VIETTESOL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 2025

It is widely conceptualized that interdependence of linguistic skills across languages develops both communicative competence and literacy proficiency. As both the lecturers and the students translanguage in the classroom, ‘translanguaging space’ is established. Based on the ethnography of language learners, this study, therefore, explores functions and effectiveness of learners’ translanguaging practices with multiple literacies brought to a tertiary classroom as a valuable strategy in achieving communicative proficiency. This research was conducted in a combination of various academic disciplines and social domains in order to raise several questions on methodological theories. Data collected via classroom observations and semi-structured interviews from forty undergraduates in an English-for-ESP course hailing from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds indicate that translanguaging accommodates English language learners in attaining desired communicative linguistic expertise and makes learning effective. In such a case, it could be possibly argued that the progress of language learning would be a success. Findings from this study recommend teaching strategies for co-construction of linguistic meaning and orientations for effective assessment in translanguaging practices. While unpacking translanguaging practices in a Vietnamese university class, this study is of several educational implications for language use and teaching methodology in ESP courses.