Translanguaging Strategies Research Articles

STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS TRANSLANGUAGING STRATEGIES IN INDONESIAN ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION CLASSROOMS

This quantitative investigation delves into the employment of translanguaging strategies within classrooms of an English education study program at an Indonesian public university. As an emerging pedagogical approach in bilingual and multilingual educational settings, translanguaging encompasses the dynamic utilization of students' linguistic repertoires to bolster learning and communication. This study seeks to explore students' attitudes towards the enactment of translanguaging during their presentation and discussion sessions and assess its potential impact on their learning experiences. A purposive sample of 50 second and third-year undergraduate students majoring in English language education study, actively engaged in translanguaging practices during presentations and discussions, was selected for this study. Data collection entailed administering a survey questionnaire comprising Likert scale items formulated to evaluate students' attitudes towards translanguaging. The gathered data were analyzed employing descriptive statistical techniques. The findings reveal that participants exhibit a favorable attitude towards the practice of translanguaging in their presentation and discussion sessions. Students reported that translanguaging amplified their comprehension of subject matter, facilitated communication with peers, and cultivated a more inclusive and diverse learning environment. The study's results suggest that integrating translanguaging strategies within English education study program classrooms can positively impact students' learning experiences and foster a constructive attitude towards linguistic diversity. Further inquiry is recommended to probe the enduring effects of translanguaging practices on students' language competence and scholastic achievements, in addition to examining potential impediments and obstacles to implementing translanguaging across various educational contexts.

Translanguaging in multilingual classrooms: a case study analysis

This research paper investigates the utilization of translanguaging practices in multilingual classrooms and its impact on language learning and academic achievement. Drawing upon a case study analysis conducted in diverse educational settings, the study aims to explore the benefits and challenges associated with the implementation of translanguaging pedagogies. The research design involved classroom observations, interviews with teachers and students, as well as document analysis of instructional materials. The findings of the study underscore the positive effects of translanguaging on various aspects of language development and academic engagement. The use of translanguaging strategies in multilingual classrooms facilitated language learning by promoting meaningful communication, scaffolding comprehension, and fostering a supportive language environment. Students demonstrated increased motivation and participation, as translanguaging allowed them to access and express complex ideas in their native languages, bridging the gap between their home languages and the language of instruction. Moreover, translanguaging practices proved to be instrumental in enhancing content understanding across subject areas. By leveraging students’ linguistic repertoires, teachers were able to facilitate comprehension of complex concepts and provide contextualized explanations, resulting in improved academic performance. Translanguaging also supported the development of critical thinking skills, as students were encouraged to compare and contrast ideas across languages, fostering a deeper understanding of concepts and fostering cognitive flexibility. However, the implementation of translanguaging pedagogies in multilingual classrooms was not without challenges. Language policy constraints and standardized testing requirements posed barriers to the widespread adoption of translanguaging practices. Teachers faced challenges related to their own linguistic competencies, as well as limited access to professional development opportunities focused on translanguaging strategies. Additionally, concerns were raised about the potential stigmatization of students’ native languages and the need for a balanced integration of translanguaging with the development of the target language. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of translanguaging in multilingual education and have implications for educators and policymakers. Based on the results, it is recommended that educators receive comprehensive training on translanguaging pedagogies, including strategies for integrating translanguaging practices effectively within the curriculum. Language policies should be revisited to provide flexibility and support for translanguaging approaches, acknowledging the value of students’ home languages in the learning process. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of translanguaging on language development, academic achievement, and students’ socio-emotional well-being.
 In conclusion, this research highlights the benefits of translanguaging practices in multilingual classrooms, emphasizing their role in enhancing language learning and academic achievement. By harnessing students’ linguistic resources and creating inclusive learning environments, translanguaging emerges as a valuable pedagogical approach that can positively impact multilingual education.

Translanguaging through the lens of social justice: unpacking educators’ understanding and practices

ABSTRACT This article focuses on translanguaging, which has been posited as a language practice, pedagogical tool, and lens that values individuals’ linguistic resources and deems them valuable. Scholars have postulated that translanguaging is rooted in social justice, as it aims to address social inequities among emergent bilinguals. Yet, do educators address social justice objectives when using translanguaging strategies, or do they merely conceptualize translanguaging as a pedagogical tool in teaching and learning as a means to assimilate and help students succeed within an unjust system rather than changing the system? Using a historical review of the literature and data gathered through an online survey, this study sought to examine: what understanding do educators hold about the connection between translanguaging and social justice? And in what ways, if any, do these understandings align with their teaching practices? The findings from our study show that only a few educators proposed a connection between translanguaging and social justice. Moreover, even those educators who suggested a connection between the two shared little evidence of the enactment of this relationship in their practice. This article discusses these observations in the context of the education of emergent bilingual students and the development of critical awareness among their educators.

