Author

Jonell Pacyga

Term

Summer 2023

Capstone

Dissertation

Degree Name

EdD

Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair

Dr. Michelle Benegas

Secondary Advisor/Reader One

Josh Prada

Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two

Emily Machado

Abstract

The goal of this phenomenological study was to intensely analyze and interpret the experiences of a select sample of early career language teachers as they reflected on their languaging interactions with their learners. To answer the research question: How do early career language teachers experience the creation of multilingual classroom ecologies?, four individuals participated by collectively providing 14 interviews, submitting 13 bi-weekly journals, and sharing 17 self-selected semiotic images over a two month time period. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1996) was then employed using a double hermeneutic to uncover themes in each case by elucidating descriptions and then cohesively analyzing all sets of data. Findings included that each teacher experienced reported translanguaging moments as joy, purposeful connection, and the analysis of ecological factors. Subsequent major learnings included the following regarding the early career language teacher experience: 1) they felt joy when they were able to use or help students to use multilanguaging, 2) they associated the use of multiple languages as a way of supporting connections with and for students holistically, academically, culturally, and linguistically, and 3) they were both conscious of and conscientious with multiple facets of their ecological experience related to language use. The dissertation concludes with a call for further exploration of the experiences of language educators to forward our shared understandings of translinguistic practices within a multilingual educational context.

Keywords

ESL/ ELLs, Foreign Language, Reflective Practice, Teachers/ Teaching

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

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Education Commons

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