Whose Translanguaging Counts? From Narrow Interpretations to More Expansive, Liberated Languaging: Translanguaging is a prominent approach to leveraging children’s bilingualism. However, it is often conceptualized in a narrow way that excludes children who speak marginalized language varieties (e.g., Chicanos; Dominicans) and disabled children who are non-speakers. Raciolinguistic and ableist perspectives often inhibit educators from recognizing, validating, and celebrating children’s diverse modes of communication. In this workshop, we will interrogate our beliefs about what counts as valid translanguaging and think more expansively about how to validate and sustain the language practices of children with marginalized identities.

Presented at California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), March 2026