MCLL Faculty Publications

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    Open science and accessible research
    (Applied Linguistics Press, 2024) Showstack, Rachel E.
    Ortega (2005) challenges researchers in second language acquisition (SLA), a subfield of applied linguistics, to generate knowledge that is useful for the groups we seek to serve. Applied linguistics as a field is dedicated to addressing real-world problems related to language, and Ortega’s challenge can be extended beyond SLA to include scholars working in other subfields, such as translation and interpretation, language policy, language maintenance and shift, heritage language learning, and bilingual education. In order to make our knowledge useful for the individuals we hope to support and empower, these individuals need to be included in the process of producing this knowledge and should have access to the information that we produce; in addition, our findings must reach those who make policy decisions, such as lawmakers and administrators.
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    Language Ideologies and Linguistic Identity in Heritage Language Learning
    (Taylor and Francis, 2024) Showstack, Rachel E.; Pascual y Cabo, Diego; Wilson, Damián Vergara
    Language Ideologies and Linguistic Identity in Heritage Language Learning addresses the ways in which discourses about language value and identities of linguistic expertise are constructed and negotiated in the Spanish heritage language (HL) classroom, and how the classroom discourse shapes, and is shaped by, the world outside of the classroom. The volume examines the sociopolitical contexts, personal histories, and communicative practices of Spanish teachers and students in two diverse geographic regions: the US states of Texas and Kansas. Adopting an integrated sociocultural approach, it considers the ways in which individuals draw from multiple linguistic resources and social practices in daily interaction and how they articulate their beliefs about language through storytelling. Rich interactional data, examples from social media, and stories of community engagement are utilized to demonstrate how Spanish heritage speakers use language creatively and proactively to legitimize and claim power in their home and community linguistic practices. This is an invaluable resource for applied linguists who seek to better understand the relationship between language, ideology, and identity and for graduate students and researchers in the fields of linguistics, Spanish, and HL education. © 2024 Rachel Showstack, Diego Pascual y Cabo, and Damián Vergara Wilson.
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    Health disparities and the applied linguist
    (Taylor and Francis, 2023) Santos, Maricel G.; Showstack, Rachel E.; Martínez, Glenn A.; Colcher, Drew C.; Magaña, Dalia
    Health Disparities and the Applied Linguist bridges theory and practice to demonstrate how applied linguists are uniquely positioned to make vital contributions towards advancing health equity in the U.S. As language, power, and health are deeply interconnected, learning to articulate these connections is essential to understanding persistent health disparities in linguistically minoritized communities. This book offers a nuanced portrait of the complex interactions of social and environmental factors underlying health disparities in the U.S., beginning with a brief introduction to key theories linking language, power, and health, and a historical overview of significant language-related healthcare legislation. Real-life examples from diverse contexts in clinics, classrooms, and communities reinforce the ways in which we can mobilize our knowledge as applied linguists and become engaged in social justice efforts in our communities. The authors encourage critical conversations about health equity in multilingual contexts and emphasize the urgent need for cross-disciplinary problem-solving and collaborations. The volume is a must-read for students, scholars, and practitioners in applied linguistics and language education, and anybody interested in working at the intersection of language and health. Copyright 2023 Taylor & Francis.
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    “Are there any Mexicans listening?” Stancetaking and language ideologies in a Spanish L2 Classroom
    (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2022-03) Mattson-Prieto, Raquel; Showstack, Rachel E.
    This study investigated classroom interaction through the framework of stancetaking (Du Bois, 2007) to understand how Spanish second language (L2) learners positioned themselves when participating in communicative language learning activities. Data came from transcribed audio and video recordings of three 90-minute lessons in one intermediate-level U.S. high school Spanish class. We examined how the students indexed epistemic stances toward their grammar explanations, and affective and evaluative stances toward the Spanish language and native (L1) Spanish speakers during peer interaction. Despite the burgeoning Spanish-speaking community near where the data were collected, L2 learners’ linguistic practices indexed stances of expertise regarding their knowledge of Spanish grammar and vocabulary rather than their potential to meaningfully interact with the people who lived and worked in their community. In addition, some indexed negative affective and evaluative stances toward L1 Spanish speakers. Findings signal the need to examine how target-language speakers are positioned in classroom practices.