Comparison of Translanguaging Practices and Ideologies in Secondary and Tertiary ESL Settings in Malaysia: Teachers' Perspective

Prior studies on translanguaging have only focused on either preschool, primary, secondary, or tertiary education levels separately. There is very little research that compares the use of translanguaging across two or more educational levels. To address this paucity, this preliminary study is carried out to explore and compare translanguaging practices and ideologies in Malaysian tertiary and secondary education settings. The study investigated (a) teachers' practices of translanguaging in secondary and tertiary ESL classrooms; and (b) their perspectives on translanguaging in these two different contexts. The pilot study employed a qualitative approach in which two participants consisting of a teacher from a secondary school and a teacher from a public university in Malaysia were interviewed in semi-structured interview sessions. The data were then thematically analysed using Romanowski's (2019) translanguaging strategy framework. Three additional sub-strategies were discovered from the findings and hence added to the framework for analysis. Results show that teachers from both educational settings use translanguaging in all three categories of translanguaging strategies proposed by Romanowski (2019), namely the explanatory, managerial, and interpersonal strategies. Nevertheless, there are differences in the usage of the sub-strategies under each category in secondary and tertiary ESL classrooms. Besides that, while translanguaging is generally accepted as an effective pedagogical tool, to some degree, teachers are still restricted by the monolingual approach in ESL classrooms. The study recommends that teachers in different educational contexts should select the most appropriate translanguaging strategies for their learners and be mindful with their implementation. Keywords: Translanguaging Practices; Teachers’ Perspectives; ESL/EFL Classroom; Secondary and Tertiary Education

Penerapan Praktik Translanguaging dalam Pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris Disalahsatu Universitas Di Karawang

The purpose of this research is to identify the different forms of translanguaging utilized in general English classes at a university in Karawang, while also exploring the students' attitudes toward the use of translanguaging in the English language classroom. The primary research objective is centered on the types of translanguaging employed in the general English classes at a university. Furthermore, the study aims to ascertain the students' perceptions concerning the application of translanguaging in their general English language learning. This research employs a descriptive qualitative analysis as its methodological approach. The results revealed that a teacher used code-switching to assist students in understanding complex English language concepts. Additionally, the teacher frequently applied translation patterns in general English classes. As for students' perspectives, the findings suggest that the use of translanguaging can enhance their comprehension of the English language when presented by their teacher. Ultimately, this research argues that the implementation of translanguaging strategies by educators is particularly advantageous in augmenting students' comprehension of English language skills within the classroom setting.

Translanguaging in the analysis of narrative techniques and discourse styles in selected Philippine short novels

This research undertook an innovative approach to the language-literature interface by means of adopting a modified model of translanguaging in the analysis of the narrative techniques and discourse styles of three selected Philippine short novels: Getting Better by Tara F. Sering, What Things Mean by Sophia N. Lee, and Salingkit by Cyan Abad-Jugo. Theories on language and thought and the modularity of the mind were reviewed in the reconfiguration of the translanguaging model assisted by CDA and the protocol of discourse analysis particularly in the gathering and treatment of data. Results of the study indicated the effectiveness of translanguaging strategies emanating from the aesthetic translanguaging space and the imaginative translanguaging instinct of the authors which helped in the appealing narrative techniques and creative discourse styles of the works. It is recommended that translanguaging as practice and theory be explored further in ESL/ELT/EMI and the disciplines to optimize its potentialities as a decolonizing stance as well as a relevant and helpful paradigm in resolving pressing language-related problems and challenges of the times.

