Language Brokering in Immigrant Families

Abstract

She has a Ph.D. in Cultural Psychology and Human Development and her theoretical and conceptual interests are grounded in sociocultural theory, transitions, critical or contested ideas of 'normative' development and cultural identity development. Her work with child language brokers grew out of broader interest in the constructions or representations of childhood in culturally diverse settings.Tony Cline is a member of the Educational Psychology Group at University College London (UCL) and contributes to its Professional Doctorate for experienced Educational Psychologists. He initially worked in inner city and suburban areas around London as an educational psychologist. Subsequently he moved into higher education, where he has led professional training in Educational Psychology at UCL and headed the Department of Psychology at the University of Luton before returning to UCL to take up his present post in September 2004. His publications have covered a wide range of subjects, including child language brokering, the education of bilingual children, psychological assessment, dyslexia and selective mutism. He is co-author of the textbook Special Educational Needs, Inclusion and Diversity.

Language brokering profiles of Mexican‐origin adolescents in immigrant communities: Social‐cultural contributors and developmental outcomes

“…Although past studies have found associations between language brokering and adolescents' adjustment outcomes (Weisskirch, 2017), they have rarely recognized how heterogeneous experiences of language brokering, as practiced in immigrant communities in real time, may relate to late adolescents' developmental outcomes (García Coll et al, 1996). The current study extended prior research (Kim et al, 2020) by examining Mexicanorigin adolescents' adjustment variations related to their bilingual language use in their daily lives.…”

“…Although language brokering requires a more nuanced understanding of concepts than direct translation does, bilingual skills (e.g., proficiency) are a large part of language brokering. However, most previous studies rely on self-report measures of bilingual proficiency and thus are unable to consider how effective adolescents are at language brokering in naturalistic settings (Macintyre et al, 1997;Weisskirch, 2017). Despite the fact that bilingual proficiency can be partly represented by self-report measures, there are other strong indicators of bilingual proficiency, particularly vocabulary, as well as the speed and accuracy of translation.…”

Language Brokering Experience Affects Feelings Toward Bilingualism, Language Knowledge, Use, and Practices: A Qualitative Approach

“…The field of language brokering has expanded, thanks to the contributions of researchers in the social sciences, education, and policy domains (see Dorner et al, 2008; Morales & Hanson, 2005 for a review; Weisskirch, 2017). A more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon can lead to better resources for families and individuals that engage in brokering as well as individuals who work with brokers and their families.…”