Translanguaging, trans-semiotizing, and trans-registering in a culturally and linguistically diverse science classroom

This study analyzes translanguaging and trans-semiotizing as meaning-making practices in a science class with student diversity in linguistic and cultural backgrounds as well as cognitive abilities. Observations of the science lessons demonstrated that spontaneous translanguaging and trans-semiotizing in the lessons provided useful interactional scaffolding, which complemented well the “Concept + Language Mapping” (CLM) teaching materials that provided designed scaffolding to facilitate meaning-making in the science lessons through seamless bridging between multiple communicative resources. Although helping students to engage in the science literacy activities by shifting between everyday Cantonese, academic Cantonese, everyday Putonghua, academic Putonghua, as well as written academic Chinese, the teacher was also engaged in shifting seamlessly between every-day and academic science registers, a process called “trans-registering”. During this process, the complex science texts were unpacked and repacked to help students to both grasp the key conceptual meanings of the science topics and comprehend and produce science texts to express these meanings. Copyright © 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.