Cover not available

Article In: Journal of English-Medium Instruction: Online-First Articles

Pedagogical translanguaging as exclusionary practice?

An exploratory study of the experiences and practices of language-minoritized EMI students in Turkey

ORCiD logo with link | Bahçeşehir University
ORCiD logo with link | University of Oxford
ORCiD logo with link | University of Nottingham
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
With the dramatic rise of English-medium instruction (EMI) worldwide, questions have been raised about the role of languages other than English for content delivery and communication. A growing body of research has employed a translanguaging lens to examine the dynamic use of multilingual resources in these intrinsically bi/multilingual settings. However, translanguaging studies in EMI higher education have largely focused on the practices and perceptions of lecturers and students who share a first language. Much less is known about the experiences of language-minoritized students. Thus, this study explored pedagogical translanguaging practices and the experiences of language-minoritized, international students at a Turkish university, and compared them to those of Turkish home students. Qualitative data were collected via classroom observations, focus groups and semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that, while most home students held a positive view of pedagogical translanguaging, the language-minoritized students felt frustrated, excluded, and discriminated against by translanguaging practices in class. Still, language-minoritized students reported using translanguaging for collective thinking and reasoning, which empowered them in their EMI learning. By magnifying the experiences of language-minoritized students, this study calls attention to issues of pedagogical translanguaging and social justice in EMI universities and offers implications for creating more linguistically inclusive classrooms.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Literature review
    • Pedagogical translanguaging v. translanguaging pedagogy
    • Translanguaging and sociocultural theory
    • Translanguaging in EMI contexts
    • The Turkish context
  • Methodology
    • Participants and settings
    • Data collection
    • Data analysis
    • Ethics
  • Results
    • The findings from the analysis are presented according to RQ
      • Observed translanguaging practices (RQ1)
      • Reported translanguaging practices (RQ1)
      • Perceptions and attitudes towards translanguaging (RQ2)
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Author queries
  • References
References (59)
References
Baker, C. (2011). Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism (5th ed.). Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bonacina-Pugh, F. (2020). Legitimizing multilingual practices in the classroom: The role of the “practiced language policy.” International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 23(4), 434–448. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Canagarajah, A. S. (2011). Codemeshing in academic writing: Identifying teachable strategies of translanguaging. The Modern Language Journal, 95(3), 401–417. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cenoz, J. (2017). Translanguaging in school contexts: International perspectives. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 16(4), 193–198. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2020). Pedagogical translanguaging: An introduction. System, 921, 1–7. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2022). Pedagogical translanguaging. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chang, S.-Y. (2019). Beyond the English box: Constructing and communicating knowledge through translingual practices in the higher education classroom. English Teaching and Learning, 431, 23–40. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cosgun, G. (2020). Investigating the perceptions of students on the use of L1 in departmental courses in a Turkish EMI university. The Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, 10(2), 30–40. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dafouz, E., & Smit, U. (2020). ROAD-MAPPING English medium education in the internationalised university. Palgrave McMillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Doiz, A., & Lasagabaster, D. (2016). Teachers’ beliefs about translanguaging practices. In Mazak, C. M., & Carroll, K. S. (Eds.), Translanguaging in higher education: Beyond monolingual ideologies (pp. 157–176). Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Duarte, J. (2019). Translanguaging in mainstream education: A sociocultural approach. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 22(2), 150–164. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Duran, D., & Sert, O. (2019). Preference organization in English as a medium of instruction classrooms in a Turkish higher education setting. Linguistics and Education, 491, 72–85. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fang, F., & Liu, Y. (2020). Using all English is not always meaningful: Stakeholders’ perspectives on the use of and attitudes towards translanguaging at a Chinese university. Lingua, 2471, Article 102959. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fujimoto-Adamson, N., & Adamson, J. (2018). From EFL to EMI: Hybrid practices in English as a medium of instruction in Japanese tertiary contexts. In Y. Kırkgöz & L. Dikilitaş (Eds.), Key issues in English for specific purposes in higher education (pp. 201–221). Springer. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
García, O. (2009). Bilingual education in the 21st century: A global perspective. Wiley/Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
García, O., & Li, W. (2014). Translanguaging: Language, bilingualism and education. Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
García, O., & Lin, A. M. Y. (2016). Translanguaging in bilingual education. In O. García, A. M. Y. Lin & S. May (Eds.), Bilingual and multilingual education (pp. 117–130). Springer. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Heckathorn, D. D. (2002). Respondent-driven sampling II: Deriving population estimates from chain-referral samples of hidden populations. Social Problems, 49(1), 11–34. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Källkvist, M., Gyllstad, H., Sandlund, E., & Sundqvist, P. (2022). Towards an in-depth understanding of English-Swedish translanguaging pedagogy in multilingual EFL classrooms. HumaNetten, 481, 138–167. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Karlsson, A., Nygård Larsson, P., & Jakobsson, A. (2019). Multilingual students’ use of translanguaging in science classrooms. International Journal of Science Education, 41(15), 2049–2069. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Karakas, A. (2016). Turkish lecturers’ views on the place of mother tongue in the teaching of content courses through English medium. Asian Englishes, 18(3), 242–257. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kırkgöz, Y., & Karakaş, A. (2022). English as the medium of instruction in Turkish higher education: Policy, practice and progress. Springer. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kırkgöz, Y., İnci-Kavak, V., Karakaş, A., & Panero, S. M. (2023). Translanguaging practices in Turkish EMI classrooms: Commonalities and differences across two academic disciplines. System, 1131, 1–15. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kırkgöz, Y., Panero, S. M., Karakaş, A., & Kavak, V. İ. (2021). Classroom discourse in EMI courses in Turkey: On the dynamics of translanguaging practices. In British Council Turkey (Ed.), New connections in EMI Turkey research partnership fund 2020 (pp. 66–156). British Council. [URL]
