TEACHERS’ VIEWPOINT: TRANSLANGUAGING

IN ENGLISH-INSTRUCTED CLASSES

PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL

2023
Volume: 13
Pages: 213-217
Document ID: 2023PEMJ1151
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8319721
Manuscript Accepted: 2023-3-9
Psych Educ, 2023, 13: 213-217, Document ID:2023 PEMJ1151, doi:10.5281/zenodo.8319721, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Teachers’ Viewpoint: Translanguaging in English-Instructed Classes

Agnes J. Parma*
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.
Abstract
This research wanted to explore the teachers’ perception on the translanguaging impact on the learning
process in the English- instructed class. Here, the researcher utilized qualitative approach where she utilized
interview for the data gathering. There were 7 teachers who served as the participants of this study. The
researcher came up with the result that teachers always encouraged the students to speak English, however,
some students still utilized their mother tongue in the discussion. With regards to their view in
Translanguaging, they believed that is the way for greater communication between and among teachers and
students. Meanwhile, regarding how teachers addressed students who conversed using Translanguaging, they
considered that it helped students to develop and improved their linguistic capabilities. Moreover,
Translanguaging according to the teacher-respondents believed that it has positive impact in class. They
answered that engagement and proactiveness is evident among students. Hence, the researcher recommended
that the school, headed by the School Principal, may enhance the activities in English program addressing
the impact of translanguaging in class. The English Coordinator may propose an Action Plan where it
includes training for teacher on how to address Translanguaging in the teaching and learning process. Also,
turning all the positive impacts into meaningful teaching strategies in the classroom. Moreover, the English
Teachers may enhance the teaching processes in class through widening the usage of translanguaging while
also considering the important factor like following the competency/ies to be mastered in the class.

Keywords: translanguaging, english-instructed, teachers

Introduction
Being competent is one of the best things a student
must possess. As defined by Merriam Dictionary,
Language plays an important role in the teaching and
learning process. There are different languages use in
the classroom, the national language, the mother
tongue and the second language which is English.
Using these languages, they paved a way for the
students to learn the different disciplines they have in
the school curriculum.
As Educational system progressed, the Department of
Education released an DepEd order which cover the
implementation of the use of English Language as the
medium of instruction in the classroom. According to
DepEd Order no. 36 s. 2006 which contained the
Implementing Rules and Regulations on Executive
Order no. 210 that aimed to strengthen the use of
English Language as a medium in the educational
system where it stipulated that English should be the
language used in teaching starting Grade 1. Also, the
use of English as a medium of instruction both public
and private schools. Different disciplines are taught
using the mother tongue or the Second Language
which is English.
strands they are enrolled. Here, among all the subjects
there is only one Filipino- instructed class. In Applied
Subjects, same with the Core subjects, there is only
one Filipino- instructed class. In Specialized Subjects,
these are wide covered since there are specific subjects
to be taken according to strands and there are only
specific subjects where the medium of instruction is
Filipino. Among all the classifications, one is evident,
most of the subjects are taught in English instruction.
Hence, it is expected that Senior High School students
are confident enough to participate in meaningful
discussion where English is the medium of
communication. However, it is observable that
students communicated on their preferred language, or
sometimes combined or used their vernaculars while
using English language in the discussion.As a
researcher and English research, this research aimed to
know the perception of the teachers on the above-
mentioned situations. This research wanted to explore
the teachers’ perception and the translanguaging
impact on the learning process in the English-
instructed class. Hence, the researcher wanted to
uncover the research entitled “Teachers’ Viewpoint:
Translanguaging in English- instructed.
Research Questions

In Senior High School Curriculum, subjects were This study sought to answer the following questions:
classified into three namely Core, Applied and
Specialized. Core subjects are all the subjects taken all 1. What is your rule when teaching English- instructed
the Senior High School students regardless of the in class?

