Translanguaging as an inclusive methodological approach for instruction through English

Title in Spanish: El translenguaje como enfoque metodológico inclusiva para la instrucción mediante el inglés

English as a medium of instruction (EMI) has expanded students’ contact with English in many countries where English is not the dominant language and as a means to open up opportunities for internationalization for students in these communities. Notwithstanding, the spread of EMI has been criticised for sustaining local and global inequalities (Phillipson, 2008; Piller, 2016), and concerns have also been voiced regarding the quality of student learning in settings where EMI is used (Macaro et al., 2018; Cho, 2012).

This paper discusses the potential of translanguaging as an appropriate pedagogy in culturally and linguistically diverse settings, portraying as examples Mexico and Australia. By drawing on the natural linguistic resources of multilinguals, we argue that translanguaging enables learners to access the key content in the curriculum. Furthermore, we suggest that translanguaging pedagogy serves as a counter to linguistic hegemony and its injurious effect on linguistic diversity and social justice.