TED 6301 Biliteracy and Academic Development

TED 6301 Biliteracy and Academic Development

Fall 2010

Tuesdays 5:30 pm to 8:20 pm

Dr. Patrick H. Smith Office hours: T-W: 3:00 to 5 pm

EDUC 801 A and by appointment

ffice phone: 747-5186

COURSE DESCRIPTION

From the Graduate Catalog: Analysis of scholarly issues with a focus on the role of language acquisition in the academic development of the bilingual/bicultural student. Examines language beyond the practice of signification and looks at the subjectivities of language with implications for curriculum and instruction. Centers on the role of language as a mediator for learning and a powerful force in the construction of meaning across curricular areas.

We explore biliteracy/ bilingualism from an ecological perspective, i.e., its development occurs in a historically, socially, ideologically specific context, as well as in the minds of biliterate learners. Literate practices are situated so that participants’ beliefs, language use, forms of literacy, power relations, use of mediational tools and resources all have an impact on biliterate development.

Drawing mainly on the research literature in sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology and social psychology, we explore the interaction between literacy development and disciplinary boundaries. No prior background knowledge in either applied linguistics or bilingual education is assumed, but students are expected to inquire about any background issues which are unfamiliar. For that reason, the professor may recommend additional readings to individual students.

The course is organized to promote development of scholarly inquiry and writing. Through dialogue and interaction with their peers and with the professor, we will engage with the literature in literacy/biliteracy and academic development.

OBJECTIVES

You should be able to do the following things by the end of the course. You will be able to read and synthesize the research literature in literacy/biliteracy and academic development. You will be able to read and respond to your peers’ scholarly and reflective writing. You will select a topic and plan research in literacy and biliteracy which may serve as a preliminary design of your dissertation proposal.

ASSIGNMENTS

Book review

The purpose of this assignment is to offer students the opportunity to read and critique recent scholarship in the field. In addition, you will review a recently published book and are encouraged to submit your review for publication after the course is over.

In this assignment, you will select a book from a list of recently published scholarly books on topics directly related to the field of bilingualism, biliteracy, or literacy development with multilingual learners. You may also propose another book that you have not read before. Be sure to check your book choice with the professor beforehand. I strongly encourage you to choose a recently published book if you are interested in publishing this work.

You will write a 1000-word review in the style of a published review. Read published reviews in journals such as Linguistics and Education, Bilingual Research Journal, the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, Reading Research Quarterly, and Anthropology and Education Quarterly for examples. We will analyze and discuss features of this genre in class.

Leading a class discussion

Prepare a discussion based on the topics raised in the book. You may do this assignment in pairs or small groups. Your presentation will be structured in two parts: (1) present a 10-minute summary and critique of the book (format to be presented in class); and (2) prepare a 20 to 25-minute structured, interactive class activity in which you explore the o the core issues/ questions/ concerns that the book raises. Be aware that your classmates have not read the book, so design an activity in which you introduce those issues and promote thought and discussion about them. Multimedia and multi-modal presentations are welcome providing they promote thoughtful discussion by the audience.

Syntheses

The purpose of this ongoing assignment is to spark critical dialogue about the research literature through writing. You will turn in ten syntheses over the course of the semester. The process will take place as follows.

1. Prepare a brief synthesis for each week’s required readings, and bring it to class on the day

they are scheduled to be read. See the description of the synthesis below.

2. On the day of the class meeting, we will discuss the readings. You may exchange syntheses, and give each other comments on your writing. Bring two copies of your syntheses.

3. The professor will collect the syntheses and may make comments in writing on individual papers.

4. Read and consider your peer’s and the professor’s comments as you receive them. You may re-write your work in response to these comments, to be included in your portfolio.

