CCLM Project
CCLM
Borrowing from López's (2020) community critical literacies, this project called Community Cultures and Languages Mapping (CCLM) maps out multimedia and multi-modal sounds and images of the languages and cultures of the city as perceived by its inhabitants.
This project has two major goals: 1) to theorize on how the concepts of languages and cultures intersect, and 2) to build a sense of awareness of the vibrant cultures and languages of the city. We hope that this research project helps to create a welcoming feeling of belonging to our communities. The documentation of this multimodal project may be useful for educators to create lessons, tasks and assignments within their curricular practices. This may advance ongoing conversations in critical literacies and linguistic landscapes that embrace the complex multiple perspectives of plurilingual cities.
Borrowing from López's (2020) community critical literacies, this project called Community Cultures and Languages Mapping (CCLM) maps out multimedia and multi-modal sounds and images of the languages and cultures of the city as perceived by its inhabitants.
This project has two major goals: 1) to theorize on how the concepts of languages and cultures intersect, and 2) to build a sense of awareness of the vibrant cultures and languages of the city. We hope that this research project helps to create a welcoming feeling of belonging to our communities. The documentation of this multimodal project may be useful for educators to create lessons, tasks and assignments within their curricular practices. This may advance ongoing conversations in critical literacies and linguistic landscapes that embrace the complex multiple perspectives of plurilingual cities.
Methods of Inquiry
Using visual and sound ethnographic approaches (Berg, 2008; Blommaert & Jie, 2010; Faudree, 2012; Kheshti, 2009) and linguistic landscaping lens (Landry & Bourhis, 1997; Shohamy & Gorter, 2009), images, sounds, videos and other media are collected through our platform. These are displayed on our interactive map as a platform for multimedia, multilinguistic and multicultural showcase of the city.
Ultimately, the CCLM project hopes to visibilize the diversity of languages and cultures in the city. This will engage communities for reflection and education for expanding the notions of literacies and how these connect the classrooms.
Using visual and sound ethnographic approaches (Berg, 2008; Blommaert & Jie, 2010; Faudree, 2012; Kheshti, 2009) and linguistic landscaping lens (Landry & Bourhis, 1997; Shohamy & Gorter, 2009), images, sounds, videos and other media are collected through our platform. These are displayed on our interactive map as a platform for multimedia, multilinguistic and multicultural showcase of the city.
Ultimately, the CCLM project hopes to visibilize the diversity of languages and cultures in the city. This will engage communities for reflection and education for expanding the notions of literacies and how these connect the classrooms.
Learning Tidbits (LT)
This project presents emerging findings namely Learning Tidbits (LT). These are bits of information based on the ongoing analysis of data provided on the map and the entire learning process of this research.
LT 1
Languages and cultures cannot be fixed or labeled static. For example, in the so called Korean town in Toronto, we not only found everything related to Korea and Korean culture but a few pockets of other cultures and languages. While immersing in the Korean supermarket, Korean language is heard among the employees, however other languages could be also heard among the customers.
Additionally, in the same street strip of shops, we found a Latino Café in which people are speaking different variations of Spanish, but also customers who spoke English and Spanish bilingually interact with vendors, clients and members of the community.
What we understand of this micro cosmos of a multilingual city is that although popular culture has portrayed that this section of the city is supposed to be Korean (only), the reality is that many languages and cultures cohabit under the same spaces. In the people's imaginary, neighbourhoods are supposed to be disconnected geographical spaces that determine what cultural group inhabits a specific area, however, in reality, this is not the case.
This project presents emerging findings namely Learning Tidbits (LT). These are bits of information based on the ongoing analysis of data provided on the map and the entire learning process of this research.
LT 1
Languages and cultures cannot be fixed or labeled static. For example, in the so called Korean town in Toronto, we not only found everything related to Korea and Korean culture but a few pockets of other cultures and languages. While immersing in the Korean supermarket, Korean language is heard among the employees, however other languages could be also heard among the customers.
Additionally, in the same street strip of shops, we found a Latino Café in which people are speaking different variations of Spanish, but also customers who spoke English and Spanish bilingually interact with vendors, clients and members of the community.
What we understand of this micro cosmos of a multilingual city is that although popular culture has portrayed that this section of the city is supposed to be Korean (only), the reality is that many languages and cultures cohabit under the same spaces. In the people's imaginary, neighbourhoods are supposed to be disconnected geographical spaces that determine what cultural group inhabits a specific area, however, in reality, this is not the case.
References
Berg, B. L. (2008). Visual Ethnography. In L. Given (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods (pp. 935–938). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909
Blommaert, D. J., & Jie, D. (2010). Ethnographic Fieldwork: A Beginner’s Guide. Multilingual Matters.
Faudree, P. (2012). Music, Language, and Texts: Sound and Semiotic Ethnography. Annual Review of Anthropology, 41(1), 519–536. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-anthro-092611-145851
Kheshti, R. (2009). Acoustigraphy: Soundscape as Ethnographic Field. Anthropology News, 50(4), 15–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-3502.2009.50415.x
Landry, R., & Bourhis, R. Y. (1997). Linguistic Landscape and Ethnolinguistic Vitality: An Empirical Study. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 16(1), 23–49.
López, M. M. (2020). Linking community literacies to critical literacies through community language and literacy mapping. Teaching and Teacher Education, 87, 102932.
Shohamy, E. G., & Gorter, D. (Eds.). (2009). Linguistic landscape: Expanding the scenery (1st ed). Routledge.
Berg, B. L. (2008). Visual Ethnography. In L. Given (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods (pp. 935–938). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909
Blommaert, D. J., & Jie, D. (2010). Ethnographic Fieldwork: A Beginner’s Guide. Multilingual Matters.
Faudree, P. (2012). Music, Language, and Texts: Sound and Semiotic Ethnography. Annual Review of Anthropology, 41(1), 519–536. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-anthro-092611-145851
Kheshti, R. (2009). Acoustigraphy: Soundscape as Ethnographic Field. Anthropology News, 50(4), 15–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-3502.2009.50415.x
Landry, R., & Bourhis, R. Y. (1997). Linguistic Landscape and Ethnolinguistic Vitality: An Empirical Study. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 16(1), 23–49.
López, M. M. (2020). Linking community literacies to critical literacies through community language and literacy mapping. Teaching and Teacher Education, 87, 102932.
Shohamy, E. G., & Gorter, D. (Eds.). (2009). Linguistic landscape: Expanding the scenery (1st ed). Routledge.