Community Translanguaging through Amistades: Holistic Support for Latina Mothers and Their Children's Kindergarten Readiness
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| Title: | Community Translanguaging through Amistades: Holistic Support for Latina Mothers and Their Children's Kindergarten Readiness |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Sophia Piral Lee (ORCID |
| Source: | International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education. 2026 18(2):223-243. |
| Availability: | International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education. T&K Akademic Rosendalsvein 45, Oslo 1166, Norway. e-mail: iejee@iejee.com; Web site: https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/index |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 21 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Mothers, Latin Americans, School Readiness, Preschool Children, Social Support Groups, Spanish Speaking, Code Switching (Language), Community Organizations, Social Discrimination, Child Rearing |
| ISSN: | 1307-9298 |
| Abstract: | This collaborative (auto)ethnographic study documents the use of community translanguaging within a support group called Amistades (pseudonym) created through a community-based partnership between mamás Latinas and a local non-profit organization. The purpose of Amistades was to offer parental and childhood socioemotional and educational support for early childhood and kindergarten readiness in a predominantly white and English-speaking city in the U.S. Amistades was exclusively designed for mamás Latinas and their young children (0-5 years old), creating unique safe spaces where mothers could share and appreciate their mujerismo, Latinidad, migration experience, translanguaging (English-Spanish), and pedagogies of the home to support their children's identity, multiculturalism, bilingualism, and protection after migrating. Co-facilitating the support group for two years, we--two mamás Latinas--documented our experience with living and interacting in a new community, mainly including community translanguaging and supporting each other in constant pláticas, monthly support groups with other mothers, playdates with our children, and the use of social media. Then, we followed a grounded theory approach to reflect on and interpret the data. Finally, we reflected on how community translanguaging helped Amistades: (1) become our only red de apoyo and sentido de comunidad with other familias Latinas; (2) allow mothers to share their experience, leadership, and diverse resources supporting other families to navigate and thrive as peers; (3) create spaces where young children could meet and interact with their monolingual Spanish-speaking and bilingual friends through free play; and (4) provide mothers with emotional support, knowledge, and resources to enroll their children in kindergarten and navigate elementary schools for the first time. This study has implications for research-practice partnerships by informing how elementary schools and other local organizations and researchers can address critical gaps in supporting familias Latinas, protecting and promoting their multiple identities and languages, amistades, and liderazgo to navigate elementary schools in the U.S. through community translanguaging. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505445 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1505445 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Community Translanguaging through Amistades: Holistic Support for Latina Mothers and Their Children's Kindergarten Readiness – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sophia+Piral+Lee%22">Sophia Piral Lee</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7751-550X">0000-0002-7751-550X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jenifer+Rueda+Varon%22">Jenifer Rueda Varon</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7704-6187">0000-0001-7704-6187</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Electronic+Journal+of+Elementary+Education%22"><i>International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 18(2):223-243. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education. T&K Akademic Rosendalsvein 45, Oslo 1166, Norway. e-mail: iejee@iejee.com; Web site: https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/index – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 21 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Latin+Americans%22">Latin Americans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Readiness%22">School Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Children%22">Preschool Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Support+Groups%22">Social Support Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spanish+Speaking%22">Spanish Speaking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Code+Switching+%28Language%29%22">Code Switching (Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+Organizations%22">Community Organizations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Discrimination%22">Social Discrimination</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Rearing%22">Child Rearing</searchLink> – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1307-9298 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This collaborative (auto)ethnographic study documents the use of community translanguaging within a support group called Amistades (pseudonym) created through a community-based partnership between mamás Latinas and a local non-profit organization. The purpose of Amistades was to offer parental and childhood socioemotional and educational support for early childhood and kindergarten readiness in a predominantly white and English-speaking city in the U.S. Amistades was exclusively designed for mamás Latinas and their young children (0-5 years old), creating unique safe spaces where mothers could share and appreciate their mujerismo, Latinidad, migration experience, translanguaging (English-Spanish), and pedagogies of the home to support their children's identity, multiculturalism, bilingualism, and protection after migrating. Co-facilitating the support group for two years, we--two mamás Latinas--documented our experience with living and interacting in a new community, mainly including community translanguaging and supporting each other in constant pláticas, monthly support groups with other mothers, playdates with our children, and the use of social media. Then, we followed a grounded theory approach to reflect on and interpret the data. Finally, we reflected on how community translanguaging helped Amistades: (1) become our only red de apoyo and sentido de comunidad with other familias Latinas; (2) allow mothers to share their experience, leadership, and diverse resources supporting other families to navigate and thrive as peers; (3) create spaces where young children could meet and interact with their monolingual Spanish-speaking and bilingual friends through free play; and (4) provide mothers with emotional support, knowledge, and resources to enroll their children in kindergarten and navigate elementary schools for the first time. This study has implications for research-practice partnerships by informing how elementary schools and other local organizations and researchers can address critical gaps in supporting familias Latinas, protecting and promoting their multiple identities and languages, amistades, and liderazgo to navigate elementary schools in the U.S. through community translanguaging. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1505445 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 21 StartPage: 223 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Mothers Type: general – SubjectFull: Latin Americans Type: general – SubjectFull: School Readiness Type: general – SubjectFull: Preschool Children Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Support Groups Type: general – SubjectFull: Spanish Speaking Type: general – SubjectFull: Code Switching (Language) Type: general – SubjectFull: Community Organizations Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Discrimination Type: general – SubjectFull: Child Rearing Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Community Translanguaging through Amistades: Holistic Support for Latina Mothers and Their Children's Kindergarten Readiness Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sophia Piral Lee – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jenifer Rueda Varon IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1307-9298 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 18 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
