Translanguaging Strategies Research Articles

Language practices of Chinese doctoral students studying abroad on social media: a translanguaging perspective

Abstract Existing research has recognized the important role of translanguaging in linguistic education. Recent studies have begun to turn attention to translanguaging practices on social media. This study contributes to this growing body of literature by examining translanguaging strategies and functions deployed by Chinese doctoral students studying abroad on the social media platform Little Red Book. A netnography approach and computer-mediated discourse analysis are combined to analyze the data. The findings reveal that Chinese doctoral students employ various translanguaging strategies online, including multilingual, multi-semiotic, and multimodal strategies, to achieve a range of pragmatic functions. The multilingual strategy consists of using Chinese characters, English words or phrases, English abbreviations, English acronyms, Chinese pinyin acronyms, and Chinese pinyin initials; the multi-semiotic strategy involves the use of emojis and hashtags; while the multimodal strategy incorporates photos. The study also explores the motivations behind the use of translanguaging on social media by these students. The results indicate that social media provides translanguaging space for Chinese doctoral students studying abroad to creatively make full use of their linguistic repertoire. In doing so, they are able to demonstrate their doctoral identities, their socialization abilities, and attitudes of language playfulness.

Good practices of pedagogical translanguaging: A global overview of emergence, development, and classroom applications

This paper deals with the concept of translanguaging as a powerful tool for fostering inclusive education in linguistically diverse settings. Translanguaging, unlike traditional views of languages as separate, bounded systems, recognizes the flexible, integrated nature of multilingual communication. It highlights how speakers draw from their entire linguistic repertoires to construct meaning, depending on context and need. The paper aims to provide teachers in Transcarpathia with a comprehensive understanding of translanguaging and its pedagogical applications. It explores the historical development of the concept, its key characteristics, and its differentiation from code-switching. The paper also discusses the theory and practice of pedagogical translanguaging, highlighting its benefits for both teachers and students. It presents examples from various countries, including the United States, Italy, and South Korea, to illustrate how pedagogical translanguaging has been implemented in different educational contexts. One of the core principles of translanguaging is that all languages are valuable and can be used to support learning. Teachers can create a more inclusive and equitable classroom environment where all learners feel valued and respected via accepting this principle. Translanguaging can also help students to develop a deeper understanding of the world around them by allowing them to connect their experiences across different languages and cultures. In addition to its benefits for learners, translanguaging can also be a powerful tool for teachers. By using translanguaging strategies, teachers can create more engaging and interactive lessons that are relevant to their students’ everyday lives. Translanguaging can also assist teachers to develop their own language skills and to become more culturally sensitive. While the implementation of translanguaging in the classroom may require some initial training and planning, the benefits are well worth the effort. This paper provides valuable insights and practical guidance to support teachers in harnessing the power of translanguaging to enhance language acquisition, content comprehension, and overall student success.

Translanguaging for learning in selected English First Additional Language secondary school classrooms

Background: The unequal learning outcomes and achievement gaps in language and literacy, particularly affecting poor and working-class children in South African schools, are longstanding issues. These disparities were highlighted once again in the poor literacy results of PIRLS 2021, indicating systemic challenges within the education system.Objectives: This article emanates from a Languaging-for-Learning (L4L) project, which holistically used approaches to integrate isiXhosa home language and English to validate and engage with the learners’ linguistic repertoires to open more opportunities to learn and read multilingually.Method: The research was conducted in two Western Cape township high schools with bilingual isiXhosa and English-speaking teachers and emergent bilingual learners. Five Grade 9 teachers’ English First Additional Language (EFAL) lessons were observed and recorded in 2023. The case study focused on shifts in teachers’ take-up of translanguaging strategies in EFAL lessons and their effective pedagogical use, especially in written form.Results: The findings revealed that bilingual teachers creatively incorporated teaching practices that allowed learners to transition between languages while learning EFAL. The study further indicates that bilingual education has the potential to be a valuable pedagogical strategy in contexts where exclusive use of English impedes effective learning.Conclusion: Yet again, the findings of this study accentuate the importance of incorporating and utilising learners’ home languages into the education process. A bilingual or multilingual pedagogical approach not only enriches the learning experiences but also acknowledges the linguistic diversity within the classroom, thereby making way for more effective and inclusive education practices.Contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of how a bilingual or multilingual teacher intervention can impact English teachers’ classroom practices positively. It emphasises the importance of recognising and embracing the language resources that learners bring to the classroom, highlighting the value of a bilingual pedagogical approach in promoting effective learning outcomes.

