‘English or Swedish please, no Dari!’ – (trans)languaging and language policing in upper secondary school’s language introduction programme in Sweden

Abstract

This article examines multilingual interactions in an upper secondary Language Introduction Programme (LIP) classroom in Sweden. The LIPs, highly affected by both glocal linguistic and cultural diversity and the monolingual-monocultural habitus of the surrounding society, offer recently arrived immigrant youth (ages 16-19) education where emphasis is on the majority language of the surrounding society, Swedish, but where teaching can also include other subjects. The study stems from a larger ethnographically framed project, which aims at both creating new knowledge on translanguaging as a pedagogical practice as well as contributing to school development. The paper has a threefold focus. First, it examines everyday multilingual languaging among the participants. Second, it discusses their doing of language policy from a practiced perspective. Third, it reflects upon the implementation process of translanguaging as a pedagogical practice. Data in the study includes video and audio recordings of classroom interactions, fieldnotes, literacy and interview data. Micro-analyses of interactional data are employed in order to discuss the ways in which students and teachers engage in (trans)languaging and language policing processes. Finally, the tension between seeking to teach and learn through linguistic diversity and participants' understandings of what kind of languaging is appropriate is critically reflected upon.

Examining Pedagogical Translanguaging: A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…For instance, Gorter and Arocena (2020, p. 9) argue that "an in-service professional development course can change the beliefs of inservice teachers about insights into multilingualism and principles of translanguaging". In similar terms, according to Gynne (2019), "there are indicators that learning more about translanguaging pedagogies and employing translanguaging strategies has entailed a shift for the teachers, teacher practices and possibly even teacher identities" (p. 364). In a similar way, reporting on a study of language ideology shifts among Mexican American/Latinx pre-service bilingual teachers, Caldas (2019) concludes:…”

Translanguaging spaces as safe space for psycho-social support in refugee settings in the Kurdistan region of Iraq

“…However, as we have seen in video example 2, learners initiate translanguaging practices only when the teachers translanguage or allow them to do so. This shows the challenge that the coaches face, as do so many educators who have not benefitted from professional development opportunities, to design translanguaging strategies that empower their learners and take more control of their learning (Gynne 2019). Canagarajah (2011, 8) has criticised educational contexts in which 'acts of translanguaging are not elicited by teachers through conscious pedagogical strategies' and we encourage those NGOs who wish to develop language learning programmes to provide teacher development initiatives that equip those teachers that will teach these classes with the translanguaging pedagogies that have been successful elsewhere in the world.…”

“…This issue of identity is of central importance in settings which have experienced conflict, where NGO's role is to enable beneficiaries to confront stereotypes which exist within their beneficiaries' communities; some of which relate to the use of specific languages such as Kurdish. Many scholars have discussed the dilemma of addressing (trans)languaging without labels (such as 'Kurdish') (Gynne 2019;Turner and Lin 2020). In line with Jonsson's (2019) study and Turner and Lin's (2020), we will use the labels of different languages while acknowledging the fluid nature of translanguaging in transcending named languages.…”

Translanguaging in education

“…Wei and Martin (2009) made similar observations about the conflicts and tensions between code-switching and language policy. This is a particularly urgent line of enquiry as the field of language policy is moving towards ethnographic and interactional approaches that enable us to show how language policy as practice contributes to the legitimisation of different language resources at the local level of classrooms (e.g., Bonacina-Pugh, 2012Gynne, 2019;Bonacina-Pugh et al, 2020). • Researcher reflexivity also needs to be a key dimension of any research activity related to translanguaging practices.…”