{"id":18316,"date":"2021-04-13T13:44:31","date_gmt":"2021-04-13T17:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachingstrategies.com\/?p=18316"},"modified":"2024-04-12T14:31:34","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T18:31:34","slug":"culturally-responsive-approach-more-than-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teachingstrategies.com\/blog\/culturally-responsive-approach-more-than-translation\/","title":{"rendered":"A Culturally Responsive Approach: More Than Translation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ver este blog en espa\u00f1ol.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Here at Teaching Strategies, we strive to support children with culturally responsive materials: our materials provide children with opportunities to learn in meaningful ways that goes beyond using a translation of an English learning experience. A translation is a first step to providing support to English-language learners, but a direct translation of an English song, rhyme, game, or chant may have little meaning to children who speak Spanish. In Spanish, there are different phonemic structures, cultural concepts, and important vocabulary words. To truly nurture children\u2019s linguistic ability in Spanish, we sometimes need to go beyond simple translation.<\/p>\n

Think about hearing the song \u201cFeliz Navidad,\u201d over to the holidays. Do you recall dancing to the \u201cMacarena\u201d at a wedding or party? You might have started singing along or doing the motions, right? I\u2019m sure with the popularity of \u201cFeliz Navidad\u201d you found yourself singing every word in English and Spanish. As you were dancing along to the \u201cMacarena,\u201d did you understand the Spanish lyrics? Even as you had fun singing along, did you struggle with pronunciation? Were there words and phrases that didn\u2019t resonate with you as an English speaker? Bilingual music boosts learning into overdrive and, most notably, it allows multilingual speakers the ability to connect and sing along together.<\/p>\n

More than a Spanish Translation: a Transadaption<\/h3>\n

The Creative Curriculum is available in both English and Spanish, like most early childhood education curriculums. But The Creative Curriculum takes translation a step further.\u00a0 Teaching Strategies takes a culturally responsive approach curriculum materials.<\/p>\n

Being in this profession for as long as I have, I have used many curriculums. This family, child, school-friendly program, The Creative Curriculum, has made my last 15 years of teaching and engaging with multi-cultural families and co-worker such a rewarding experience.”<\/p>\n

\u2013Felecia Jones, Preschool Teacher<\/span>
\nRosemount Center, Washington, DC<\/p>\n

When children are exposed to rich, consistent models in their first and second languages, research indicates children are able to achieve fluency in both languages. This means that children can continue to develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities in their first language while acquiring these skills in their second language. The Creative Curriculum incorporates this culturally responsive approach throughout the materials and Daily Resources. So, how can songs, rhymes, and chants help support both first and second language learning? First, let\u2019s take a look at the songs we traditionally sing with young children and analyze what has made them popular for hundreds of years!<\/p>\n

For example, you may sing \u201cHickory Dickory Dock\u201d with your children. Let\u2019s compare \u201cHickory Dickory Dock\u201d in English to the Spanish translation.<\/p>\n

English<\/h3>\n

Hickory Dickory Dock<\/p>\n

The mouse went up the clock
\nThe clock struck one<\/p>\n

The mouse went down
\nHickory Dickory Dock<\/p><\/div>

Spanish<\/h3>\n

Hickory Dickory Dock<\/p>\n

El rat\u00f3n subi\u00f3 al reloj
\nMarc\u00f3 la una<\/p>\n

El rat\u00f3n baj\u00f3
\nHickory Dickory Dock<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/p>\n

You and the children in your class might enjoy singing \u201cHickory Dickory Dock.\u201d\u00a0 To support Spanish speakers, you might go online and look for the Spanish translation. But the song will make very little sense to them. Why? In English, the phrase \u201chickory dickory dock\u201d is a playful nonsense phrase that has a very important purpose\u2014to practice the strong consonant sounds that are important in speaking English. When translated into Spanish, the phrases do not rhyme. English nursery rhymes like \u201cPat-a-cake,\u201d \u201cHumpty Dumpty,\u201d and \u201cMary, Mary, Quite Contrary\u201d were created long ago to support young children in developing the ability to form the sounds, or phonemes, that are used in the English language. Many nursery rhymes in English also feature concepts and vocabulary that are less common in modern, everyday speech but familiar to native speakers who grew up with them. Think of your favorite English nursery rhymes, and you\u2019ll notice extensive references to royalty and farm life or unusual words such as\u00a0tuffet,\u00a0cockleshells,\u00a0porridge, or \u2018curds and whey.\u2019 In our materials and resources, we go beyond a translation and provide culturally relevant examples for Spanish-speaking children.<\/p>\n

We recognize that the tunes and \u201cstories\u201d of the songs and rhymes are extremely helpful for children to learn. Children who are learning two languages can (and should be) exposed to these classic nursery rhymes in both languages. Once they are familiar with the tunes, they can practice by singing with the other children in English. Singing in a group is a \u201clow-risk\u201d way for children who are learning English to practice speaking English without feeling singled out.<\/p>\n