Multilingual Audiences
They are more than just a family member. They are co-authors, audience members, and teachers. Family is central to the support of student's literacy development. They can offer compliments and encouragement for their children’s writing, checks on audience responses, advice, and opinions. By extending the literacy process to families, they will be aware of what their child is learning, and participate in the process.
Students will have an authentic audience to create to. This will be encouraged to put forth something that is unique to themselves, and engaging. Also, they may enjoy the satisfaction of completing and sharing it with people they care about the most.
Students are part of a greater community and this includes the school. Same language speakers offer validation for the student's efforts. There is a shared connection to individuals who speak the same language. For those who do not speak the same language, it is an opportunity for community members to become familiar and learn about the members that contribute to their community.
References
Anderson, J., Chung, Y. C., & Macleroy, V. (2018). Creative and critical approaches to language learning and digital technology: findings from a multilingual digital storytelling project. Language and Education, 32(3), 195-211.
Castaneda, M. E. (2013). I am proud that I did it and it’sa piece of me”: Digital storytelling in the foreign language classroom. Calico journal, 30(1), 44-62.
Cummins, J., Hu, S., Markus, P., & Kristiina Montero, M. (2015). Identity texts and academic achievement: Connecting the dots in multilingual school contexts. TESOL quarterly, 49(3), 555-581.
Flewitt, R., Messer, D., & Kucirkova, N. (2015). New directions for early literacy in a digital age: The iPad. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 15(3), 289-310.
Molyneux, P., & Aliani, R. (2016). Texts, talk and technology: the literacy practices of bilingually-educated students. Trabalhos em Linguística Aplicada, 55(2),2.
Ntelioglou, B. Y., Fannin, J., Montanera, M., & Cummins, J. (2014). A multilingual and multimodal approach to literacy teaching and learning in urban education: A collaborative inquiry project in an inner city elementary school. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 533.
Rowe, L. W. (2018). Say it in your language: supporting translanguaging in multilingual classes. The Reading Teacher, 72(1), 31-38.
Rowe, D. W., & Miller, M. E. (2016). Designing for diverse classrooms: Using iPads and digital cameras to compose eBooks with emergent bilingual/biliterate four-year-olds. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 16(4), 425-472.
Shin, D. S., & Seger, W. (2016). Web 2.0 technologies and parent involvement of ELL students: An ecological perspective. The Urban Review, 48(2), 311-332.
Souto‐Manning, M. (2016). Honoring and building on the rich literacy practices of young bilingual and multilingual learners. The Reading Teacher, 70(3), 263-271.