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Psych Educ, 2023, 13: 213-217, Document ID:2023 PEMJ1151, doi:10.5281/zenodo.8319721, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article
2. What is your perception on the usage of
translanguaging in the class?
3. How would you address students using
translangu aging in class?
4. What plan of activities can be given on the impacts
of translanguaging?
Literature Review
According to Garcia (2012), for the last two decades or
more, translanguaging has receive a strong position in
the area of multilingual research where it serves as the
umbrella for diverse ways of involving the whole
linguistic group of individual language users to attain
the set goals in communication in various
communicative scenarios and ways.Translanguaging
pedagogy likewise assists to re-assess an age-old
question of the position of first language in second,
foreign, and other language teaching and learning
process. (Li, 2018) Translanguaging teaching is a
teaching way that improves multilingual students’
feelings of belongingness in the science teaching space
and strengthens their knowledge of scientific theories.
While many monolinguals, English-speaking science
educators intend to invite multilingual learners’ full
linguistic skills into the classroom, they are often
strange with easily accessible tools that can assist
translanguaging in the teaching and learning process.
(Allman et.al, 2021)
Champlin (2016) conducted study on the impact on the
use of translanguaging strategies on the bilingual
learners and find out if these strategies really improve
the language development in English of the learners.
In this study, data were collected during lesson proper,
questionnaire, interview, and collegial discussion. It
was revealed that it promoted the development of
students in English Language. Also, the teachers
showed that they utilized different translanguaging
strategies in their class, however not all teachers are
confident on the positive effects of the said strategies.
With this, the researcher mentioned that teachers need
to have formal training on the use translanguaging in
the class and training on these strategies that are
aligned with the language programs and policies of the
school.
As cited by Prilutskaya (2021) in the study of Prada
and Turnbull (2018), Translanguaging in teaching the
language played a vital role in the promotion of
normalizing the use of practices in bilingual languages
and stimulate new pedagogical approaches based on
the use of language in many ways in the classroom.
Agnes J. Parma
In the study the beliefs of the teachers in
multilingualism in a course of Translanguaging,
teachers attended a course for their professional
development where they received training in the
approaches in multilingualism. In this study, data were
collected before, during and after attending the course.
Here, they were asked about their beliefs in
translanguaging and multilingualism. The result
revealed that there were some important changes in the
beliefs of teachers in language mixing, language
separations and languages supporting other languages
and their beliefs as to apply in the classroom. The
intricate relationship between the change in teachers’
belief and professional development and practices is
placed in a broader context of multilingual approaches
to teaching. (Arocena et.al, 2020)
This suggested that Translanguaging can be
transformative in teaching and learning by utilizing the
student’s various linguistic resources into a significant
part of the classroom discussion. In this study,
researchers have investigated on how practices in
translanguaging can provide learning in STEM
(science, technology, engineering, and mathematics),
most especially in the situation of bilingual
classrooms. (Brady et.al 2021)According to Cenoz J.
et.al (2020), Translanguaging is a concept that is
usually connected with the new trend in the learning of
multilingualism.Since it is widely utilized in various
contexts where the realities of multilingualism take
various shapes, translanguaging is now an umbrella
term that holds a widespread variety of practical and
theoretical proposals.
So b k o wiak (2020) stud ied the teach ers’
translanguaging through focus group discussions and
observations in classroom in the educational context in
Poland. It targeted in examining attitude of teachers
toward interlinking the Language 1 and Language 2
and other more semiotic resources in the English as
considered as a foreign language in the classroom and
attempted to know to what extent translanguaging
practices are implemented. Based on the data, it was
revealed that teachers said that they give priority on
the exclusive use of English in class, however, in their
practice, there is an expression of a pragmatic
orientation toward the L1 usage. It was reported that
the Albeit teachers accept students used their mother
