Translanguaging pedagogy in the EAP classroom of private universities in Bangladesh

Abstract

Translanguaging has become a topic of discussion in recent decades. Private institutions at Bangladesh’s tertiary level have adopted English as the Medium of Instruction (EMI) to strengthen students’ language abilities and make them proficient in English so they may confidently face the world. However, English remains the only language of instruction in educational institutions, as students only converse in English with their teachers but use their mother tongue with their classmates. Recent international research has demonstrated that when the target language is taught in the mother tongue, translanguaging is an effective technique. This study adopted a mixed-methods technique to determine teachers’ and students’ views toward translanguaging. The statistics indicate that students have a favorable opinion of the technique, whereas teacher perceptions differ. Nonetheless, it also suggests that students demand maximum exposure to their original language, which is not attainable in EAP contexts. Due to their existing knowledge and experience, teachers cannot accept translanguaging. The research indicates that there is a moderate amount of mother language usage in EAP classrooms.