Examining Teacher Candidates’ Pedagogical Practices and Stances Towards Translanguaging and Multimodality in Writing

This study examines pre-service teacher candidates’ (TCs) stances and use of translanguaging and multimodality to support K-12 multilingual learners’ writing. Data were drawn from a course on supporting multilingual learners in a teacher education program in Ontario. Data sources were responses to the Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Language- Inclusive Teaching (PeCK–LIT) Test, and TCs’ unit plans and lesson plans. Analytical codes were derived from the literature on translanguaging: monolingual and translanguaging stance, translanguaging as a scaffold and resource, teacher-directed and student-directed, intentional and spontaneous translanguaging, and supporting monomodality and multimodality. Findings demonstrate the use of translanguaging strategies such as multilingual word walls and online translation tools. However, there were constraints to TCs’ stances, such as allowing translanguaging as a temporary scaffold towards English-only instruction and approaching writing as a discrete rather than multimodal skill. The paper recommends ways TCs can be supported in developing a holistic understanding of translanguaging and multimodality.

Translanguaging pedagogies in developing morphological awareness: the case of Japanese students learning Chinese in China

Abstract This mixed-methods study explored the development of morphological awareness in learning Chinese as a third language, focusing on how the activation of a learner’s multilingual repertoire can influence morphological awareness. The study was conducted for a period of eight weeks with 62 Japanese students in a Chinese learning program at a university in China. The students are native Japanese speakers with English and Chinese as their second and third languages. The students were allocated into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received translanguaging instruction, while the control group completed learning through the monolingual approach for which the language of instruction was Chinese. The main aim of the translanguaging intervention was to help students utilize their multilinguistic repertoire across languages for their morphology learning. The results revealed that morphology learning scores were higher for the participants in the experimental group than the control group. The focus group interviews revealed that the students in the experimental group favorably perceived the use of translanguaging strategies for morphology learning. Moreover, the students in the experimental group reported cognitive, interactive, and affective benefits from translanguaging pedagogy. Finally, this paper presents relevant implications for the use of translanguaging pedagogy for teaching morphology.

A think-aloud method of investigating translanguaging strategies in learning Chinese characters

Abstract Asian scripts that are significantly different from Roman-derived alphabets usually impose difficulties in learning. Translanguaging has therefore been explored as a pedagogical tool for the language classroom, including Chinese. While learning Chinese characters is thought to be one of the main challenges for students learning Chinese as a foreign language (CFL), there seems to be a paucity of up-to-date research into the strategies that adult students use to learn this logographic script. Situated in the translanguaging framework, this study employs the think-aloud method to investigate strategies utilised by a group of CFL beginner adult learners when learning characters. Drawing on the results of five think-aloud exercises with CFL learners over five weeks, as well as follow-up tests of their long-term memory of Chinese characters, this study shows that a variety of translanguaging strategies were utilised during the process of learning Chinese characters, and that overall three types of translanguaging strategies were observed: a) embodiment, b) translanguaging resemblance, and c) hybrid. The proposed typology of translanguaging strategies contributes to the further application of translanguaging as a methodology. It also sheds light on future learning strategy research across different linguistic systems.

Translanguaging as a Scaffolded Practice in a Primary School Content and Language Integrated Learning Context During the COVID-19 Pandemic

<p style="text-align: justify;">Translanguaging enables students to communicate in multiple languages in an English-dominant classroom. It has received considerable attention from scholars in content and language integrated learning (CLIL). Its implementation in primary schools in European countries has been adopted in Asian countries, including Indonesia. This study employed a narrative inquiry investigating a teacher who taught first graders both content matter and English during the COVID-19 forced-remote learning. Furthermore, data were gathered using semi-structured interviews to guide the participant in narrating CLIL science teaching experiences. Virtual observations were carried out eight times to obtain evidence of translanguaging practiced. Due to forced-remote learning, the results indicated that the teacher had to find the most convenient ways to instruct the young students without adding to their burden. Furthermore, it was reported that scaffolding by translanguaging was planned systematically by valuing the students’ L1 and alternating it with English as the target language. The findings also discussed the practical implications of this study to maintain young learners' (YLs) engagement through translanguaging strategies.</p>

Translanguaging in Malaysian ESL Classroom: Teachers’ Perceptions

Translanguaging refers to the practice of using distinct linguistic aspects or different forms of autonomous languages in maximising communicative potential performed by the bilinguals and multi-linguals. The implementation of translanguaging strategies in teaching pedagogy allows teachers to bridge the linguistic gaps and scaffold second language learning process. However, despite the perceived benefits of translanguaging, there exist differences of perceptions and attitudes among teachers towards translanguaging which imposed ideological barriers, thus preventing students from using translanguaging as a whole. Therefore, in generating a better understanding on this issue, this study aims to explore Malaysian teachers’ perceptions towards translanguaging in English language lessons. This study employed qualitative research design using a semi-structured interview to explore the teachers’ perceptions pertaining to this topic of study. The findings of this study depicts an overall positive perception of translanguaging among the participants where they implemented several translanguaging strategies such as contextual clues, collaboration and student-centredness, as well as two-way translation in their teaching pedagogy. The findings obtained from this study can be beneficial to the stakeholders in the education field in designing lessons by employing translanguaging practices that suit the needs of the learners in English Second Language (ESL) classroom.