tongue as long as it helps them for the effectiveness of
learning, but not as a daily routine in class. Also, the
respondents did not see their students as an emergent
bilingual, nor did they use bilingual approach in
teaching. Here, the two languages employed to a
distinct extent that depends on students’ English
proficiency, were considered as independent entities.
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Research Article
In the research Translanguaging on the Context of
Dominican College, reveals that despite the fact the
instructors accept translanguaging in the classroom,
their positions still reflect that they are on a
monolingual lens—than in a translanguaging. Also,
based on the findings of the study was translanguaging
is seen to slow the students’ learning in English than of
being a source for the students to have a broader
understanding and extension of their knowledge.
(Domingo, 2021)
Anderson (2022) in his study about Translanguaging
Practices he utilized both quantitative and qualitative
data from from interviews, classroom observations and
other sourcers. Based on the results, despite the
variations among respondents, everyone are engaged
in complex practices in translingual that were only
observable of their learners’ language, also the result
showed that they always prioritize learner participation
over the choice of language. Moreover, in each
situation, learners always showed the various practices
in translingual of their teacher, and it is noticeable that
the classroom practices of the community are seen in
the Indian Society, where the learners both meet the
normative requirement in written exams while also
incorporating their knowledge in English. Yuvayapan
(2019) on her study about the teachers’ perception and
practices on Translanguaing revealed that EFL
teachers perception were not similar to their practices
in the class. Though, they had positive views about
translanguaging in some on the situations in
classroom, they were not always employing this
pedagogy because of the set expectations of the
school, colleagues, and their student’s parents.
Methodology
This study utilized the Qualitative Research design.
Qualitative research design according to Beck (2004)
is a natural research method that deals with the
concerns of human difficulty by knowing and
discovering it directly through understanding,
experiences, and words of individual.
Participants/Respondents
The respondents of the study were the seven (7)
Teachers from Talisay Senior. They were the teachers
who taught English- related subjects in both Academic
and TVL Track. They were purposively chosen as the
respondents of the study.
Instruments of the Study
Agnes J. Parma
This researcher used a research-made questions for
interview. The research questions were composed of
four open- ended questions that were designed to
answer the questions about the teachers’ perception on
the use of translanguaging in class. The said interview
was in structured format. Here, the researcher made
and organized interview questions which the
respondents would answer. In this type of data
gathering, the researcher sticked only on the prepared
question and did not ask further
Procedure
The researcher sought approval from the School
Principal for the conduct of interview to the teachers.
After the approval, the researcher communicated to the
respondents regarding the interview. One-on-one
interview was done. The interview was in a form of a
written interview. The answers were transcribed
carefully. Also, the answers were interpreted using
thematic analysis. It followed the six steps in thematic
analysis, starting from familiarization of data, coding
of data, generating of themes, reviewing themes,
defining, and naming themes, and writing the themes
generated.
Ethical Considerations
The researcher made sure that the data to be collected
will be stored confidentially. There will be no forcing
nor involuntary involvement of the respondents.
Informed consent will be given to the respondents for
the awareness of their voluntary involvement to the
research process. Moreover, all the data that will be
gathered on the before, during, and after the research
process will be treated with utmost confidentiality. All
the results will be discussed and informed to the
respondents.
Results
Based on the data gathered from the interview, the
results were as follow:
Rule/s of teachers in English- instructed Class
Based on the answers of the teachers, most of them
answered that they encourage the students to express
their ideas and thoughts using the English language,
where they mentioned that practicing and exposure the
Second Language will be a way to be trained on the
use of the language itself. However, they also
mentioned that if the students could not use the
English in the communication process, they are also
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Research Article

