How do teachers perceive translanguaging? Teachers’ perceptions about translanguaging practices in the EFL classroom

Abstract

The study of translanguaging as pedagogy, which challenges the monolingual approach to language education policy, has become an important aspect of investigation in recent years. However, translanguaging is challenged by recent data showing that teachers have ambivalent feelings and attitudes towards translanguaging practices and the evidence on teachers’ perceptions of the pedagogical approach in EFL teaching contexts in Indonesia is currently inconclusive. Therefore, our purpose was to describe how EFL teachers perceive translanguaging as pedagogy in the EFL classroom, which was conducted through a descriptive/interpretative approach. A questionnaire was used to collect data which were analyzed through both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis. The findings indicate that teachers appear to have ambivalent perceptions of translanguaging. Some hold the view that EFL should be taught monolingually, while the others accept translanguaging practices. However, those who have a negative perception of translanguaging also see that the pedagogical approach is important in their EFL classes. The limitations and implications of the study’s findings for EFL education in Indonesia are also discussed.