Emerging issues of translanguaging and speaking English: A study of Bangladeshi students from Indian curriculum schools

Abstract

Translanguaging in speech is practiced by almost all non-native speakers of English and especially by students studying in a multilingual school environment. Despite its many advantages in classroom learning, translanguaging has been inadequately researched as an emerging source of issues in English speaking and creating psychosocial problems in students. This research is based on five Bangladeshi students who had studied in multilingual schools and high schools in India. A qualitative research study has been conducted by collecting data from the participants through a questionnaire and two semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal the everyday problems that the participants experience in English speaking as a result of translanguaging. The participants have also shared the psychological and social issues such as culture gap, culture clashes, identity crisis, etcetera that they have faced or are facing in their educational institutions. Each case has been thoroughly discussed under three themes. Finally, basic recommendations on practicing translanguaging in classrooms, limitations of this research and suggestions on further research have been stated.