Teachers’ and students’ perceptions on the role of translanguaging in a multilingual classroom

Abstract

The use of mother tongue in teaching English is perceived as an important support tool that can help improve students’ literacy skills and engagement in the learning process. In a rich and culturally diverse setting, specific circumstances and students’ needs challenge the wellestablished practices in language pedagogy. Therefore, this qualitative study is aimed at investigating teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the role of translanguaging in a multilingual classroom. A total of twenty participants took part in this research. A snowball sampling method was used to select ten graduate and faculty-level students, along with ten teachers from primary and secondary schools in Sarajevo Canton. While some participants perceive the use of L1 as a distraction, others believe it promotes inclusion, positively affecting learning outcomes. However, overreliance on L1 can negatively impact the development of the target language. Despite this, the results show that the use of translanguaging may lead to effective communication. The findings highlight the need for a balanced approach, considering the needs, interests, and beliefs of both students and teachers. These findings can help raise awareness and adapt the policies and teacher training programs to better serve the needs of multilingual teachers and learners.