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Article published In:
Translation and Translanguaging in Multilingual Contexts
Vol. 3:2 (2017) ► pp.167–183

Translanguaging pedagogy in multilingual early childhood classes

A video ethnography in Luxembourg

| University of Luxembourg

This paper investigates translanguaging practices and pedagogy with very young children in the trilingual country of Luxembourg. Recent research has shown that in early childhood education in Luxembourg there is a focus on Luxembourgish to the exclusion of other languages and that this appears to exclude children with foreign language backgrounds from everyday institutional life. Our research asks how and in which forms can a translanguaging pedagogy offer young multilingual children opportunities to engage in literacy practices. Our empirical qualitative pilot study carried out among children aged 2 to 6 in Luxembourgish early childhood programs clarifies forms of translanguaging when instruction is accompanied by pictures and reading in German. The findings suggest that gesture and body language are part of translanguaging, providing multiple resources that enable the young multilingual learner to make meaning.

Keywords: translanguaging, multilingualism, multimodality, early childhood education, Luxembourg
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background of research: Early childhood education in Luxembourg
    • 2.1Languages in the formal and non-formal Luxembourgish educational system
    • 2.2Language backgrounds of children in early childhood education in Luxembourg
  • 3.Theoretical framing: Translanguaging as pedagogy with young learners
    • 3.1Translanguaging pedagogy in early childhood education
    • 3.2Developing languages through rhymes and visual images
  • 4.Research approach and design
    • 4.1Research question
    • 4.2Pedagogy of using visual representations and reading of rhymes in German
    • 4.3Sample and methods
  • 5.Findings: Forms of translanguaging in groups of young multilingual children
  • 6.Discussion: Connection to the current state of research
  • References


This article is currently available as a sample article.

Published online: 23 June 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ttmc.3.2.02and
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