Translanguaging Practice in EFL Classroom: A Comparative Study of Chinese and Indonesian Universities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/bej.2024.7Keywords:
translanguaging, EFL classrooms, higher education, comparative studyAbstract
This comparative study investigates translanguaging in undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in China and Indonesia, filling a gap in comparative and higher education research. Employing a qualitative approach, this study employed classroom observations and interviews in two universities in China and Indonesia to explore translanguaging's pedagogical integration into language learning. A total of 70 university students and four lecturers in China and Indonesia became the participants of this study. The data collected from the transcriptions of classroom recordings were categorized based on Fang and Liu’s (2020) classifications of classroom translanguaging practices and interrater were applied to ensure the validity of analysis results. The findings show while consistent in Chinese contexts, Indonesian classrooms showed variations, notably lacking content localization. The comprehensive examination of translanguaging in Chinese and Indonesian EFL classrooms confirms its efficacy in leveraging students' existing linguistic and cultural backgrounds to foster a deeper understanding of a second language, making learning more inclusive and engaging. This study enriches the existing body of research by demonstrating the versatility and impact of translanguaging across diverse linguistic and cultural landscapes. Finally, by describing translanguaging as a bridge between students' linguistic and cultural backgrounds and EFL learning, this study offers crucial insights for educators aiming to embrace more inclusive and responsive teaching approaches, underscoring its transformative potential in EFL classrooms.
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