Translanguaging in content and language integrated learning (CLIL): Practices in the classroom of a Chinese university

Abstract

This article examines translanguaging practices in a content and language integrated learning (CLIL) classroom at the tertiary level in the context of mainland China. This exploratory study investigated an Englishmedium science course, which adopted the CLIL approach, in a Chinese university. Classroom audio-recording data (130 minutes in total) was collected to investigate the situations and the purposes of the teacher’s use of translanguaging. The results of the analysis show that the teacher uses translanguaging to provide background knowledge, deepen students’ understandings, improve teaching efficiency, engage students, and ensure classroom interactions. Implications for translanguaging in CLIL at the tertiary level are also discussed in this study.