Chinese young people’s attitudes towards translanguaging in self-praise on social media

Translanguaging practice has become increasingly popular in individuals' lives, particularly in online communication among young people. A body of existing research has described translanguaging practice and its potential functions, but few studies have systematically examined individuals' attitudes towards translanguaging practices. Therefore, this paper investigates the extent to which young people consider translanguaging practices appropriate, and how they judge the motivating factors and effects of translanguaging practices on social media. The study chose to focus on self-praise on social media as its research context, aiming to investigate Chinese young people’s attitudes toward translanguaging on Weibo and examine whether their gender influences their attitudes. The results showed that Chinese young people generally perceived the use of translanguaging strategies in self-praise on Weibo as appropriate. The participants rated multi-semiotic resources the highest, significantly higher than their ratings of multimodal and multilingual resources. They held a neutral-to-positive attitude towards translanguaging on social media, and the results also revealed consistent gender differences in attitudes towards translanguaging practices in this context.

Reflections on Some Instances of Translanguaging in Written Bulgarian Discourse

The use of translanguaging strategies in written Bulgarian discourse is continually expanding and this expansion ultimately affects the Bulgarian language system in one way or another. The present paper focuses on 42 instances of translanguaging taken from Bulgarian-language lifestyle magazines and online advertisements. On the one hand, the aim is to illustrate the interrelatedness between translanguaging and linguistic creativity and, on the other hand, to identify what economy effects could be achieved by applying translanguaging strategies in written Bulgarian discourse. The collected samples have been classified and described in such a way as to see how the phenomenon of translanguaging has currently affected the Bulgarian language system.

Translanguaging Practices in Composition Scholarship and Pedagogy: Issues, Evidence, and Controversies

The notion of translanguaging has hitherto gained prominence in composition scholarship and pedagogy. Scholars have specifically pointed out that translanguaging pedagogy is particularly germane if it is implemented in the teaching and learning of writing in a multilingual setting. Drawing upon the plethora of published studies, these scholars have argued that translanguaging strategies can help maximize students’ linguistic resources and communicative potentials. This conceptual article looks at intellectual endeavors which try to challenge the monolingual ideology and its biases, and to justify the legitimacy of mixing different linguistic codes for achieving desired communicative goals in written communication. Contemporary issues of composition scholarship and pedagogy under translanguaging vantage point of view will be addressed, and evidence of code-meshing from multilingual writers showcasing the acts of translanguaging in academic writing presented. Finally, the article discusses the controversies over the application of the notion of translanguaging in writing research and pedagogy.

Translanguaging in self-praise on Chinese social media

Abstract Self-praise is very common on social media, and various translanguaging strategies are often used by internet users in online communication. Most of the existing studies on self-praise have centered on strategies for self-praise, ignoring the multimodal communication styles involved. On the other hand, although translanguaging has attracted significant research attention in linguistics and multilingual education, few studies have explored translanguaging in a specific speech act. Therefore, this study investigates the translanguaging practices involved in self-praising in Chinese netizens’ social media by analyzing 300 Chinese microblog posts containing self-praise. The results indicate that there are three major categories of translanguaging strategies in self-praise in microblogs, namely multimodal, multilingual and multi-semiotic resources, with various sub-strategies involved in each category. The study also discusses the possible factors motivating Chinese netizens to deploy translanguaging practices to self-praise on social media. This study contributes to the body of research on translanguaging pragmatics in social media communication.

