Language on the Move Translanguaging: A Discussion with Ofelia Garcia
Feb 16, 2024
Ofelia García, renowned bilingual education scholar and translanguaging theorist, discusses translanguaging versus codeswitching and its roots in bilingual pedagogy. She explores rethinking language maintenance models, how translanguaging frames communicative resources, and practical classroom implications for balancing learners’ needs and goals.
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Bilingual Life Shaped Theory
- Ofelia García recounts her bilingual upbringing in Cuba and migration to New York, showing how lived experience shaped her critique of sociolinguistic theory.
- She describes Joshua Fishman as a generous mentor who encouraged her to find her own voice and adapt existing theories to bilingual lives.
Perspective Alters Linguistic Labels
- García argues code switching starts from externally named languages while translanguaging reflects an internal use of a single integrated repertoire.
- The difference is perspective: named-language lens versus what bilinguals actually use to communicate.
Integrate Languages In Instruction
- Use translanguaging pedagogically by integrating one language for input and another for output in the same learning space when helpful.
- Treat translanguaging as a deliberate classroom strategy rather than forcing strict separation of languages.
