Finding Diego: A Bilingual Student Integrates School,Language, and Identity |
| |
| Authors: | Robin L Danzak Louise C Wilkinson |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Sacred Heart University;2. Department of Reading and Language Arts, Syracuse University |
| |
| Abstract: | This article presents a mixed-methods case study of Diego, a bilingual teen who completed public school in Florida. During adolescence, Diego negotiated multiple identities: successful student, Mexican American, bilingual, and typical U.S. teenager. Diego provided interviews and bilingual (English/Spanish) writing (narrative/expository) in 2008 (at age 12, Grade 6) and in 2012 (at age 16, Grade 10). A qualitative analysis of his interviews and a quantitative linguistic analysis of his writing reveal central elements of Diego’s language development as related to academic English and identity. Educational implications for working with bilingual adolescents are discussed. |
| |
| Keywords: | Adolescent biliteracy English language learners Latino/a children and families migration/transnationalism secondary |
|
|
