Translanguaging as a theory, pedagogy, and qualitative research methodology

ABSTRACT

There is a growing need for teachers to engage linguistic diversity additively and equitably in the classroom in a way that empowers multilingual learners and the knowledge they bring. Translanguaging offers a potentially transformative approach to teaching that centers the agency of multilingual learners to critically and creatively disrupt the language borders of their classrooms. The purpose of this article is to review foundational and current translanguaging research as a theory of language as well as a pedagogical practice. It also proposes an approach to translanguaging as a qualitative research methodology, demonstrating a translanguaging pedagogical framework can be supplemented with analytic criteria to represent a qualitative research methodology that meets the multidisciplinary needs of translanguaging in research and practice. Finally, it discusses how future translanguaging inquiry can engage critical frameworks and multidisciplinary methodologies that center teachers and analysis of their agency to enact translanguaging pedagogies for multilingual learners.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).