Empowering voices: A deep dive into translanguaging perceptions among Turkish high school and university language learners

This study explores the perceptions of translanguaging among high school and university foreign language students in Turkey using a mixed-methods research design. 325 participants, comprising 155 high school and 170 university students, were surveyed to understand how translanguaging practices impact language learning, cultural integration, and academic performance. The study is grounded in Translanguaging Theory, Sociocultural Theory, and Pedagogical Translanguaging, emphasizing the fluid use of students' linguistic repertoires in language education. The findings reveal significant differences in perceptions based on gender, educational level, and age, highlighting the need for tailored translanguaging strategies to support diverse learner needs. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on translanguaging by providing empirical evidence from the Turkish educational context, offering insights into optimizing language teaching practices in multilingual settings.

Implementing translanguaging strategies in the English writing classroom in higher education

Abstract Over the past two decades, translanguaging has become a powerful concept in applied linguistics, enabling teachers and students to respond to linguistic and cultural diversity in the classroom. However, how teachers and students prepare for translanguaging pedagogy and practice in writing has so far received less attention (Huang & Chalmers, 2023). Therefore, this systematic review focuses on the application of translanguaging strategies in the English as a Foreign/Second Language (EFL/ESL) writing classroom. Following the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, this study searched five databases to obtain articles spanning from 2013 to 2023. We reviewed 23 articles focusing on translanguaging, writing and higher education. Our results show that (1) most studies were conducted in North America and Northern Asia, with qualitative studies being predominant; (2) most researchers implemented translanguaging interventions in the EFL/ESL classroom to study the impact of translanguaging on students’ English writing skills; (3) students applied translanguaging strategies during the writing process to communicate with others on content and vocabulary; (4) translanguaging strategies provided teachers with diverse perspectives and enhanced students’ various skills; (5) the use of digital resources and different types of activities contributed to the application of translanguaging in the writing classroom, but students’ limited language skills in their L2 but also in their L1, and their uncertainty about their linguistic identity limited implementation of translanguaging in the English writing classroom. This systematic review points towards the need for educators to consider the various factors, functions and applications of the use of translanguaging strategies in English writing classrooms.

Unpacking translanguaging in refusals on Chinese social media: strategies, distribution, and functions

Abstract Translanguaging has been documented to be frequently adopted in day-to-day online interaction. To date, except for Ren and Guo’s (2022. Translanguaging in self-praise on Chinese social media. Applied Linguistics Review 169. 1–22) pioneering study examining translanguaging practices in online self-praise, there has been scanty focus on how translanguaging is manifested in the realisation of specific speech acts, particularly the face-threatening speech act of refusing. To fill this research gap, the study explores the strategies, distributional patterns, and functions of translanguaging practices in digital refusals through the analysis of naturally occurring data collected on WeChat over five months. The findings indicate that online interlocutors utilized a wide range of translanguaging strategies from multimodal, multilingual, and multi-semiotic resources. Four turn positions are identified in decreasing order of frequency: single turn, turn final, turn medial, and turn initial. Furthermore, translanguaging in refusals denotes interpersonal, expressive, textual, and operational functions, with the first two constituting the majority. Based on these findings, three types of refusals shaped by translanguaging are identified, namely, refusals with translanguaging as a redressive strategy, refusals with translanguaging as a marker of mock impoliteness, and refusals with translanguaging as a facilitator of smooth online communication. The study concludes by highlighting that the nature of the speech act, digital genres and platforms, and the relationship existing between interlocutors contribute to translanguaging practices in online refusals.

