Translanguaging in an English as a Foreign Language Context: Practices and Perspectives of Indonesian University Teachers and Students

Date of Award

6-2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Education and Human Development

First Advisor

Dr. Virginia David

Second Advisor

Dr. Selena Protacio

Third Advisor

Dr. German Zarate-Sandez

Keywords

Academic language, classroom instructions, english as a foreign language context, multilingual repertoires, teachers and students' perspectives, translanguaging practices

Abstract

This study was around multilingualism in the teaching and learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Within this context, the purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of teachers and students with translanguaging as a social discourse in the English Literature program at an Indonesian university. Specifically, this study investigated the actual practices and the perspectives of the teachers and the students from four courses offered in the Second Semester of 2022/2023 academic year in the program. Using the conceptual framework adapted from Cummins’ (2021) Crosslinguistic Model of translanguaging and Layder’s (2006) dimensions of social discourse, this study aimed to reveal the ways translanguaging was utilized by the teachers and students in their instructional activities, the purposes of translanguaging in such activities, as well as the perspectives of both teachers and students on translanguaging.

Using qualitative methods of data collection and analysis, this study involved online non-participant class observations, online semi-structured interviews via Zoom with the teacher and three to four voluntary students in each class, and a review of the documents of course syllabus and handouts relevant to translanguaging. Data analysis revealed three major themes and twelve sub-themes, guided by the conceptual framework above. The themes and sub-themes revealed valuable insights regarding three types of translanguaging employed by teachers and students: bilingual label quest, cross-language recapping, and simultaneous code-mixing; their purposes of utilizing translanguaging in the classroom: for knowledge construction and clarification, for interpersonal relationships, for teacher’s classroom management, for students’ natural emotion expressions, and for students’ expression of complex ideas. The reported positive perspectives on translanguaging included four benefits of translanguaging resembling Cummins’ (2021) Crosslinguistic Model of translanguaging: translanguaging incorporates and values students’ full multilingual repertoires, strengthens students’ understanding of academic language in subject contents, optimizes students’ active participations, and emphasizes students’ existence as competent multilingual individuals.

Despite recognizing the benefits of translanguaging for multilingual students and being aware of its common use in the classroom, the teachers and students in this study did not actively incorporate it into their planned instructional strategies due to their limited knowledge of translanguaging and a strong expectation for the students to use English widely, if not exclusively, during their instructional activities. This disparity between the projected growth in English usage and the practical implementation of translanguaging had led to an urgent need for the teachers to modify their pedagogical approaches embracing translanguaging by taking part in teacher training and professional development programs that include ways for effectively utilizing translanguaging in the classroom.

Future studies are recommended to include mixed methods design to obtain a greater number of participants in preliminary surveys prior to observations and interviews. Besides, incorporating more research questions on the challenges of implementing translanguaging in class will also provide more detailed information on this issue. Finally, future studies are also recommended to engage with the broader academic community, including students, teachers, administrators, and policymakers, to raise awareness about the benefits of translanguaging and promote its integration into EFL pedagogy.

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Dissertation-Abstract Only

Restricted to Campus until

6-1-2034

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