Transdisciplinary Research in Language Education

Situated on the cutting edge of theory and classroom practice, this volume highlights transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary research in language education and other disciplines and epistemological spaces. The authors provide insights from language education and its potential to connect with a broad range of disciplinary traditions that include medicine, literature, fine arts, mathematics, and more. This forward-looking text addresses contemporary themes of social justice, intercultural citizenship, and antiracism throughout. Chapters provide educational research examples that can be applied in innovative ways to extend beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries. Language applications included are ESOL, Spanish, German, and Russian, with implications for both commonly and less commonly taught languages. Novice and experienced educators alike will benefit from the rigorous discussion of practice and contemporary theoretical issues.

Book Features:

• Represents a range of research methods and practical approaches that integrate language acquisition with academic content.
• Shows best practices for conducting transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and how it can enrich language education as a whole.
• Addresses contemporary topics such as language policy, STEM education, integrative teaching, content area education, arts integration, and White supremacy culture.
• Offers creative and collaborative approaches for reaching beyond the ordinary conventions of TESOL and foreign/world language education.

Meghan Odsliv Bratkovich is an assistant professor of education at the University of South Florida. Terry A. Osborn is a professor of education at the University of South Florida.

“The book squarely embeds language education in a broader discussion about social justice and equity in education. Bringing together examples from world language and bilingual (English as an additional language) contexts across different disciplines, the chapters in the book challenge common and artificial disciplinary boundaries and binaries, give concrete examples of how to transcend these boundaries, and illustrate the power of integrative conceptualizations of research.”
—From the Foreword by Ester J. de Jong, professor, University of Colorado Denver

“Just as transdisciplinary research is about breaking down barriers and imagining innovative connections, the chapters in this volume push our thinking about the possibilities of justice-oriented and equitable language pedagogies in new, groundbreaking directions. The chapters are broad in scope and offer implications for instruction, teacher preparation, research, and policy in a variety of contexts. This volume is sure to serve as a foundational guide and reference on the importance of applying a transdisciplinary lens to social justice research in language education.”
—L. J. Randolph Jr., assistant professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison

“This volume provides unique perspectives into the power of interdisciplinarity in the language classroom. Teachers and teacher educators will be able to use the varied examples as a roadmap for future work.”
—Cassandra Glynn, associate professor, Concordia College

Contents

Foreword Ester J. de Jong  ix

Introduction  1
Terry A. Osborn and Meghan Odsliv Bratkovich

1.  Social Justice in World Language Education: Transdisciplinary Issues  9
Terry A. Osborn

2.  Integrative Teaching: Looking Anew at Content and Language  19
Meghan Odsliv Bratkovich

3.  Exploring Language Education Through a Leadership and Policy Lens  35
Heather Schlaman

4.  Russian for STEM: Revisiting “Language for Reading” Courses From an Interdisciplinary Perspective  51
Timothy Reagan

5.  Using Theatre to Get to the “Heart” of Language Matters: A Transdisciplinary Study  63
Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor and Jennifer Wooten

6.  Integrating Intercultural Citizenship in University German  81
Manuela Wagner and Juntao Li

7.  Language Ideologies and Mathematics Teaching: Developing the Metalinguistic Awareness of Latinx Preservice Teachers  97
Eugenia Vomvoridi-Ivanovic and Aria Razfar

8.  Dismantling Supremacy Culture in Medical Education  113
Meghan Odsliv Bratkovich and Todd A. Bates

Conclusion  129
Terry A. Osborn and Meghan Odsliv Bratkovich

References  131

Index  149

About the Editors and Contributors  155