Enactment of a Translingual Approach to Writing

Abstract

With increasing interest in a translingual approach to writing studies, a considerable amount of empirical research has been conducted to investigate how this approach can affect writing practice and pedagogy. This article reports on 42 empirical studies on a translingual approach to writing and discusses the approach’s implications for teaching writing in English as an additional language (EAL). The results reveal that a translingual approach has been enacted in various contexts with diverse writer groups and for different research foci. The findings show that a translingual approach that advocates for writer agency, languages other than English as resources rather than impediments, heterogeneity as the norm in the classroom, and a challenge to English monolingualism (1) brings more ideological discussions to the teaching of EAL writing, (2) enriches written feedback studies with more negotiation of unconventional language use, and (3) facilitates EAL writing instruction and learning through viewing oral genres as resources for written genres. Nevertheless, the findings also indicate the need for caution (such as balancing language norms and deviations rather than resisting the norms and crossing rather than flattening language differences) in adopting a translingual approach to EAL writing.

Translanguaging in the development of EFL learners’ foreign language skills in Turkish context

“…Translanguaging can have positive effects, allowing for purposeful pedagogical alternation of languages in spoken and written, receptive and productive modes (Baker 2011). There are few investigations of the effect of translanguaging on language skills in TESOL and EFL contextsspeaking (Galante 2020), writing (Sun and Lan 2020), listening (Galante 2020), reading (Vaish and Subhan 2015)and on students' perceptions (Rivera and Mazak 2017). We aim to support these arguments with practice-based empirical evidence on the effectiveness of translanguaging pedagogies.…”

Translanguaging at a Saudi University: discrepancy between English language teachers’ attitudes and self-reported pedagogical practices

“…Recent evidence has additionally suggested that pedagogical translanguaging holds the promise of contributing to the development of students' English language literacy skills. For instance, it has been shown that promoting translanguaging in language classrooms can foster students' metalinguistic awareness (Cenoz & Gorter, 2021), enhance their reading comprehension skills (Chu, 2017;Rafi & Morgan, 2022;Vaish & Subhan, 2015), improve their academic writing (Sun & Lan, 2020;Velasco & García, 2014), increase their vocabulary knowledge (Galante, 2020;Mwinda & Van der Walt, 2015), and develop their morphological awareness (Leonet et al, 2020).…”

Multilingualism in academic writing for publication: Putting English in its place

“…While most discussions of translingualism have focused on student writing (e.g., Canagarajah, 2013;Sun & Lan, 2021), academic publications increasingly also feature translingualism (e.g., Gentil, 2019;Lillis, 2021;Musanti & Cavasos, 2018); this phenomenon should therefore inform publishing pedagogies.…”

“…A translingual approach to teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is one way to create ‘a social space where [learners] can draw on their linguistic resources and experiences of writing practices’ (Kaufhold, 2018, p. 1) that may sustain academic registers and academic literacy in multiple languages (Payant & Belcher, 2019). While most discussions of translingualism have focused on student writing (e.g., Canagarajah, 2013; Sun & Lan, 2021), academic publications themselves increasingly also feature translingualism (e.g., Gentil, 2019; Lillis, 2021; Musanti & Cavazos, 2018); this phenomenon should inform publishing pedagogies.…”