Centering Repertoires, not Target Languages: Translanguaging Pedagogy in the Heritage Language Classroom

Online lecture by Dr. Josh Prada (University of Groningen, Netherlands)

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM EDT
Online Location

Translanguaging refers to the multiplex meaning-making practices that emerge among linguistically diverse individuals. By definition, these practices often transcend the boundaries of named languages and modalities, capitalizing on what the user does with their repertoires, rather than on adhering to one specific, socially-constructed target language. This stance on multilingualism, however, has been received with criticism among many language educators/researchers---including those working in heritage language classrooms. Regrettably, this type of criticism fails to incorporate existing pedagogical proposals which substantiate the use of translanguaging through structured practice. This talk introduces this pedagogical approach, clarifies its guiding principles, and unpacks its implications and possibilities for the heritage language classroom. Specifically, we will explore a key conceptual cornerstone of translanguaging, that of repertoires, and apply it to pedagogical design and classroom management to develop profile-appropriate translanguaging spaces.

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Hosted by The Spanish Graduate Program.

Sponsored by The Department of Modern and Classical Languages.