Scaffolding learning through classroom talk: The role of translanguaging

This chapter examines ways in which classroom talk scaffolds language and curriculum learning drawing on studies of classroom communication in deaf education and research into the pedagogical value of dialogic talk. Against this background, observations are made about what happens when classroom talk is mediated for deaf learners through sign and/or spoken language support for learning and the extent to which this has been addressed in deaf education research. The term ‘translanguaging’ is introduced as a way of conceptualising the purposeful and dynamic use of different languages and modalities in the classroom to provide the most supportive kind of classroom talk and scaffold learning. Three case studies illustrate the potential strategies to support learning that translanguaging affords, recognising the diverse language repertoires of deaf learners and the adults who support them. The conclusion explores how practitioners can be critical of their own language use in the classroom, cognisant of their own translanguaging practices and the impact of their language use and interaction style on learning.