Self-identified Spanish-speaking early childhood educators abriendo puertas for bilingualism through a care-based linguistic stewardship of Spanish

Abstract

This article focuses on self-identified Spanish-speaking early childhood educators’ experiences with and views of bilingualism as they learned about translanguaging—a dynamic, liberatory, and culturally and linguistically sustaining theory and practice of language. Artifacts and conversations with teachers showed that, counter to many of their painful experiences with language and bilingualism, they believed in and cultivated an education of care, which often included creating translanguaging spaces where Spanish was both expected and highly valued. In turn, the teachers believed that their protection of and support for Spanish would serve as a foundation on which children and families could grow their bilingualism.