Progressive practice and translanguaging: Supporting multilingualism in a Hong Kong preschool

Abstract

As an officially trilingual special administrative region of China and an economic powerhouse in Asia, Hong Kong has invested heavily in dual language schools that emphasize learning English alongside of Cantonese or Mandarin at all levels of education. Little research has explored how learning and language use takes shape within these schools, particularly within early childhood educational contexts. This article analyzes how young learners in Hong Kong early childhood program that adheres to an emergent curriculum and inquiry-based pedagogy develop trilingualism though translingual communicative practices. Specifically, we showcase conditions for trilingual participation within one classroom, as well as how children within it negotiated peer relationships through linguistic improvisation and accommodation.