Paper short abstract:

Translanguaging is a successful language pedagogical approach. In my presentation, I argue that through participatory research activities, translanguaging cannot only be applied as an educational concept, but it also offers a chance to create new forms of conviviality in local realities.

Paper long abstract:

Translanguaging is a sociolinguistic concept that focuses on bilingual speakers’ unitary linguistic repertoire, and a language pedagogical approach with a strong social dimension. Translanguaging, adapted to a variety of contexts worldwide, has today the characteristics of a travelling concept (Vertovec 2017). However, it has maintained a close link with education.

In 2016, our team started linguistic ethnographic research among Hungarian-Romani bilingual Roma speakers in a small town in Hungary. As one of the results, from 2017 onwards, first with teachers of a primary school, and later with local bilingual citizens, we introduced translanguaging into everyday school life, making the students' Romani-based linguistic practices part of the learning process. Our activities have transformed the relationship between speakers and languages in the school (Heltai 2021). However, we have noticed that changes in school do not necessarily indicate a transformation in spaces outside school.

Parallel, in our local activities, participatory research activities have become increasingly important. Participants produced bilingual films to support learning, as well as a Romani storybook. In my presentation, I argue that through participatory research, translanguaging can be understood not only as an educational concept, but also as a chance to create new forms of conviviality. I present some of the results of our translanguaging-based participatory activities so far and report on the dilemmas encountered.

Vertovec, Steven. 2017. Talking around super-diversity. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 42(1). 125–139.

Heltai, János Imre. 2021. Translanguaging as a rhizomatic multiplicity. International Journal of Multilingualism. Ahead of print. DOI: 10.1080/14790718.2021.1926465