Theorizing Translanguaging and Multilingual Literacies Through Human Capital Theory

In this conceptual article we invite multilingual researchers to consider the concept of translanguaging through the lens of human capital theory. Our thinking about the interconnections among human capital, multilingualism, and translanguaging is motivated by our research in border colonias and oth...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International multilingual research journal 2015-01, Vol.9 (1), p.59-73
Main Authors: Smith, Patrick H., Murillo, Luz A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
bilingual education
Code Switching (Language)
Correlation
Educational Environment
Educational Research
Human Capital
human capital theory
Language Minorities
Language Research
Linguistic Theory
Literacy
Mexico United States Border
Multilingualism
teacher preparation
Texas
translanguaging
U.S.-Mexico border
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Summary:In this conceptual article we invite multilingual researchers to consider the concept of translanguaging through the lens of human capital theory. Our thinking about the interconnections among human capital, multilingualism, and translanguaging is motivated by our research in border colonias and other minoritized communities in South Texas, and we begin by describing these globalized Mexican diaspora communities located on the U.S.-Mexico border. We provide a brief overview of translanguaging by connecting this concept to similar terms used in related disciplines of interest to multilingualism research. We discuss how human capital has been used in educational research before outlining six forms of capital that offer potential for understanding how multilingualism can be fostered in and out of schools. We conclude with suggestions for empirical research on multilingual literacies and translanguaging.
ISSN:1931-3152
1931-3160
DOI:10.1080/19313152.2014.985149