The Handbook of Language Socialization is out. Edited by Sandro Duranti, Elinor Ochs, and Bambi Schieffelin, this volume is the 37thin the prestigious Blackwell Handbooks in Linguistics series. In chapter 9, ‘Language socialization and repetition’, I discuss patterns in and insights from language socialization research that has taken repetition as an analytic focus. I examine 4 practices of repetition – revoicing, prompting, guided repetition, and language play. I then discuss repetition-related findings from studies conducted in contexts of second language socialization and religious socialization. I conclude with a discussion of how attention to repetition in socializing interactions expands and enriches our understanding of the nature of communicative competence, its development over time and across texts and contexts, and the active and sometimes transformative role of the novice in socialization processes.
schooling
New article in Language Arts
A new article of mine, “Moving across languages, literacies, and schooling traditions”, has just come out in Language Arts, part of a special issue ‘Remaking Literacies across Time and Place’. Click here for contents of the issue. In this article I draw upon my research in the Maroua Fulbe community in northern Cameroon and in the Somali immigrant-refugee community in Columbus to provide insights into the schooling and literacy experiences Somali children and other Muslim immigrants may bring to public school from their other school. I first discuss Qur’anic schooling in the Fulbe community, describing the organization and the significance of this schooling tradition for participants, as well as the recent rise of double schooling and changes in Islamic educational practice. I then shift my focus to the Somali immigrant-refugee community in Columbus, discussing changes in Qur’anic schooling that have arisen in this diasporic context. After discussing how Qur’anic school experiences may affect Muslim language-minority children’s second language and literacy learning in public school, I conclude with reflections on how knowledge of Qur’anic schooling and Qur’anic school-based literacies might impact the practices of public elementary school educators.
Teachers Workshop Project presentation at ASA meeting
On Friday, November 19th, I will present with Laura Joseph (Center for African Studies) on our Teachers Workshop Project at the 2010 African Studies Association meeting; This year’s theme is African Diaspora and Diasporas in Africa. Our paper ‘Collaborative Development of a K12 Teacher Workshop on Somali History, Language, and Culture’ is part of a panel I organized on Research, Outreach & Engagement with Somali Refugee Communities in the U.S.. Over the course of a year we developed the workshop in collaboration with sponsoring agencies; Somali Studies scholars; local school district teachers and administrators; and local Somali artists, educators, students, and community organizers. Our paper critically traces the developmental trajectory of the workshop as well as its digital documentation and dissemination in DVD and wiki formats. We conclude with a brief discussion of how we envision future iterations of the workshop, including integration of the DVDs and expansion of the website.
Ohio Somali Graduation Ceremony & Teachers Workshop
This past Saturday was the 1st Annual Ohio Somali High School, College, University Graduation Ceremony and Teachers Workshop. The events were held at the Hilton Easton, and 119 Somali-American graduates were honored. 400-500 people attended the celebration, including Columbus Mayor Coleman and U.S. Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy. The Teachers Workshop was organized by Dr. Abdinur Muhamed (Ohio Department of Education). I gave a presentation on “The role of higher education institutions in immigrant and refugee education: challenges and opportunities”. Also presenting were Abwan Said Salah Ahmed (Minneapolis Public Schools) and Abdikarim Gole (OSU, in photo).
AERA Invited Symposium
I am the chair and co-organizer (with Judy Kalman) of the Division G Section 5 Invited Symposium “Learning through participation in multiple and complex contexts: Research(ers) in North and South America”. This bilingual symposium brings together scholars working in both North and South America who study language, literacy, communication, and participation. The symposium is organized as an interactive encounter between presenters and audience. In the first part participants will circulate among the researchers’ stations and engage in dialogue with them in small groups. In the second part, discussants Kris Gutierrez and Barbara Rogoff will guide discussion of common themes that run through papers, as well as dialogue about relationships and communication among scholars who participate in multiple research communities and cultures in North and South America. The symposium is Monday morning, May 3rd, 10:35-12:05, in the Four Seasons Ballroom 4 of the Colorado Convention Center.
The Anthropology of Learning in Childhood
The Anthropology of Learning in Childhood is hot of the presses, including my chapter, ‘Learning in schools‘. Here’s the publisher’s blurb: “This first major anthropological reference book on childhood learning considers the cultural aspects of learning in childhood from the points of view of psychologists, sociologists, educators, and anthropologists.”
Expanding Repertoires
I am the keynote speaker for Columbus City Schools’ District-wide Professional Development Day, 9 December 2009, at the Columbus Global Academy. The PD strand title is ‘Strategies to Improve Literacy for ESL Students’. My talk ‘Expanding Repertoires’ draws upon my own research in multilingual communities, research on language learner beliefs and (language) learning strategies, and recent meta-studies of research on literacy development among language-minority children and youth.
Young ELLs Wiki & Invited Panel at Ohio TESOL 2009
I will present in an invited panel ‘Understanding and Supporting Your Young English Language Learners’ at the Ohio TESOL Conference . My co-presenter is Elizabeth McNally, a K-5 ESL Teacher in Columbus City Schools, a doctoral candidate in FSLED, and my teaching assistant in EDU T&L Linguistic Diversity in Early Childhood Education. Our fellow panelist is Helen O’Leary of the Ohio Department of Education. We will focus on four main topics related to preschool and early elementary English Language Learners: 1) connecting with English Language Learners and their families in early childhood education, 2) content area instruction, 3) reading instruction, and 4) preventing over referral of ELL children to special education. The session runs 1:45-2:15, Friday, October 30 in the Hilton Easton, Easton A. I have created the Young ELLs Wiki for participants, a site that brings together relevant readings, webcasts, and websites.
Teacher Institute on Somali History, Language, & Culture
This summer I am leading a week-long course for K12 educators. The course provides an overview of Somali history, language, and culture that will increase your understanding of the children, youth, and families of the Somali Diaspora. Developed in collaboration with members of the Somali community and Columbus City Schools, the course is designed to answer questions and address needs identified by educators, parents, students, and community organizers. Several Somali Studies scholars and community activists and practitioners will share their expertise and experiences. The course will be held June 15-19, 9-4:30. It is hosted by the Somali Women & Children’s Alliance, facilitated by EHE’s Office of Outreach and Engagement, and sponsored by the Ohio Humanities Council and the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, visit the website of OSU’s Center for African Studies.
Somali Immigrants & Charter Schools
This week the New York Times ran an article ‘Immigrants See Charter Schools as a Haven’ in which they focused on Somali immigrants living in Minneapolis. (Minneapolis is home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., and Columbus is home to the second largest.) Check out the slide show linked to the article. The article portrays the immigrant parents as wanting their children to develop strong dual identities (American and Somali) and multilingual competence, sheltered from American youth culture. Interestingly, the article does not mention that students study Arabic at the charter school.