Linguistic Equity Research Articles

Crossing the frontier from oral to written translanguaging for epistemic access in natural science

Background: South Africa’s Language-in-Education Policy (LiEP) provides for bi/multilingual education, but schools are only supported to choose monolingual English language policies from Grade 4 and ignore the learners’ home language or languages as resources for learning. Many teachers translanguage orally, using the learners’ home language and English to make learning more meaningful but seldom extend this to written translanguaging.Objectives: Research was conducted to document the process and effects of a teacher development project, translanguaging-for-learning (L4L) which supported teachers in developing translanguaging pedagogies to improve learner access to the curriculum and to develop academic bi-literacy.Method: This article focuses on the development of one senior phase (Grades 7–9) natural science teacher who participated in the L4L project. Data were collected following an ethnographic approach in workshops and classrooms through observation, interviews, photos, videos, and learners’ workbooks.Results: The research illustrates how with workshop engagement, mentoring support and the provision of multilingual dictionaries, a teacher’s bi/multilingual languaging skills were legitimised and mobilised to engage learners in knowledge construction, both orally and in writing. Classroom interaction shifted from being teacher-led to being more learner-centred and bilingual, providing opportunities for biliteracy, and identity affirmation.Conclusion: The findings illustrate improved learning opportunities through planned, systematic translanguaging pedagogies.Contribution: The research suggests a model for bi/multilingual education and teacher development that recognises African languages as important resources for learning to further linguistic equity, access, and social justice.

To go big, we have to go home: building foundations for the future of community-engaged and public-facing research in linguistics

Abstract In this article, we discuss various public-facing scholarly activities we have engaged in and how these initiatives have reached large audiences to widely spread messages about language and linguistic equity and inclusion. We provide guidance for how to launch, coordinate, and carry out public outreach initiatives and community-engaged research, how to navigate potential pitfalls and position these efforts for success, and how to demonstrate the direct value and relevance of the work. We also offer strategies and advice for other linguists engaging in public outreach endeavors, especially with regard to connecting community-engaged work with teaching and research for maximal impact within the scholarly ecosystem. Community-engaged research and public-facing initiatives are best conceptualized and undertaken in comprehensive, intentional, informed by, and planned in ways that align with best practices in the literature and integrated into the scholarly enterprise. We assert that public-facing work is critical to the relevance and impact of linguistics and higher education. Most importantly, public-facing work that makes insights from research relevant to the public can help advance the broader goal of education for social impact and the public good.

Behind The Feminine Facade: Gender Bias in Virtual Assistants and Its Effect on Users

The paper examines the boundaries of gendered voice in virtual assistant responses. It intends to examine the gender biases these virtual assistants display by looking at popular systems such as Siri, Alexa, Cortana and Google Assistant which are known for using female voices in their choice of assistants. The study explores how gender bias in VA design affects user experience using both quantitative and qualitative methods of study. It examines how Virtual assistants can be programmed and designed for inclusive interaction to challenge societal gender norms. By drawing from diverse fields such as pragmatics, sociolinguistics, and gender studies to analyze how these assistants encode and reproduce gender bias. The present study also highlights the importance of linguistic equity in digital interaction.

Equity and excellence in English language education in the USA: A literature review from the 1960s to 2020s

This study examined the trends in English language education (ELE) using a literature review from the 1960s to the 2020s as a research method. After reading the 1012 journal article abstracts, 210 articles emerged using the 37 keywords, which were supposed to embrace racial and linguistic equity. After multiple iterations of reading and open coding these abstracts, thirty-two articles were selected for the final analysis. One research question guided this study, “What were the emerging trends of PK-12 ELE in the USA in terms of equity and excellence from the 1960s to the 2020s?” Three phases were identified: Phase 1 (1968-1999) on remedial service; Phase 2 (2000-2007) on test accountability; and Phase 3 (2008-2020) on asset-based ELE. We integrated Feiman-Nemser’s central tasks into the four themes: 1) gaining EBLs' funds of knowledge (FoK), 2) enacting EBLs' racial, linguistic, and cultural repertoires, 3) forming teacher beliefs, and 4) deepening knowledge of the curriculum. The findings revealed shifts in three phases under each theme: from assimilating to the target language and culture and devaluing EBLs' assets in Phase 1 to interweaving EBLs’ FoK but with racialized attitude towards EBLs in Phase 2 and valuing EBLs’ FoK as assets, seeing them as ‘language architect’, and integrating translanguaging and resisting raciolinguistic ideologies into ELE in Phase 3.