5. Collect your syntheses in a portfolio, which you will submit at semester’s end.

Features of the synthesis paper:

• Make connections. Our task in the synthesis paper is not to summarize the assigned texts, but rather to establish links between several texts. Choose a theme that cuts across all readings, and show how all or most of the texts illustrate or speak to that theme.
• Include an introductory paragraph in which you tell the reader how you will structure the synthesis.
• Demonstrate how the themes are present across the readings. Don’t stop at listing the themes, but instead develop it by providing specific examples from the readings (short quotes and paraphrases of key ideas). Your own words matter here.
• Be selective in what details you include. You have very limited space, so your language choices must be succinct, concise, and clear.
• Do include your own comments, but do so only after you present the authors’ points. Be critical and point out any weaknesses or areas of disagreement. Substantiate your claims, and be explicit about what you are basing them on (personal experience, research literature, observation, media).
• Use APA to reference the literature. (Include a list of references cited at the end of the paper)
• Approximately 500 words long, excluding references.

Research prospectus

The purpose of this assignment is for you to design a research project on an aspect of biliteracy and academic development that could serve as the basis of a dissertation proposal. Ideally, the topic you select will be closely tied to the book you read and analyzed. In a prospectus, you briefly outline the issues, questions, materials and methods you would need to undertake a full project. Find more information on a prospectus at:

Your prospectus must be related to the issue of academic biliteracy, and should be five to seven pages long, including references. You will present a preliminary version of your prospective at a poster session during the final class. Format and content of the prospectus and poster session to be presented in class.

The following publications provide guidance on designing research projects in literacy.

• Dyson, A. H., & Genishi, C. (2005). On the case. New York: Teachers College Press.
• Heath, S. B., Street, B., & Mills, M. (2008). Ethnography. New York: Teachers College Press.

Final portfolio

On December 7, you will submit a portfolio of the semester’s work. This is an opportunity to revisit, edit, and revise your writing.

• Your revised/ revisited syntheses
• Your book review

EVALUATION

% of grade
Leading class discussion / 10
Book review / 15
Reading syntheses / 50
Research prospectus / 15
Participation / 10
100

Criteria for Grading

A Outstanding scholarship. Performance that significantly exceeds the requirements and qualitative expectations of the course. Superior mastery of subject matter. Initiative and self-direction leading to significant study and related activity beyond course requirements.

B Good Scholarship. Performance that fully meets all the requirements and qualitative expectations of the Course. Solid mastery of subject matter.

C Marginal Scholarship. Performance that barely meets the requirements and qualitative expectations of the course. Marginal mastery of subject matter. Does not meet the expectations of graduate course work.

COURSE POLICIES

1. Academic honesty.Academic honesty is always expected. The UTEP Handbook of Operating Procedures will be followed. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and collusion. Cheating may involve copying from or providing information to another student, possessing unauthorized materials during a test, or falsifying research data on laboratory reports. Plagiarism occurs when someone intentionally or knowingly represents the words or ideas of another person as one’s own. And, collusion involves collaborating with another person to commit any academically dishonest act. Any act of academic dishonesty attempted by a UTEP student is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Furthermore, academic dishonesty, such as submitting work you did in another class for credit in this class is forbidden. If you have any questions about this, please consult with the professor.
2. Academic writing. Practicing and developing your scholarly writing is one of the course objectives. We will be reading many examples of academic writing this semester that should serve as models as you develop your own style of academic writing. I will provide examples of the specific genres of each assignment (synthesis papers, book review, research prospectus). You are welcomed to write in either Spanish or English; I will provide feedback on content and style in the language you write your paper in.
3. Changes to the schedule.It may become necessary to make changes to the schedule to suit student interests and/ or to accommodate for any unexpected issues. Any changes to the schedule of readings and assignments will be posted on the course Blackboard site and discussed in class.
4. Late work. Students are expected to bring their weekly syntheses with them to each class. No late work is accepted.
5. Attendance and participation. Attendance is required for every class meeting, and you are expected to arrive on time and remain for the duration of each class. However, because unexpected events do occur, you are allowed ONE absences before your grade is affected. Please reserve your absence for an emergency. Two absences will lower your grade. Three absences is considered excessive, and you will be asked to drop the class. It is the student’s responsibility to catch up after an absence. Participation is graded based on the quality of your contributions to class discussion, your preparedness to discuss readings, and the opportunities you take to lead academic classroom discussions.
6. Incompletes. No incompletes will be given for this course unless there are extenuating circumstances. Please talk to the professor ASAP if such a situation arises. In any case, incompletes will be given only if a student has passed the first half of the course and provides evidence of a documented illness or family crisis which genuinely precludes successful completion of the course.
7. Accommodations. Any student who qualifies under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) should contact the professor at once. We will make every effort to make sure the conditions support your learning and full participation in the course. If you have a disability you may self-identify by providing documentation to the Office for Disabled Student Services. If you have a condition which may affect your ability to exit safely from the premises in an emergency, or which may cause an emergency during class, you are urged to discuss this in confidence with the appropriate staff at the Office for Disabled Student Services.

