Exploring Student-directed Translanguaging in the English-centric Classroom

Abstract

Translanguaging has been suggested as a pedagogical practice for bilingual students in which they use two languages alternately in the classroom (Williams, 1996) and it contributes to students' language learning with the use of two languages to make meaning (Baker, 2011). The main goal of this study is to investigate preparatory class students' attitudes towards translanguaging and their translanguaging practices. To do this, a mixed-method research design was selected and applied to 28 preparatory class B1 level students chosen through the nonrandom sampling method. The quantitative data were collected from students through a questionnaire asking about students’ attitudes towards English-only policy, students’ translanguaging attitudes, and practices. Besides, to collect the qualitative data, online reading classes were observed for eight weeks. Moreover, focus group interviews with 4 lower and 4 higher achieving students were conducted in order to get a deeper understanding of students’ perceptions of translanguaging. The findings gathered from the questionnaire revealed that preparatory class students have positive attitudes towards translanguaging. In addition, the qualitative findings obtained from online reading class observation indicated that students most frequently use translanguaging practices to express their initial evaluations of the text, mention their comprehension, paraphrase, ask for help, show their critical thinking skills, discuss a topic about the related text, put forward their predictions about the content. Furthermore, the findings of focus group interviews showed that both low and high achievers have negative perceptions of translanguaging. To encourage students in the use of translanguaging in a foreign language learning class, students' positive attitudes should be supported, their negative perceptions should not be underestimated and negative perceptions of translanguaging should be tried to be changed into positive ones so that students can benefit from translanguaging.