1. “A Bridge to Somewhere”: Metaphor in Bilingual Policy Reform Efforts Dr. Sharon Merritt Fresno Pacific University CABE 2016, San Francisco

2. Metaphors and Framing “Our concepts structure what we perceive, how we get around in the world, and how we relate to other people.” (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980/2003, p. 3)

3. The Conduit Metaphor IDEAS (OR MEANINGS) ARE OBJECTS LINGUISTIC EXPRESSIONS ARE CONTAINERS COMMUNICATION IS SENDING

4. It’s hard to get that idea across to him. I gave you that idea. Your reasons came through to us. It’s difficult to put my idea into words. When you have a good idea, try to capture it immediately in words. Try to pack more thought into fewer words. You can’t simply stuff ideas into a sentence any old way. The meaning is right there in the words. Don’t force your meanings into the wrong words. His words carry little meaning. The introduction has a great deal of thought content. Your words seem hollow. The sentence is without meaning. The idea is buried in terribly dense paragraphs. (Lakoff and Johnson,1980/ 2003, p. 11)

5. Ruiz (1984) Orientations in Language Planning Language as problem Language as right Language as resource

6. SB 1174 Sponsored by State Senator Richard Lara Passed both houses of State Legislature Signed by Governor Brown Proposition on November 2016 ballot Dismantles Proposition 227 Allows groups of parents to request different forms of bilingual education in school districts

7. Discussion of SB 1174 Copies of the law are available – may need to share Work in pairs Focus on the Page 2, Section 2.300, beginning with “The people of California find and declare as follows” Consider all of the associations made with language, English, multilingualism How has Lara framed multilingualism through these assumptions?

8. SB 1174: Language as resource Associations with wellbeing, innovation, growth, choice, opportunity Provide vs. deprive (economic) American Dream and multinational businesses Forge stronger bonds National security, diplomacy, international programs Post-2008 economic crisis framing

9. Talking Points on SB 1174 Jill Kerper Mora MoraModules SB 1174 Talking Points http://moramodules.com/sb-1174-talking-points Ballotopedia https://ballotpedia.org/California_Multilingual_Edu cation_Act_(2016)

10. Metaphor and Program Reform 2011 dissertation study: language ideologies in Spanish Immersion program and high school Spanish language program Midville School District, Northern California Spanish Immersion: 2 strands in elementary, middle school Students typically moved into Spanish 3 or higher in high school

11. The Program Crisis Long-standing historical conflict Middle school SI teachers dissatisfied with language knowledge and use of SI students SI teachers, parents, students dissatisfied with Middle school teachers’ approach to language learning – traditional World Language High school World Language teachers concerned with grammar, basic literacy Study revealed conflict in language ideologies among stakeholders

12. Subject(s)Object Community Tools Rules (values, ideologies)Roles (div. of labor) District, site administrators, teachers, parents, consultants To reinstate middle school SI Program Discussion (language, metaphor); historical documents; assessment information; final report elementary school SI teachers; middle school SI/Foreign Lang. teachers; high school Foreign Lang. teachers; parents; administrators (site and district) The Activity of Program Reform

13. Differences in Object Variety of stakeholders Reinstating the middle school program Emphasizing the “rules” of different communities – Elementary SI: honoring the language use experiences of the past – Secondary World Language: arriving at high school with correct usage in writing and speaking

14. The Bridge: A structural metaphor Location-Event Structure Metaphor – States are Locations – Changes are Movements – Actions are Self-Propelled Movements – Purposes are Destinations – Difficulties are Impediments to Motion – Means are Paths

15. Middle School SI as Bridge

16. Purposes are destinations: Varied views Elementary SI: cultural knowledge and experience; language and literacy use; language in the service of content; future use of language in service of community and personal growth Elementary SI teachers: “[were] looking for a bridge that involve[d] language use, not just grammar [instruction]” SI parent: everyone would want to know that it’s a “bridge to somewhere” Secondary WL: “to decide where the kids should fit into the continuing language courses”

17. Metaphor in the policy statement: A bridge to maintain the status quo Resolving differences through the accretion of value statements “To provide a Spanish language experience bridge between K-5 SI to secondary world language programs currently in operation in Midville SD. Additionally, to provide an SI experience that is a pathway for students to continue in the middle school SI program. This bridge can be taught in a core subject area such as social studies or science for communicative competency that includes fluency and academic vocabulary. The 5 modalities of communicative competency are listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural awareness. This is not a traditional second language acquisition program but an immersion experience to connect the K-5 immersion program to secondary level courses. “

18. Framing the middle school SI Program: A one-way bridge the movement involved in crossing the bridge is one-way motion, proceeding along a developmental path from childhood and elementary school to adolescence and high school could also envision the bridge of middle school as enabling the movement of teachers back and forth from both land formations, since teachers are not involved in the same developmental journey that students are

19. Unresolved conflict Spring 2009 curriculum planning meeting – conversation analysis – Ms. Gomez, 5 th grade SI teacher – Mr. Sanchez, 8 th grade WL teacher – Ms. Morelli, 7 th grade SI/WL teacher – Focus on discussing 7 th grade curriculum Ms. Gomez: literacy-based curriculum focusing on literature connected to lives of students – CCSS-like focus on essential questions/themes Mr. Sanchez: WL oriented curriculum based on grammar instruction and language production activities

20. Two visions of curriculum Mr. Sanchez No need to focus so much on curricular content All language classes are immersion Emphasis on choosing WL textbook for assigning homework Ms. Gomez Curricular content essential to SI model Immersion is teaching content with the language Emphasis on choosing culturally-responsive, compelling literature for literacy practices

21. Conclusion Incomplete (even failed) program reform Conflicting ideologies remained unresolved Confounding entailments of the metaphor of a “middle school bridge” Multiple understandings of Purposes as Destinations – disunified corporate understanding of the Object of SI model of language education Our language matters in policy reform!

22. Thank you! Sharon Merritt Director, MA in Teaching Fresno Pacific University sharon.merritt@fresno.edu Dissertation available for download at http://escholarship.org/