This document outlines how to conduct a community study to investigate the languages present in a local area. It provides examples of activities students can do like collecting newspapers and signs in other languages, listening for foreign languages, and investigating how languages are used in local institutions. The document also recommends inviting community members to teach students about their home languages and cultures to strengthen home-school connections and cultural awareness. The overall goal is for students to research multilingualism in their own community through various hands-on methods.

1. COMMUNITY STUDY
Laura Olivares Martínez
Melani Leno Carceller
Laia Leno Carceller

2. WHAT IS IT?
 A community study is a way for all students
bilingual and English speakers to investigate what
languages and scripts are visible in their community.
Students can do this in a number of ways.
Community Study

3. WHAT CAN WE DO?
 Collect newspapers in different languages.
 View videos that speaking in a language other than the
mother tongue.
 Use pictures of signs in other languages.
 Listen for people speaking or hearing conversations in
foreign languages.
 Investigate how different languages are used in libraries or
schools
Community Study

4. TRANSLANGUAGING HOW-TO
1. Decide how to include a community study in your curriculum
 Can you do this at the beginning of the school year as part
of your “community building” activities?
 Can you incorporate this into your literacy instruction?
 Can you incorporate this into your social studies
curriculum?
Community Study

5. TRANSLANGUAGING HOW-TO
2. Collect pictures of multilingual signs in your community.
 Have students bring in photographs of signs that show
languages other than the mother tongue. Talking with
students about this topic, asking questions of these
photographs.
 We have to note that students can look for multilingualism
in different types of signs.
Community Study

6. TRANSLANGUAGING HOW-TO
3. Collect multilingual newspapers in your community
 Have students look for newspapers written in other
languages, and bring them into class. After they must
investigate on these newspapers and their languages.
Community Study

7. TRANSLANGUAGING HOW-TO
4. Listen to languages in your community
 Challenge students to pay close attention to what they
hear, they can share their findings with the class, to do
interviews other people...
Community Study

8. TRANSLANGUAGING HOW-TO
5. Look at community institutions
 Have students investigate different institutions in the
neighborhood to see if languages other that the mother
tongue are visible. For example: the library or the school.
Community Study

9. TRANSLANGUAGING HOW-TO
6. Invite parents or community members as teachers of language
and culture
 You can invite them to come into the classroom to teach
students something about their language and/or culture.
This creates a strong home-school connection with EBLs’
families, and helps all students develop their awareness
and understanding of other languages and cultures.
Community Study

10. COMMUNITY STUDY
Community Study