Indonesian Suburban Area EFL Teachers' Perspectives on Translanguaging

Bilinguals and multilingual people use translanguaging, which is the technique of using different linguistic components or forms of independent languages to improve communication. When incorporated into teaching methods, translanguaging strategies enable educators to bridge linguistic gaps and support the learning of a foreign language. Despite the perceived advantages of translanguaging, variations in teachers' perceptions create ideological barriers, hindering students from fully embracing translanguaging. This study intends to investigate the perspectives of Indonesian teachers teaching in suburban areas on translanguaging in English language instruction in order to obtain a deeper knowledge of this subject. This study used semi-structured interviews using a qualitative research design to go deep into teachers’ insights on the topic. The result of the study shows that the participants had a generally positive perception on translanguaging and used a variety of translanguaging strategies in their teaching methods, such as the use of contextual cues, cooperation, student-centered approaches, and bidirectional translation. The result of this study also shows participants’ perspective on a crucial need to include translanguaging to support low proficiency level EFL students in their classrooms. In addition, the finding reveals teachers’ perspectives on ramifications of translanguaging when it is used in EFL classes. The findings can be valuable for education stakeholders, particularly in suburban areas, guiding design of lessons with translanguaging practices that cater to learners’ needs in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms.

Translanguaging as a Mediational Tool in the Process of Feedback in Second Language Writing

Abstract A growing number of studies have focused on pedagogical translanguaging, helping to develop students’ writing competence in second language (L2) classrooms. However, the role of translanguaging in the feedback from both teacher and students in L2 writing remains scant. Adopting a sociocultural approach, this study aims to investigate how translanguaging practices in L2 writing tutorials can mediate learning in the process of feedback, especially in the post-writing stage. Data were collected from classroom observations and writing assignments, with seven students and one tutor in 16-week writing tutorials at a university in Central China. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis and microgenetic analysis. Results show that teachers and students work together to construct knowledge and expand the multilingual repertoire and that translanguaging strategies promote feedback in the dialogic process. The mediating role of translanguaging in L2 writing tutorials can offer opportunities to enhance content learning, encourage learner participation, establish comprehension and provide pastoral care. The findings also shed light on L2 writing pedagogy that translanguaging as a mediational tool can decolonize curricula that are primarily English-medium and promote awareness of teachers in an equitable educational environment, by supporting equity for culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Investigating translanguaging strategies and online self-presentation through internet slang on Douyin (Chinese TikTok)

Abstract This study explores the translanguaging strategies used in internet slang on Douyin, a popular social media platform in China. By analyzing 331 examples (encompassing 313 translanguaging strategies), we investigate how individuals utilize various translanguaging resources, including multimodal, multilingual, multisemiotic, and multisensory resources, to manage their online self-presentation. Our findings suggest that multilingual resources, such as new Chinglish, Pinyin initialism, and hybrid words (combining Chinese, English, and Arabic numerals), were the most frequently used strategies. Additionally, we found that multisensory resources, including homophonic puns and modal particles, were also commonly utilized. In contrast, multimodal resources, such as emojis, and multisemiotic resources, such as keyboard-generated emoticon, hashtag, and punctuation mark, were less frequently employed. These findings reveal that Chinese internet users display a high degree of creativity and adaptability in their online communication, drawing on a wide range of linguistic and semiotic resources to express their identities and project their desired image. Overall, this study highlights the importance of translanguaging in online communication and its role in shaping self-presentation in the digital age.

Translanguaging pedagogies: Using an action research approach to support English as an Additional Language (EAL) students in a first-year undergraduate anatomy course.

