Advice

Tips for Translanguaging from the Rutu Foundation

Students who can already read and write possess a large advantage. Make sure there are books available in the students’ home languages, and let them talk about these books in the target language.
Let students who speak the same language discuss in their language and help each other with making assignments in the target language.
Make multilingual books together with the students. Students who speak the same home language can help each other translate.
Make a multilingual wall in class. Use pictures and keywords. Google Translate, parents and other students can help translate.
Let students use the internet to look something up in or about their language.
Place a few words next to each other and discuss the differences in the languages with the students.

More translanguaging tips

Read a short story to your students in the school language and let the students write a summary in the language they prefer. Let the students read each other’s stories (even if they do not speak that language) and let the writer help out with the pronunciation and the translation.

Use the parents/native speakers: regularly invite a parent to come and tell the pupils something about his or her language and cultural background. For example, the parent could practice some words with the students and then translate them into the school’s language together. If the parent does not speak the school’s language well enough, let the child help them out if possible.

Close your eyes and think of the most awful word you can think of in the English language. If you translate it to your first language, does the connotation change? Let your students do the same with various words.