REQUIRED READINGS

Required readings are electronically available on the course Blackboard site. Optional readings will occasionally be posted for those interested in reading more about a given topic.

SCHEDULE OF COURSE READINGS

08/24Introduction to course, assignments, policies and participants

08/31DIVERSITY, POLICY,AND ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

Definitions: literacy, biliteracy, bilingualism

Valdés, G. (2004). Between support and marginalisation: The development of academic language in linguistic minority children. Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 7(2&3), 102-132.

Cummins, J. (2000). Putting language proficiency in its place: Responding to critiques of the conversational/academic language distinction. In J. Cenoz & U. Jessner (Eds.), English in Europe: The acquisition of a third language. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Wiley, T. (2005). Second language literacy and biliteracy. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning(pp. 529-544). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

09/07Ideologies of bilingualism and biliteracy in schools

Escamilla, K. (2006). Semilingualism applied to the literacy behaviors of Spanish-speaking emerging bilinguals:

Bi-illiteracy or emerging biliteracy. Teachers College Record, 108(11), 2329-2353.

Shannon, S. (1999). The debate on bilingual education in the US: Language ideology as reflected in the practice of bilingual teachers. In J. Blommaert (Ed.), Language Ideological Debates (pp. 171-199). New York: Mouton de Gruyter.

MacSwan, J., Rolstad, K., & Glass, G. V. (2002). Do some school-age children have no language? Some problems of construct validity in the Pre-LAS Español. Bilingual Research Journal, 26(2).

09/14Ideologies of bilingualism and biliteracy in and out of school

Martin-Jones, M. (2007). Bilingualism, education and the regulation of access to language resources. In M. Heller (Ed.), Bilingualism: A social approach. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Ullman, C. (2010). Consuming English: How Mexican transmigrants form identities andconstruct

symbolic citizenship through the English-languageprogram Inglés sin Barreras [English without Barriers]. Linguistics and Education, 21, 1-13

Zentella, A. (1997). “Expanding repertoires: Linking language, education, and the new diversity.” Ch 12 in

Growing up bilingual: Puerto Rican children in New York. Massachusetts: Blackwell.

09/21Language policies

Hall, C.J., Smith, P.H., & Wicaksono, R. (2011). Language planning. Chapter 5 in Mapping applied linguistics: A guide for students and practitioners. Routledge: London.

Macedo, D. (2000).The colonialism of the English-Only movement. In The Hegemony of English. . Boulder: Paradigm Publishers.

Rabin, N., Combs, M.C. & González, N. (2008). Understanding Plyler’s legacy: Voices from border schools. Journal of Law and Education, 37(1), 15-82.

BILINGUAL, BIDIALECTAL, MULTIMODAL EDUCATION

09/28Biliteracy and multiliteracies

Hornberger, N., & Skilton-Sylvester, E. (1998). Revisiting the continua of biliteracy: International and critical perspectives. Language and Education, 14(2), 96-122.

New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard Educational Review, 66(1), 59-92.

10/5Hybridity and third space

Gutiérez, K., Baquedano-López, P., & Tejeda, C. (1999). Rethinking diversity: Hybridity and hybrid language practices in the third space. Mind, Culture and Activity, 6(4), 286-303.

de la Piedra, M. (2009). Hybrid literacies: The case of Quechua community in the Andes. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 40(2), 110-128.