Internationalisation of higher education has increased the number of EAL students studying in Anglophone countries, including Australia. Required English language proficiency tests (e.g., IELTS) do not reflect discipline-specific terminology nor prior learning necessary for successful study. Furthermore, anatomy study, the focus of this paper, requires an extensive terminology, predominantly derived from Latin or Greek, that creates significant learning challenge for all students, particularly EAL students.This pilot study was based in a large first-year anatomy course at an Australian university, with >30% EAL students. To address challenges for EAL students (as identified by teaching staff), translanguaging pedagogies were implemented through repeated cycles of action research. Translanguaging approaches, beyond simply translation of resources, employ EAL students’ full linguistic repertoire in the classroom to support acquisition of discipline content and the target language.Collaboration between the teaching team, a translanguaging expert and past EAL students identified specific translanguaging strategies for implementation. These strategies included a translanguaging workshop for teaching staff, encouragement of students’ use of home languages and targeted translated documents. A mixed methods approach was applied to evaluate the implementation. Initial findings show a positive response from both staff and students with additional reflections for future implementation and transferability to similar educational contexts.

‘Somos bilingües’: translanguaging socialization of DLBE teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT After the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the disruption of in-person schooling has significantly affected many students including emergent bilingual students. Designed as an ethnographic study, this research study examines two Spanish-English dual language bilingual education teachers’ implementation of translanguaging pedagogies and language socialization during the pandemic through the following research questions: (1) What adjustments did the teachers make to their teaching and curriculum to support the students as they navigated the pandemic times? (2) How did the teachers and students use languages in their interaction in blended learning environments? Findings from the 2nd grade Spanish Language Arts and 4th grade Social Studies classes demonstrate that both teachers reported an increased awareness of the importance to integrate translanguaging pedagogies and reflected a translanguaging stance. They also intentionally integrated translanguaging strategies into their teaching through translanguaging design. The 2nd grade teacher invited the students to draw upon their full linguistic repertoires for Spanish literacy development, whereas the 4th grade teacher adopted translanguaging design to make content materials more accessible. Through translanguaging socialization, both teachers socialized the students into and through flexible language use and created a learning environment where students’ linguistic repertoires were valued as a resource for learning.

Afrofuturistic Translanguaging: Pathways to Students' Wellbeing in Disciplines

This study highlights the drawbacks of monolingual instruction in university disciplines and its adverse effects on students’ knowledge acquisition, mental, emotional, and academic well-being. Incorporating Afrofuturism, the research introduces translanguaging as an innovative component to explore the advantages of employing multilingual strategies. The goal is to mitigate limitations posed by monolingual approaches and actively contribute to safeguarding students’ comprehensive well-being in the academic context. Incorporating Afrofuturist principles, this study utilizes textual analysis with the researcher as a research instrument. It analyses how multilingual teaching not only addresses limitations associated with monolingual instruction but also positively impacts African students’ well-being. Innovative studies on translanguaging practices are highlighted, offering multilayered insights into the dynamic interplay of languages and knowledge in disciplines. The research offers an innovative approach by integrating Afrofuturist translanguaging strategies, providing valuable insights for enhancing student well-being across university disciplines. Identifying the limitations of monolingual instruction on disciplinary expertise, the study underscores its detrimental impact on African scholars’ mental, emotional, and academic well-being. By introducing Afrofuturist-aligned translanguaging practices, the research illuminates innovative strategies that surpass these limitations, demonstrating the advantages of embracing multilingualism in disciplinary settings. This Afrofuturist-inspired approach promotes a more inclusive understanding of linguistic diversity, nurturing belonging and resilience among students. Recognizing the detrimental effects of monolingual instruction on holistic growth in Africa’s universities, this study champions a transformative transition towards multilingualism.