Preparing Pre-Service Content Area Teachers Through Translanguaging

ABSTRACT In response to the multilingual and multicultural realities in U.S. classrooms, it is important to prepare all teachers who understand translanguaging and are capable of implementing it across contexts. This exploratory qualitative study investigates how five pre-service content area teachers grappled with translanguaging in a graduate-level teacher education course which was designed from a translanguaging perspective. Data sources include teachers’ written coursework and exit interviews, and class observations. Using an inductive coding approach, we found that our content area teacher candidates developed a dynamic, holistic view to understand bilinguals’ meaning-making practices. They also perceived students’ home languages as a valuable resource that needs to be incorporated in general education classrooms to boost emergent bilinguals’ academic learning and socioemotional well-being. In addition, all five participating teachers employed a variety of translanguaging strategies (e.g., grouping based on home languages and providing translations) in their content area lesson plans.

Translanguaging and power in academic writing discourse: the case of a Bangladeshi university

ABSTRACT This study explored the role of translanguaging pedagogies in navigating bilingual students’ tensions and struggles in an academic writing class of an English medium private university in Bangladesh. Data were collected through classroom observation, a pedagogical intervention, a focus group discussion with six students and a semi-structured interview with the class teacher. The analysis of observation data revealed that the gate-keeping encounters precipitated by the English-only policy affected student engagement and class participation. In contrast, the intervention designed through several translanguaging strategies enhanced students’ metalinguistic, metacognitive and sociolinguistic awareness, developed multicompetence, and facilitated full participation rate in an academic writing task. Irrespective of these benefits, participants expressed mixed reactions toward accepting translanguaging as a regular practice and a policy in writing instruction that might challenge language separation traditions in academic writing, English-only biases, and expressed views about the potential for cross-contamination of Bangla language and linguistic nationalism in Bangladesh.

Namibian teachers’ practices in a multilingual context

ABSTRACT The scope of the paper is to analyse Namibian mainstream primary teachers’ practices in the multilingual context they work in. As teachers have a central role in implementing language policies, their practices either support or impede learning as well as learners’ multilingual identities. Multilingual practices entailing rich scaffolding and translanguaging strategies are supposed to be beneficial for content and language learning and the learners’ identity development. The methodological approach adopted in this study is ethnographic, and the theoretical framework is linguistically responsive teaching and multilingual education. The data consist of teacher interviews and focus group discussions, a questionnaire and classroom observations. The analysis method is qualitative content analysis. The data were collected in two Namibian government primary schools in the beginning of the 2020 school year. The analysis shows that translanguaging strategies such as peer translation or explaining concepts in home languages are used, but rarely as pre-planned pedagogical strategies. Scaffolding is provided mostly through visual aids. It may be concluded that the translanguaging strategies already in use should be encouraged further, and multilingual pedagogies should be included in both pre-service and in-service teacher education.

Idiolect and Identity: Fourth Grade Students’ Translanguaging, Comprehension, and Self-Identity


 
 
 The practice of translanguaging offers emergent bilinguals the opportunity to access their full linguistic repertoire. This qualitative study uses the lenses of dynamic bilingualism and idiolect, or one’s own unique language patterns, to explore emergent bilinguals’ translanguaging and reading comprehension strategies during a reading think-aloud, as well as the ways that language factors into the construction of self-identity. Data collected from a think-aloud show that the five fourth-grade students used language flexibly when reading and comprehending the texts that were presented in both Spanish and English. The participants, in follow-up interviews, also explained ways that they use translanguaging strategies when communicating with different audiences and how their identity as bilinguals positions them as mediators of their own language use. These findings support the conclusion that when students’ idiolects are supported and encouraged, they are able to develop positive self-identities.
 
 

Translanguaging in a Chinese university CLIL classroom: Teacher strategies and student attitudes

Pedagogical translanguaging has been extensively researched over the past decade. Yet, little is known about the attitudes of students towards this practice. Students constitute an integral part of classroom interactions and their learning process is significantly affected by teachers’ classroom discourse. This action research (AR) study, situated in a Chinese university Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) reading classroom and aided by lesson recordings and two sets of questionnaires, explores the translanguaging strategies employed by the teacher as well as the students’ attitudes to such strategies. Through incorporating feedback collected from students regarding the teacher’s modifications of language use, the study has demonstrated how the teacher mobilizes her full linguistic resources, in the form of translanguaging, to achieve pedagogical outcomes, which eventually leads to the establishment of a mutually beneficial classroom ecology. The study also indicates that advanced EFL learners, highly motivated to improve language proficiency and acquire subject content unanimously reject the traditional monolingual approach to teaching. The findings call for further research into the impact of pedagogical translanguaging on students’ learning process in multilingual classrooms.