Building Interactional Space in an ESL Classroom to Foster Bilingual Identity and Linguistic Repertoires

This article draws on data from a yearlong case study of a Mexican American ESL teacher's practice in a K-5 school in the southeastern United States. The study examines how the teacher established bilingual interactional space in her ESL pullout class consisting of six 9- to 11-year old students of Mexican descent. The analysis shows the ways in which she affirmed her students' bilingual identity and made strong connections between in-school and out-of-school experiences. Findings illustrate how the teacher's explicit attention to bilingualism and cross-linguistic transfer created potential for pride in Spanish and motivation to develop English. The author recommends building bilingual interactional space in ESL and dual language classrooms to promote positive bilingual identity and opportunities for expanding linguistic repertoires.