politics of language difference, and how language influences identity. I used selections from this

Presentation: Discourse Communities

For any course dealing with language difference, I like to start by introducing definitions of language and discourse communities. While this presentation isn’t the most visually engaging, it is packed with information about common beliefs about language. I start by

This page collects assignments, readings, classroom activities, and presentations that contribute to a translingual classroom. Most of these resources explicitly discuss literacy practices and/or develop arguments about language use. But, the content of translingual texts does not always focus on linguistic practices. Some resources focus on developing an awareness of language difference, which is necessary for a translingual classroom ecology.

These resources provide some ideas for a translingual class, but is, by no means, exhaustive. Translingualism and language difference need not be the entire theme of a class for you to bring in a conversation about literacy practices and/or to reflect on the literacy practices promoted in your classroom. However, translingual approaches to academic discourse do need to be accompanied by critical conversations about language difference.

For more about the theoretical underpinnings of translingual pedagogy and the potential benefits for translanguaging TCU, see Why a Translingual Approach?