Translanguaging in the Saudi EMI Classroom: When University Instructors Talk

The past few decades have witnessed a growing interest in using English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI), especially in higher education. Although the English language has rapidly shifted from being taught as a foreign language to becoming a medium of instruction, empirical research in this area is still limited in the context of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), especially in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the present case study explores translanguaging in the EMI classroom. The study used semi-structured interviews to investigate teachers’ perceptions and practices regarding translanguaging, the rationale behind such practices, and the pedagogical effect of implementing translanguaging practices. The data was collected from five university professors majoring in medicine, physics, electrical engineering, and computer science using purposive sampling. It was analyzed using thematic qualitative analysis. The findings show that the participants generally have a positive attitude toward translanguaging, as it was triggered by students’ limited language proficiency and the contextual and psychological situation of the students in the classroom. The results also indicate that it facilitates content comprehension and aids in raising student engagement and reducing language anxiety. Consequently, adopting translanguaging strategies in EMI classrooms with caution is recommended to provide a wealth of advantages and chances for students’ linguistic growth, engagement, and academic success. Professional development programs and assessments of students’ needs are necessary to ensure the prudent use of translanguaging in class and improve EMI classrooms.

Expanding Shared Reading: Integrating Expansive Literacy and Translanguaging Strategies to Support Multilingual Learners Who Communicate Using AAC

Multilingual learners (MLs) who communicate via alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) experience many barriers to accessing inclusive literacy instruction with same-age and multilingual peers. Educators can support MLs who use AAC by designing shared reading instruction that incorporates expansive literacy and translanguaging strategies. After reading this article, three key takeaways for educators of ML who use AAC are: (a) expansive literacy learning is a socio-cultural practice that is guided by communication and connection, (b) inclusive shared reading instruction develops language and literacy skills, and (c) research-based strategies like dialogic reading, teaching vocabulary through text, and discussion-oriented comprehension instruction with peers can be adapted to support linguistically and expressively diverse learners. Practitioners can plan inclusive shared reading instruction by using these expansive literacy approaches and research-based strategies to support ML who communicate using AAC.

More than a few words?

Research shows that multilingual pupils’ school achievements and socio-affective development may improve when their home languages are valued positively and used as educational resources. Meaningful shifts in education for social justice must therefore be based on valuing pupils’ home languages and implementing sustainable translanguaging methods. However, the implementation of these methods is often limited to symbolic interactional acts and superficial engagement with multilingual practices. Based on longitudinal case studies of three teachers in the north of the Netherlands, the current study investigates what changes occur in the function of translanguaging strategies in primary classrooms participating in an educational design research intervention, to what extent interaction and multilingual language use evolves, and the presence of dialogic empathy. Using Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-Squared and Fisher’s Exact analyses, we examined the frequency and quality of translanguaging interactions at three measurement points. An in-depth analysis of recorded video-data of several lessons per teacher (N = 123:06 minutes) revealed how opportunities for dialogic interaction arose with symbolic translanguaging. Although these opportunities were not always seized, they provided possibilities for active pupil participation.

Humanising teacher education through translanguaging: experiences from an online English-medium instruction (EMI) course

ABSTRACT This study examines how a teacher educator perceives and enacts translanguaging to humanise teacher education in an online English-medium instruction (EMI) course in China. Drawing on multiple sources of data, including classroom observations and the post-course interview, the findings reveal a set of translanguaging strategies, which helped the teacher educator humanise the students, field of knowledge, as well as himself in the online course. The findings enrich the existing understanding about the intertwined and mutually supportive relationship between translanguaging and humanising pedagogy. In particular, the study shows that when translanguaging is used in an embodied, emergent, and interactive manner, it can create a humanising space to support students’ content learning and whole-person development. The paper concludes with a clarion call for humanising teaching and teacher education through translanguaging in increasingly globalised and multilingual classrooms.

