Pedagogical translanguaging and trans-semiotizing in a LOTE Arabic classroom: the coordination of semiotic resources in alphabetic teaching and learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose Based on the notion of translanguaging/trans-semiotizing, the study aims to explore an effective pedagogy in a foreign language classroom to respond to the multilingual and multimodal context and facilitate language teaching and learning. Specifically speaking, the study attempts to investigate the coordination of multiple semiotic resources during the teaching and learning of Arabic alphabet in a LOTE (Language other than English) Arabic classroom at a Chinese university. Design Drawing from a classroom ethnography for two academic years, the current study collected data from a focal Arabic teacher and learners via classroom recordings, semi-structured interviews, and stimulated recalls; multimodal conversational analysis and qualitative content analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings The findings illustrate how multilingual resources can be activated to organize the classroom, how multimodal resources can be coordinated to contribute to language learning, and how students’ individual resources can be integrated into the entire semiotic resources to enhance their understanding of Arabic orthography. Value The implications for LOTE education and teacher training programs are presented, including the encouragement of a multilingual, multimodal and multisensory teaching approach in the LOTE classroom. LOTE teacher's agentive role is demonstrated; LOTE learners are expected to make positive response to the teacher’s pedagogy, and become active co-constructors of the language classroom and agents of translanguaging/trans-semiotizing practices.