High school L2 teachers’ enactment of translanguaging in English speaking classrooms

Abstract

Translanguaging has gained significant attention in English teaching, especially in multilingual English settings; nevertheless, how teachers enact translanguaging in English language teaching remains underexplored in English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) contexts, particularly in regions with less established multilingual teaching frameworks. This qualitative study delved into EFL teachers’ enactment of the translanguaging approach in English-speaking classrooms at a high school in Vietnam. A group of four high school L2 teachers teaching English-speaking classes participated in this study, and class observations and in-depth interviews were conducted to gain comprehensive insights into their translanguaging practices. The data were qualitatively analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. The findings showed that L2 teachers used a translanguaging approach widely to support students’ cognitive learning, particularly in enhancing grammar and vocabulary. Additionally, using students’ L1 helped to reduce their anxiety levels, encouraged their active participation, and created a more inclusive learning environment. While this study is believed to offer some insights into L2 teachers’ enactment of translanguaging in Vietnamese EFL classrooms, it indicates the need for more discussions among EFL educators on integrating translanguaging into English language classrooms. Furthermore, it suggests that policymakers should consider establishing clear guidelines for its implementation across language classrooms.