Translanguaging Supports Reading with Deaf Adult Bilinguals: A Qualitative Approach

Authors

Dan Hoffman, Utah Valley UniversityFollow
Ju-Lee Wolsey, Lamar UniversityFollow
Jean Andrews, Lamar UniversityFollow
Diane Clark, Lamar UniversityFollow

Abstract

Translanguaging is a pedagogical theory and an approach to teaching language. It conceptualizes the dynamic ways in which bilinguals use their linguistic repertoire and language practices in both languages for learning, meaning-making, reading, and writing. This study reports on the results of a qualitative study using Grounded Theory. The research question posed was, “what insights do bilingual Deaf readers provide regarding their metalinguistic processes and reading strategies used during translanguaging? To answer this question, responses were gathered from Deaf adults who were interviewed on their language and literacy histories. Further, they were queried about their reading comprehension practices using translanguaging. The researchers used videotaped interviews taken in American Sign Language (ASL) then glossed into English for analyses to examine how Deaf adults comprehended English expository texts. Based on the data analysis, the core category, “bridge to literacy” was revealed after identifying seven themes. Recommendations for future research using the translanguaging bilingual theory and practice are included.

Keywords

translanguaging; Deaf; adults; bilinTranslanguaging, Deaf, Adults, Bilingual, Reading, Grounded Theory, Literacygual; reading; grounded theory, literacy

Author Bio(s)

Dan Hoffman is the Program Director of the ASL & Deaf Studies at Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: Dan Hoffman at dhoffman@uvu.edu.

Ju-Lee A. Wolsey is a doctoral candidate in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education at Lamar University, Beaumont, TX. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: jwolsey@lamar.edu

Jean F. Andrews is professor emerita in the Department of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education at Lamar University, Beaumont, TX. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: jfandrews62@gmail.com.

M. Diane Clark is the Chair of the Deaf Studies and Deaf Education Department at Lamar University, Beaumont, TX. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: diane.clark@lamar.edu

Publication Date

7-17-2017

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2760

Recommended APA Citation

Hoffman, D., Wolsey, J., Andrews, J., & Clark, D. (2017). Translanguaging Supports Reading with Deaf Adult Bilinguals: A Qualitative Approach. The Qualitative Report, 22(7), 1925-1944. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2760