TRANSLANGUAGING STRATEGY IN IMPROVING DESCRIPTIVE WRITING ON EFL LEARNERS’ LOW LITERACY

This study focuses on the learning strategies used by lecture in teaching descriptive writing in overcoming Learning at Sumbawa Islamic High School. The purpose of this study were; 1) to find out the challenges faced by EFL learners with low literacy in improving their descriptive writing skills, and 2) the perceptions of EFL learners with low literacy regarding the use of translanguaging strategies in improving their descriptive writing skills. This research is qualitative research. Researchers used two instruments to obtain the required data, namely: observation and interviews. Based on the data obtained from the second instrument used, the following findings were obtained. First, The challenges faced by EFL learners with low literacy has five category; first, limitation of vocabulary, second complex grammar and sentence structures, third language used, fourth, learning resources, and fifth, strategy used. Language used by the teacher has the huge challenge in their learning process of descriptive writing of students of Sumbawa Islamic High School. Second, The perceptions of EFL learners with low literacy has three category; first, learning process, second, learning motivation, and third, maintaining native language. The perception of the learners regarding used translanguaging has positive contribution in teaching and learning process of descriptive writing of students of Sumbawa Islamic High School.

Translanguaging strategies in multilingual newly arrived students’ writing

ABSTRACT Despite burgeoning research on translanguaging in education, research on translanguaging approaches to literacy education has lagged behind that of research on oral translanguaging in education. Hence, this article investigates what translanguaging strategies six multilingual newly arrived students used in the production of an academic text, and what prior experiences they had with learning and developing translanguaging strategies. These questions were investigated through a 60-minute writing session, in which six multilingual newly arrived students (age 16-19) wrote an academic text in Norwegian on a designated topic. The participants had lived in Norway between six months and 3.5 years. Next, the researcher conducted student interviews, exploring the students’ translanguaging strategies and their previous experiences related to learning and developing them. The analysis shows that all the students applied translanguaging strategies before and during writing. The students reported that they had developed the strategies on their own, without their teachers’ encouragement and support.

Translanguaging strategies with pre-service EFL teachers in EMI classrooms: An emic perspective

Translanguaging has recently gained widespread acceptance as an effective approach to learning and teaching across various contexts, leading to a surge in research interest. Nevertheless, investigations into translanguaging within English-medium instruction contexts remain relatively scarce. This study aims to delve into the translanguaging strategies of a teacher educator, the evolution of these strategies over time, and the educator's sentiments regarding their use of translanguaging. Through the analysis of audio recordings of classes and reflective notes, the study reveals that translanguaging was strategically employed for primarily three purposes: explanation, individual feedback, and encouragement. These applications facilitated successful conveyance of meaning and the maintenance of a natural conversational flow. Furthermore, the study illustrates that translanguaging was employed to varying degrees in teaching lesson objectives, accompanied by a sense of contentment. The findings underscore the significance of teachers engaging in reflective practice and provide a point of reference to mitigate any potential negative emotions arising from the use of translanguaging.

The case of a pedagogical translanguaging intervention in a trilingual primary school: the students’ voice

ABSTRACT Although translanguaging has become a central issue in the multilingual education literature, research on pedagogical translanguaging practices remains underdeveloped. This article describes a study of 72 primary school students (age = 10.68) who participated in an intervention based on translanguaging pedagogies. During the intervention, the boundaries between Basque, Spanish, and English were purposefully and systematically softened to develop the students’ communicative competence in the three languages. The study adopted a qualitative approach to explore the pedagogical validity of translanguaging. Focus group discussions were conducted as well as classroom observation in the Basque, Spanish and English language subjects. Qualitative Content Analysis was conducted to analyze the data. In addition, we analyzed translanguaging materials completed by students to gain a better understanding of their performance. The results are discussed in terms of specific translanguaging strategies designed for the intervention and show an increase in students’ metalinguistic awareness in the three languages. Students found pedagogical translanguaging useful since it facilitates language comparison and scaffolds understanding and written production. In addition, they found vocabulary strategies particularly beneficial for scaffolding foreign language learning. Finally, implications for the future development of translanguaging practices and research are briefly discussed.