Spanish, Arabic, and “English‐Only”: Making Meaning Across Languages in Two Classroom Communities

Abstract

This comparative case study explores the use of Spanish, Arabic, and English in two elementary classrooms where instruction is delivered primarily in English and teachers and students do not share proficiencies in students’ home languages. Using methods derived from ethnography of communication, the study examines how languages other than English (LOTEs) become part of a community's shared repertoire of meaning‐making resources. Furthermore, it examines how these resources shape and were shaped by the classroom community of practice. Discourse analysis of four separate classroom interactions shows that Spanish, Arabic, and English facilitated opportunities for classroom community members to negotiate new tools, activities, and forms of engagement, yet not all uses of LOTEs afforded students’ meaning making in their communities of practice. Specifically, this study shows that LOTEs can be productively included in English‐dominant environments, but community responsiveness to language use is critical for this success. Findings also reveal that multiple features of the classroom community, including member roles, community negotiation, and opportunities to engage in extended discourse, shaped meaning making with LOTEs. This study concludes with recommendations for leveraging LOTEs in similar classroom contexts.