A critical examination of the interaction between translanguaging pedagogy and students’ beliefs and practices of translanguaging in learning EAP

Abstract

Conducted in a Chinese university, this study tracked eight students’ changes in their beliefs and practices of translanguaging when developing academic literacies throughout a 14-week English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course, where translanguaging pedagogy was systematically planned and implemented. Data were collected from classroom observation, students’ writing drafts and assignments before, during and after the course, and pre- and post- interviews and informal dialogic communication with the students and the teacher. Findings showed that the students generally started with monolingual and language separation beliefs. Throughout the course, the teacher’s demonstration and encouragement of strategic translanguaging had different impact on individual students’ beliefs and practices of translanguaging, and three typical patterns emerged: (1) deepening understanding and developing more strategic practice of translanguaging in academic activities, (2) gradual shifting from monolingual to multilingual mind-set, and (3) conflicting beliefs and lack of strategic practice of translanguaging. In light of these findings, this article examines translanguaging pedagogy with a critical lens, highlighting the complex and dynamic interaction between students’ preexisting beliefs and language ideologies and their responsiveness to teacher’s pedagogy. It also discusses the potential roles translanguaging pedagogy could play in university students’ learning of academic language and content.