English Medium Instruction in Higher Education: Global Trends, Challenges, and the Call for Multilingual Approaches

This review article examines the widespread adoption of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education, driven by globalization and the need to prepare students for the international job market. While EMI aims to enhance English proficiency and academic and employment prospects, it also presents challenges in terms of linguistic equity, pedagogical effectiveness, and the academic success of students. Through a synthesis of research, this review explores the implications and challenges of EMI and scrutinizes the assumption that EMI inherently improves English proficiency alongside content learning. The article also critiques the monolingual ideology of EMI policies and advocates for the recent call by researchers for a multilingual approach that includes translanguaging practices to better accommodate the linguistic diversity of student populations. In doing so, it highlights the need for a critical reassessment of EMI implementation based on the suggestion that by integrating students’ wider linguistic resources, EMI can evolve from its monolingual origins to embrace a more effective and equitable multilingual framework.

Between Tongues: The Battle for Linguistic Equity in Tanzanian Schools – An Autoethnographic Study

Between Tongues: The Battle for Linguistic Equity in Tanzanian Schools – An Autoethnographic Study

The Virtue and Potential of Open Education: For Supporting Belonging, Transformation of Pedagogy, Linguistic Equity, and Climate Adaptation

The Virtue and Potential of Open Education: For Supporting Belonging, Transformation of Pedagogy, Linguistic Equity, and Climate Adaptation

Beyond Colonization: Reimagining English And Indigenous Voices In Africa’s Linguistic Landscape

This paper explores the enduring legacy of British colonization on the proliferation of English in Africa. It also critically examines dual role of the colonizers as both a catalyst for global integration and a relic of colonial hegemony. Through a meticulous review of both historical and contemporary academic literature, including seminal contributions from scholars such as Albaugh, Brock-Utne, and Makoni, this study illuminates the complex dynamics between English and indigenous African languages within socio-political, economic, and educational contexts. The analysis foregrounds the historical evolution of English from a language of commerce to its present-day stature as a global lingua franca, while also highlighting the nuanced challenges it poses to linguistic diversity and cultural heritage. The methodology employed integrates a critical examination of linguistic imperialism, the socio-economic implications of English dominance, and the potential of bilingual and multilingual education models to foster linguistic equity and cultural preservation. Findings indicate that English, deeply rooted in colonial history, remains a pivotal force in shaping contemporary African identity, governance, and access to global discourse. However, this influence is twofold; it facilitates international communication and opportunity, yet also risks overshadowing indigenous languages and cultures. The article supports the implementation of language policies that are sensitive to the complexities of linguistic variety. It promotes the idea of a multilingual African identity that recognizes the worldwide importance of English, while also actively protecting and revitalizing indigenous languages. This article advocates for a rebuilt linguistic landscape in post-colonial Africa that combines the advantages of English literacy with the rich cultural and intellectual heritage represented by Africa’s indigenous languages.??

The promise of linguistic equity for migrants in Australian courtrooms: a cross-disciplinary perspective

ABSTRACT In human rights studies, much has been written and studied about civil, economic, political and social rights. Little has been explored about the linguistic human rights of migrants and minorities in justice-critical settings. Situated at the nexus of migration, human rights and sociolinguistic studies, this short essay walks through the current perspectives of linguistic equity for migrants and minorities in Australian interpreter-mediated courtroom encounters. The essay leaves the readers with three reflections: (1) clarifications on the use of nuanced terms such as linguistic equality and linguistic equity, (2) updated knowledge of the difficulties in achieving accuracy for migrants and minorities in court interpreting and (3) refreshed understanding of role-related practical challenges in the professional life of interpreters in court and beyond.

Plurilingualism within the global village: A comparative analysis of California and Catalonia attempts for linguistic equity

Plurilingualism within the global village: A comparative analysis of California and Catalonia attempts for linguistic equity

Breaking the English Routine: An Argument for Polylingual Discourse in U.S. Higher Education

Extant research has suggested United States (U.S.) higher education is more accessible and equitable toward Whites than toward English-language learners, international students, and students of color (Bernal, 2002; Lee & Rice, 2007; Lippi-Green, 2012; Yeh & Inose, 2003). In this argumentative essay, I insist these issues of access and equity are partially owed to the Anglocentric, highly routinized, and luddite nature of U.S. higher education communication, policy, and practice. Moreover, I forward the notion that predominantly English institutions (PEIs) should explore performing non-routine, highly technological work in order to value the linguistic capital (Yosso, 2005) brought to the institution by students with diverse language knowledge in order to truly serve students from minoritized language populations. Implications for linguistic equity and the practicality of polylingual institutional support is addressed.

