When Students Feel Safe to Speak: How Belonging, Translanguaging, and Interaction Support Emergent Bilingual Students' Oral Language Development.

Title
When Students Feel Safe to Speak: How Belonging, Translanguaging, and Interaction Support Emergent Bilingual Students' Oral Language Development.
Creator
Yenia Brindis Alvarez
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Teaching (initial licensure)
Project Type
action_research_project
Date
6/12/2026
Abstract
This action research project examined how emotionally safe, translanguaging-friendly, and quality classroom interactions functioned as interdependent conditions supporting emergent bilingual students’ participation, oral language development, linguistic self-efficacy, and sense of belonging in a secondary English Language Development (ELD) classroom. The study was grounded in Emotional Context of Learning Theory, Transformative Social-Emotional Learning, Sociocultural Theory, and Translanguaging Theory, reflecting the view that language learning is an emotional, relational, and socially mediated process. The study involved 17 emergent bilingual students in grades 9–12 and employed a qualitative action research design. Data were collected through classroom observations, teacher reflection journals, student work samples, student self-reflections, oral language observations, and instructional artifacts. Data were analyzed thematically. Findings revealed three interconnected themes: (1) emotional safety and a sense of belonging supported language risk-taking, (2) collaborative interaction supported oral participation and engagement, and (3) translanguaging and intentional scaffolds supported access to academic language development. Rather than functioning independently, these conditions appeared to work together to strengthen students’ willingness to communicate and engage in oral language practices. The findings suggest that supporting emergent bilingual students requires more than isolated instructional strategies. Classrooms that intentionally integrate emotional responsiveness, meaningful interaction, and linguistic inclusion can create conditions that foster participation, confidence, and oral language development.
Keywords
Emergent Bilingual Students
Oral Language Development
Translanguaging
Committee Member
Coley Lehman
Maria Dantas-Whitney
Amy Bowden
Rights
Western Oregon University Library has determined, as of 07/27/2026, this item is in copyright, which is held by the author. Users may use the item in accordance with copyright limitations and exceptions, including fair use. For other uses, please ask permission from the author.
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Language
eng
Type
text
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