VietTESOL International Convention 2025

This study explores how Vietnamese EFL teachers implement translanguaging strategies in general English classrooms and examines their pedagogical functions in enhancing language learning and student engagement. While translanguaging has been acknowledged as an effective approach to support multilingual learners’ cognitive and communicative development, limited empirical research has examined how EFL teachers consciously or unconsciously apply it in practice. Employing a qualitative approach, the study combined classroom video recordings and stimulated recall interviews with ten EFL teachers to capture authentic language use and teacher reflections. The findings revealed that translanguaging was strategically employed to support students’ comprehension, facilitate interaction with course materials, manage classroom activities, and foster interpersonal relationships. Factors influencing these practices included teaching experience, curriculum demands, limited student proficiency, and the complexity of lesson content. The study highlights the pedagogical value of translanguaging and emphasizes the need for teacher professional development in contexts where monolingual ideologies are still dominant.
Keywords: pedagogical translanguaging, EFL teachers,classroom practices.