Language and Literacy Brokering: Becoming “Linguisticians” through Parent Interviews

Language serves as a key educational tool as well as to identify individuals as members of particular social groups. ELL students entering US schools are required to learn English as the tool for communication and learning. These students often encounter situations in which it is assumed that linguistically and culturally diverse families have few resources on which to draw. This study examines a student-led parent interview assignment in which language and family are integrated into the pervasive theme of “investigation.” Students interviewed their parents/guardians in order to examine the specific and unique language needed for different jobs/professions. Using the principles of investigation, students posed questions, gathered data, analyzed the results, and shared findings. The authors conclude that teachers can engage ELLs in language investigations to support them in understanding how language works.