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Linguistic Capital is an idea originating in anthropology and attributed to Pierre Bordieu, later adapted as a sociological construct by Tara J. Yosso who wrote that linguistic capital “reflects the idea that students of color arrive at school with multiple strengths, including language and communication skills.” As language is a complex and dynamic construct, linguistic capital refers to much more than the vocabulary and grammar knowledge possessed by students in a dominant language. Linguistic capital also refers to student ability to work within different language registers and communication styles and to utilize various social skills within a variety of contexts.
By learning about students’ linguistic assets, learning experiences can be planned to highlight these assets. By developing asset-based learning experiences, all students may benefit from the collection of diverse assets present in a learning environment.
While linguistic capital refers to assets related to what we often think of as “formal languages,” there is a very diverse variety of skill sets and language types that students develop and use in everyday life. Students who are digital natives, those who were born well into the digital age, often have highly developed language skills for use in digital contexts. The wide variety of contexts, or registers, in which students use language are associated with a diverse set of skills that intersect, but do not completely overlap. These skills, from both formal and informal contexts, can be leveraged to improve the learning opportunities of students.
Examine selected research on linguistic capital.
Yosso, T., Solórzano, D. (2005). Conceptualizing a critical race theory in sociology. In M. Romero & E. Margoliz (Eds.), The blackwell companion to social inequalities. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Retrieved June 6, 2021 from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csuchico/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=243569
Rodríguez, G. (2013). Power and agency: Exploring pedagogical dimensions of funds of knowledge. Review of research in education. 37 87-120. Retrieved June 9, 2021 from https://www-jstor-org.mantis.csuchico.edu/stable/24641958?seq=4#metadata_info_tab_contents
Huerta-Kelly, N. (2017). Funds of knowledge: A constructivist study to examine the assets of culturally and linguistically diverse families. Colorado State University. Retrieved June 8, 2021 from https://www.proquest.com/docview/1915404878?pq-origsite=primo
Dworin, J. E. (2011). The family stories project: Using funds of knowledge for writing. The reading teacher. 59(6) 510-520. Retrieved June 9, 2021 from https://ila-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.mantis.csuchico.edu/doi/abs/10.1598/RT.59.6.1?sid=vendor%3Adatabase
Olcón, K., Pantell, M., Sund, A. C. (2018). Recruitment and retention of Latinis in social work: Building on students’ community cultural wealth. Journal of social work education. 54(2) 349-363. Retrieved June 9, 2021
Zevenbergen, R. (1998). Classroom interaction and linguistic capital: A Bordieuian analysis of the construction of social differences in mathematics education. University of Nottingham. Retrieved June 17, 2021 from https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/csme/meas/papers/zevenbergen.html
Ferlazzo, L. (2017). ELL students’ home language is an asset, not a barrier. Education Week. Retrieved June 17, 2021 from https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-response-ell-students-home-language-is-an-asset-not-a-barrier/2017/01
Ready to apply strategies for leveraging linguistic capital to your teaching? Here are some ideas and strategies to get you started:
List ideas or strategies for application and outline of implementation steps.
EXPLORE | LISTEN | WATCH | READ |
What’s their Capital? Applying a Community Cultural Wealth Model to Undergraduate Research (Elon University) A Framework for Understanding Latino/a Cultural Wealth (Kanagala, Rendón, Nora) | Beyond Cognates: Leveraging Multilingual Capital (Highest Aspirations Podcast) | Embracing Multilingualism and Eradicating Linguistic Bias (Karen Leung) The Significance of Linguistic Profiling (John Baugh) | Funds of Knowledge: Theorizing Practices in Households, Communities, and Classrooms (Gonzalez, Moll, Amanti) The Translanguaging Classroom: Leveraging Student Bilingualism for Learning (Ofelia García) |