Translanguaging approaches and perceptions of Iranian EGP teachers in bi/multilingual educational spaces: a qualitative inquiry

What is it about?

The importance of translanguaging in preparing teachers and students for a multilingual world cannot be overstated. By incorporating translanguaging practices in the classroom, there can be remarkable improvements in the training of multilingual learners. To explore correspondence between perception and practice, this study specifically focused on Iranian English for General Purposes (EGP) instructors and their perceptions and use of translanguaging in their classrooms. The study involved interviewing ten teachers and observing six of their sessions, which yielded qualitative data on recurring themes such as the significance and limitations of translanguaging, techniques for training multilingual learners, and the restrictions imposed by policies that discourage the use of L1 in language academies. A noteworthy observation made in this investigation was that educators who possessed competency in three or more languages exhibited greater endorsement of translanguaging in both their perceptions and practices. This study has significant implications for instructors, teacher trainers, and policymakers operating within multilingual environments. It serves as a pioneering study that invites a productive synergy between Western and Asian researchers in exploring bi/multilingual spaces within Asian educational contexts.

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