Code-meshing Projects in K-12 Classrooms for Social and Linguistic Equity

To contest monolingualism, which oppresses language diversity in U.S. classrooms, Horner et al. (2011) called for a translingual approach to language differences. As much of the literature on translingualism has remained at a theoretical level, writing teachers have been seeking to enact this disposition in their classrooms pedagogically. As a response to this, code-meshing (Young, 2004, 2013; Canagarajah, 2006, 2011) can be used as a pedagogical application of the translingual approach. This paper conceptualizes code-meshing as translingual pedagogy and explores how it can be used in K-12 contexts by examining documented K-12 classroom examples of code-meshing projects in the studies of Zapata and Laman (2016) and Pacheco et al. (2017). Despite the concerns that critics have voiced, the examples show that code-meshing can be used as an effective pedagogical tool for developing the translingual disposition, supporting students’ multilingual identity, and discussing social and linguistic equity in K-12 settings. While the structural limitations for translingual pedagogy are not unforeseen, teachers and researchers should be encouraged to collaborate and keep developing translingual pedagogy for linguistic and social equity.

School Library eBook Providers and Linguistic Equity

If school library collections must meet the needs of the communities they serve, the native languages of the student population must be an important consideration when making purchasing decisions about eBooks. Many professionals in the library community believe that materials in electronic format have the potential to enrich library collections with linguistic diversity. To ensure that school library collections reflect the linguistic diversity of the community, as school library professionals we need to gain a better understanding of what resources are available for our students in digital format. Recent studies indicate that eBooks available from vendors to schools libraries do not meet the linguistic needs of children whose native language is not English. Several international organizations have recognized this issue and are developing initiatives to resolve the growing digital and linguistic divide.

The time is now! Preparing middle and high school teachers for Dual Immersion Programs (Spanish-English) in California: a readying examination of current practices, needs, and potentialities

ABSTRACT Teachers working in middle and high school Dual Immersion (DI) programs (Spanish-English) face unique sets of challenges: linguistic equity between the two languages of instruction, attrition due to high linguistic and academic expectations, and preparing DI students for standardized tests in English. In this article, we reflect on our current experiences both from the teacher preparation perspective and from daily teaching and learning in DI classrooms. From the intersection of our positionalities and lived experiences, we conceptualize the next steps in the preparation of future Dual Immersion (Spanish-English) secondary teachers. In doing so, we outline the specific skills middle and high school DI teachers must have in order to build effective practices around three key areas for Dual Immersion instruction: Bilingualism and Biliteracy, Student Achievement, and Socio-Cultural Competence. We argue that in order to guarantee the success and high quality of DI programs in middle and high school, Teacher Preparation Programs and School Districts should work together now developing a comprehensive and intentional preparation and support for middle and high school DI teachers and administrators working in these school sites.

The Impact of Brown on EL Students: Addressing Linguistic and Educational Rights Through School Leadership Practice and Preparation.

In 1974, the Supreme Court drew on the 1954 Brown decision in Lau v Nichols, placing English learner (EL) students' right to a meaningful education at the forefront of educational policy. Subsequent federal decisions and legislation (i.e., Castañeda; Equal Educational Opportunities Act [EEOA], No Child Left Behind [NCLB], and Every Student Succeeds Act [ESSA]) have placed the responsibility for providing quality educational programming on districts, schools, and school leaders. In this article, we propose a framework for the integration of linguistic equity in leadership preparation and an historical case of a university-based principal preparation program that has integrated this framework into coursework and clinical experiences.

The evolution of person-centered encounter: creating egalitarian environments for mattering, meaning & healing

ABSTRACTThe article revisits and recounts the history of the evolutionary developmental nature of change in person-centered encounter group processes and emphases over 5 decades, as viewed from the author’s participation over that time period, focusing on the socially conscious, egalitarian, feminist, linguistic equity, power, and political elements of change, as central to that direction.

Linguistic equity as open access: Internationalizing the language of scholarly communication

The open access movement has called attention to ways in which financial barriers to participation in scholarly discourse inhibit the growth of knowledge and perpetuate global inequities. The majority of the focus, however, has lain upon two kinds of direct financial barrier: subscription fees and article processing charges. This article proposes that the use of English as the lingua franca of modern scholarly communication constitutes a ‘hidden paywall’ that counterproductively inhibits the participation of scholars from many parts of the world and particularly from the global south. After a brief review of the costs of this ‘hidden paywall’ and of the tradition of ‘great power’ linguae francae in which English now stands, this article suggests that 19th and 20th century proposals for the use of a constructed auxiliary language as an aid to global scholarship now deserve to be revisited, with contemporary developments in publishing technology and machine translation rendering them feasible alternatives to the status quo in ways that they were not when first introduced.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Response to Incentives for Quitline Engagement

Certain racial and ethnic minorities have lower utilization of tobacco cessation services, such as Helpline counseling and cessation medications. The goal of the California Medicaid (Medi-Cal) Incentives to Quit Smoking Program was to facilitate successful cessation by promoting modest financial and cessation medication-related incentives to increase engagement with the California Smokers' Helpline counseling services. Differences in the response to incentives and outreach on engagement with Helpline services among racial/ethnic groups within the Medi-Cal population were examined. Analysis of Helpline caller data. African American (n=18,656); English-speaking Latinx (n=12,792); Spanish-speaking Latinx (n=3,254); and white (n=45,907) Medi-Cal callers. The Medi-Cal Incentives to Quit Smoking team conducted statewide and community-based outreach and facilitated direct-to-member all-household mailings about the Medi-Cal Incentives to Quit Smoking program to engage with Medi-Cal callers and promote Helpline services between March 2012 and July 2015 (analyzed 2017/2018). Medi-Cal callers could ask for a $20 gift card incentive after having completed a counseling session; in September 2013, callers were offered free nicotine replacement therapy. Three behavioral outcomes are reported that reflect activated callers and callers who engaged in treatment that is proven to improve chances of quitting smoking: receipt of the $20 incentive, receipt of nicotine replacement therapy, and receipt of counseling. African Americans and English-speaking Latinx had higher engagement with the financial incentive than whites (African American APR=1.66, 95% CI=1.59, 1.73, English-speaking Latinx APR=1.29, 95% CI=1.22, 1.36). Spanish-speaking Latinx had lower initial engagement with the financial incentive (APR=0.75, 95% CI=0.66, 0.85), but higher engagement with Medi-Cal's all-household mailing (Spanish-speaking Latinx 30.6% vs whites 18.2%, p<0.001). Although African Americans and English-speaking Latinx had similar rates of completing counseling and receiving nicotine replacement therapy as whites, Spanish-speaking Latinx had higher rates than whites. The promotion of modest financial and cessation medication incentives through multiple outreach channels increased callers' engagement with the Helpline and appeared to promote ethnic and linguistic equity with respect to the receipt of counseling and nicotine replacement therapy. Targeted community-based outreach may resonate particularly for African Americans, and language-concordant Medi-Cal insurance plan mailings may have reached newly covered Spanish-speaking Latinx. This article is part of a supplement entitled Advancing Smoking Cessation in California's Medicaid Population, which is sponsored by the California Department of Public Health.

Linguistic Equity: India’s Path to Social Justice

In 2009 India passed The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act. This may be the most important legislation for democracy in India’s history. As a result of this law, the people of India have demonstrated the belief that democratic education is truly the answer to freedom and equality for every Indian citizen as 96% of all of their eligible primary aged students are currently attending free and compulsory schools (Education in India, 2014). This Constitutional law and its practical fulfillment can be clearly seen through the integration of each of India’s spoken and written languages on Nationwide Standardized Exams, in National Textbooks, and within Teachers’ Classroom Practice which will reveal how citizenship education is redefining democracy in India through linguistic equity.

Biliteracy Summer Schools: Breaking the Cycle of Monolingualism in Migrant Families

Immigration and the role of language in education have been major issues in governance and education across the world. The current study looks at a family biliteracy program for 2- to 6-year-old students and their parents. The findings shed light on the importance of teacher-community partnerships in bridging the linguistic gap between Spanish-speaking migrant parents and their children who are entering an English-only educational system. Such partnerships create opportunities for teachers to reflect on and re-evaluate their teaching practices, for parents to value literacy in the home language as well as the school language, and for students to value biliteracy as a relevant skill. Biliteracy practices, highlighted in the study, have implications for immigrant families in creating linguistic equity in education.