Translanguaging in a bilingual classroom

In Latvia, the official language is Latvian. However, many children in Latvia are initially Russian-speaking, which can present challenges for their education. According to Latvian law, the language of instruction in schools should be Latvian, although schools may offer classes in other languages as well. There are programs designed to help children become proficient in Latvian so that they can succeed in their studies and become fully integrated into Latvian society. In light of this critical initiative, our research addressed the following two questions: (1) How does translanguaging occur during the acquisition of Latvian as a second language? (2) Can teachers who are bilingual themselves help children acquire Latvian at the same time as they are teaching subject content bilingually? The results show that using both languages in the classroom can help students understand subject matter, feel comfortable and make progress with their language acquisition. Natural science lessons are highly suitable for teaching the basics of language, engendering pupils' enthusiasm for learning as much Latvian as possible. Multilingualism is perceived as a valuable resource for the future; however, languages should be used in a balanced way in bilingual classrooms.