DISCOURSES IN MULTIETHNIC/ MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS

10/12Bilingual/ biliterate academic identities in school settings

Bartlett, L. (2007). Bilingual literacies, social identification, and educational trajectories. Linguistics and Education, 18, 215–231.

Monzó, L., & Rueda, R. (2009). Passing for English fluent: Latino immigrant children masking language proficiency. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 40(1), 20-40.

Valdés, G. (2001). “Elisa” Ch 5 in Learning and not learning English: Latino students in American schools. New York: Teachers College Press.

DISCOURSES IN MULTIETHNIC/ MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS: LINGUISTIC AND DISCIPLINARY BOUNDARIES

10/19Codeswitching

Gort, M. (2006). Strategic codeswitching, interliteracy, and other phenomena of emergent bilingual writing:

Lessons for first grade dual language classrooms. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 6, 323-354.

Macias, A. H., & Kephart, K. (2009). Reflections on native language use in adult ESL classrooms. Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal, 3(2), 87-96.

Kenner, C., Kress, G., Al-Khatib, H., Kam, R., & Tsai, K. (2004). Finding the keys to biliteracy: How

young children interpret different writing systems. Language and Education, 18(2), 124-144.

10/26Bilingualism/ biliteracy in language arts classrooms

Luke, A. (1991). Literacies as social practices. English Education, 23(3), 131-147.

Huerta-Macías, A., & Kephart, K. (2009). Reflections on native language use in adult ESL classrooms. Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal, 3(2), 87-96.

Martínez-Roldán, C. M. (2005). The inquiry acts of bilingual children in literature discussion. Language Arts, 83(1), 22-32.

Moll, L., & Dworin, J. (1996). Biliteracy development in classrooms: Social dynamic and cultural possibilities. In D. Hicks (Ed.), Discourse, learning, and schooling (pp. 221-246). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

11/02Bilingualism/biliteracy in science classrooms

Richardson Bruna, K., Vann, R., & Perales, M. (2007). What’s language got to do with it?: A case study of academic language instruction in a high school ‘‘English Learner Science’’ class. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 6, 36-54.

Richardson Bruna, K. (2009). "You're magmatic now": Language play, linguistic biliteracy, and the science crossing of adolescent Mexican newcomer youth. In K. Richardson Bruna & K. Gomez (Eds.), The work of language in multicultural classrooms: Talking science, writing science (pp. 167-189). New York: Routledge.

11/09Bilingualism/ biliteracy in math classrooms

Esquinca, A. (in press).

Setati, M., Adler, J., Reed, Y., & Bapoo, A. (2002). Incomplete journeys: Code-switching and other language practices in mathematics, science and English language classrooms in South Africa. Language and Education, 16(2), 2-22.

Moschkovich, J. (2005). Using two languages when learning mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 64(121-144).

11/16Bilingual/ biliterate academic identities (college and beyond)

Gentil, G. (2005). Commitments to academic biliteracy. Written Communication, 22(4), 421-471.

Achugar, M. (2009). Constructing a bilingual professional identity in a graduate classroom. Journal of Language, Identity and Education, 8, 65-87.

Casanave, C. (1998). Transitions: The balancing act of bilingual academics. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(2), 175-203.

COLLABORATING FOR CHANGE

11/23

Vázquez, O. (1994). The magic of La Clase Mágica: Enhancing the learning potential of bilingual children. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 17(2), 120-128.

Hones, D. (2002). In quest of freedom: Towards critical pedagogy in the education of bilingual youth. Teachers College Record, 104(6), 1163-1186.

Walqui, A. (2007). Scaffolding instruction for English language learners: A conceptual framework. In O. García & C. Baker (Eds.), Bilingual education: An introductory reader. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual matters.

11/30Presentation of Research Prospectus/Poster Session

12/07Hand in Portfolios and Prospectus

Suggested books for review (In Progress)

Pérez, B. (2004). Becoming biliterate: A study of two-way bilingual immersion education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Bartolomé, L. I. (1998). The misteaching of academic discourses: The politics of language in the classroom. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.