given the chance to speak their preferred language as developed. Most of them answered that through
long as they can express themselves. translanguaging, achievement of the learning
objectives was observable if translanguaging is used
This is supported by the study of Sobkowiak (2020), it the class.
was reported that the Albeit teachers accept students
used their mother tongue as long as it helps them for
This is supported by the study conducted by Champlin
the effectiveness of learning, but not as a daily routine
(2016) on the impact on the use of translanguaging
in class. strategies on the bilingual learners and find out if these
strategies really improve the language development in
Perception on the use of Translanguaging in Class
English of the learners. In this study, data were
collected during lesson proper, questionnaire,
From the teachers- respondent answers, they have
interview, and collegial discussion. It was revealed
common answers where they believed that through
Translanguaging, it allowed greater communication that it promoted the development of students in
where students communicated their thoughts clearly English Language.
and freely. Also, based on the data, through
translanguaging, it empowered learners to choose the
Discussion
language they are knowledge where it provides the
development of confidence of the learners to be
involved in the class. This research wanted to explore the teachers’
perception and the translanguaging impact on the
This is supported by the study of Prada and Turnbull
learning process in the English- instructed class. Thus,
(2018) cited by Prilutskaya (2021) where
the researcher utilized qualitative approach where she
Translanguaging in teaching the language played a
utilized interview for the data gathering. The
vital role in the promotion of normalizing the use of
researcher came up with the result that teachers always
practices in bilingual languages and stimulate new
pedagogical approaches based on the use of language
encouraged the students to speak English, however,
in many ways in the classroom. some students still utilized their mother tongue in the
discussion. With regards to their view in
Addressing students using Translanguaging Translanguaging, they believed that is the way for
greater communication between and among teachers
Based on the data, teachers- respondents believed that and students. Meanwhile, regarding how teachers
through Translanguaging, improvement of linguistic addressed students who conversed using
abilities of the students were develop. Also, building Translanguaging, they considered that it helped
of confidence of the students were improved since they students to develop and improved their linguistic
were given the chance to speak the language, they are capabilities. Moreover, Translanguaging according to
familiar with. Moreover, betterment of class would be the teacher-respondents believed that it has positive
observed since students are allowed to express impact in class. They answered that engagement and
themselves using English and their vernaculars. proactiveness is evident among students. Hence, the
researcher recommended that he school, headed by the
This is supported by Garcia (2012) where
School Principal, may enhance the activities in English
translanguaging has receive a strong position in the
program addressing the impact of translanguaging in
area of multilingual research where it serves as the
class. The English Coordinator may propose an Action
umbrella for diverse ways of involving the whole
Plan where it includes training for teacher on how to
linguistic group of individual language users to attain
address Translanguaging in the teaching and learning
the set goals in communication in various
communicative scenarios and ways.
process. Also, turning all the positive impacts into
meaningful teaching strategies in the classroom.
Impacts of Translanguaging in Class Moreover, the English Teachers may enhance the
teaching processes in class through widening the usage
From the data gathered, there is a positive impact of of translanguaging while also considering the
using translanguaging in class. It can be interpreted important factor like following the competency/ies to
from the answers of the respondents where they be mastered in the class.
mentioned the following. First, proactiveness and
engagement of the students were observable. Also,
according to them, positive learning environment was Conclusion

Agnes J. Parma 216/217

Psych Educ, 2023, 13: 213-217, Document ID:2023 PEMJ1151, doi:10.5281/zenodo.8319721, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article
Based on the findings in this study, the following
conclusions were obtained:
Teachers encouraged students on the use of English in
learning process. However, if the students could not
strictly follow the use of English, still they are also
allowed to express themselves on their preferred
language.Teachers believed that Translanguaging
allowed greater communication between teacher and
among students. Students were able to express their
thought clearly and freely. Teachers acknowledged
that through Translanguaging, students improved their
linguistic abilities. Also, students were confident in
expressing their thoughts. With regards on the
i m p ac t s , th er e was a p o s i t iv e im p act of
Translanguaging in Class, achievement of the learning
was observable. Moreover, proactiveness and
engagement of the students were apparent on the
teaching- learning process.
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Affiliations and Corresponding Information
Agnes J. Parma
Talisay Senior High School
Department of Education - Philippines
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