Kirkpatrick, A. (2011). English as a medium of instruction in Asian education (from primary to tertiary): Implications for local languages and local scholarship. Applied Linguistics Review, 21, 99–120. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kuteeva, M. (2020). Revisiting the “E” in EMI: Students’ perceptions of standard English, lingua franca and translingual practices. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 23(3), 287–300. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kvale, S. (2007). Doing interviews. Sage. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lewis, G., Jones, B., & Baker, C. (2012). Translanguaging: Developing its conceptualisation and contextualization. Educational Research and Evaluation, 18(7), 655–670. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Li, W. (2011). Moment analysis and translanguaging space: Discursive construction of identities by multilingual Chinese youth in Britain. Multilingual Structures and Agencies, 43(5), 1222–1235. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2018). Translanguaging as a practical theory of language. Applied Linguistics, 39(1), 9–30. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Li, W., & García, O. (2022). Not a first language but one repertoire: Translanguaging as a decolonizing project. RELC Journal, 53(2), 313–324. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Li, W. (2024). Transformative pedagogy for inclusion and social justice through translanguaging, co-learning, and transpositioning. Language Teaching, 57(2), 203–214. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lo, Y. Y., & Macaro, E. (2012). The medium of instruction and classroom interaction: Evidence from Hong Kong secondary schools. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 15(1), 29–52. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Macaro, E. (2018). English medium instruction. Oxford University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Macaro, E., Tian, L., & Chu, L. (2020). First and second language use in English medium instruction contexts. Language Teaching Research, 24(3), 382–402. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mazak, C. M., & Carroll, K. S. (Eds.). (2016). Translanguaging in higher education: Beyond monolingual ideologies. Channel View. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mazak, C. M., & Herbas-Donoso, C. (2015). Translanguaging practices at a bilingual university: A case study of a science classroom. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 18(6), 698–714. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mercer, N. (2000). Words and minds: How we use language to think together. Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Muguruza, B., Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2020). Implementing translanguaging pedagogies in an English medium instruction course. International Journal of Multilingualism, 20(2), 540–555. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Paulsrud, B., Tian, Z., & Toth, J. (2021). English-medium instruction and translanguaging. Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rose, H., Sahan, K., Wei, M., Aizawa, I., Zhou, S., & Shepard, C. (2026). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education: An update of Macaro et al. (2018). System, 1361, 1–18. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sahan, K. (2020). ELF interactions in English-medium engineering classrooms. ELT Journal, 74(4), 418–427. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sahan, K., & Rose, H. (2021a). Translanguaging or code-switching? Re-examining the functions of language in EMI classrooms. In B. Di Sabato & B. Hughes (Eds.), Multilingual perspectives from Europe and beyond on language policy and practice (pp. 348–356). Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2021b). Problematising the E in EMI: Translanguaging as a pedagogic alternative to English-only hegemony in university contexts. In B. Paulsrud, Z. Tian & J. Toth (Eds.), English-medium instruction and translanguaging (pp. 3–26). Multilingual Matters. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sahan, K., Rose, H., & Macaro, E. (2021). Models of EMI pedagogies: At the interface of language use and interaction. System, 1011, 1–13. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Song, J. (2025). Who has the right to express frustration?: Uneven emotion labor among students in an EMI classroom. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 35(3), 996–1006. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Swain, M. (2009). Languaging, agency and collaboration in advanced second language proficiency. In H. Byrnes (Ed.), Advanced language learning: The contribution of Halliday and Vygotsky (pp. 95–108). Bloomsbury.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Swain, M., & Lapkin, S. (2013). A Vygotskian sociocultural perspective on immersion education: The L1/L2 debate. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 1(1), 101–129. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tai, K. W. H., & Li, W. (2021). Constructing playful talk through translanguaging in English medium instruction mathematics classrooms. Applied Linguistics, 42(4), 607–640. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Teddlie, C., & Yu, F. (2007). Mixed methods sampling: A typology with examples. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(1), 77–100. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Theodoropoulou, I. (2021). Humoristic translanguaging in intercultural communication in Qatar: Merits, limitations, and its potential contribution to policy development. In K. Raza, C. Coombe & D. Reynolds (Eds.), Policy development in TESOL and multilingualism (pp. 161–175). Springer. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Trans.). Harvard University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(1981). The genesis of higher mental functions. In J. V. Wertsch (Ed.), The concept of activity in Soviet psychology (pp. 144–188). Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wang, W., & Curdt-Christiansen, X. L. (2019). Translanguaging in a Chinese–English bilingual education programme: A university-classroom ethnography. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 22(3), 322–337. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Williams, C. (1994). Arfarniad o ddulliau dysgu ac addysgu yng nghyddestun addysg uwchradd ddwyieithog [An evaluation of teaching and learning methods in the context of bilingual secondary education] [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. University of Wales. [URL]
Yükseköğretim Kurulu (2023). Study in Turkey. Available at: [URL]
Yuan, Z. M., & Li, C. N. (2024). Investigating English-medium instruction for international students in China. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 45(4), 1271–1283. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue