Despite the growing recognition of multilingualism as a pedagogical resource in English Language Teaching (ELT) settings, English language teachers in Nepal are still in a dilemma in the implementation of multi/translingual pedagogical practices in their classrooms. The study aims to explore Nepalese secondary-level English language teachers' beliefs on linguistic hybridity along with their experiences of navigating sociopolitical and institutional constraints in practice. The study employed narrative inquiry as a research design. Two secondary-level English language teachers teaching at the multilingual public schools of Itahari sub-metropolitan city, Sunsari, were selected as a sample by using a purposive sampling strategy. Using in-depth interviews as a research tool, the participants were interviewed individually. The data was recorded, transcribed, coded, categorized, and thematically analyzed. The study revealed a complex tension between multilingual pedagogical realities and monolingual institutional expectations. The study further explored that English language teachers perceived translanguaging as a practical, inclusive, and context-responsive pedagogy that enhances comprehension, engagement, and confidence. However, teachers experience guilt, self-doubt, and professional insecurity due to internalized monolingual norms that equate English-only instruction with quality teaching. Furthermore, the study found that systemic barriers such as lack of policy clarity, institutional support, parental aspirations for English, prescriptive curricula, and lack of training remain barriers in the implementation of multi/translingual practices in ELT classrooms. The study concludes that linguistic hybridity functions both as a pedagogical resource and an ideological site of struggle in Nepalese ELT settings. The study calls for policy reform, multilingual teacher education, and assessment practices that legitimize multilingual teaching strategies in the classrooms.
Nepal’s English classrooms are linguistically and culturally diverse, yet English-only orientations continue to influence English language teaching. This study explores how secondary-level English teachers negotiate learners’ first language (L1) and local cultural knowledge in English teaching and how they perceive the contribution of these resources to learners’ comprehension, participation, interaction, and meaning-making. A qualitative narrative inquiry was conducted with three experienced secondary-level English teachers from public schools in Nepal. Data were generated through three in-depth narrative interview sessions with each participant, conducted mainly in Nepali, transcribed, translated into English where necessary, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis while retaining attention to the narrative context of teachers’ accounts. The findings show that teachers used L1 selectively according to learners’ English proficiency, lesson difficulty, pedagogical purpose, and classroom circumstances. Nepali was used to explain difficult concepts, clarify linguistic differences, check understanding, facilitate interaction, and encourage participation. Local cultural knowledge, including familiar foods, festivals, community practices, and everyday experiences, was used to connect unfamiliar English content with learners’ prior knowledge and create meaningful opportunities for English communication. Rather than viewing L1 as an alternative to English, teachers described it as a temporary and purposeful mediational resource that could facilitate learners’ engagement with English. However, they also recognized that excessive reliance on L1 could limit learners’ opportunities to encounter and use English. The study thus conceptualizes multilingual English teaching as a process of pedagogical negotiation rather than adherence to a fixed English–L1 ratio. By bringing together L1 use, local cultural knowledge, and teacher agency, the study contributes a context-sensitive account of how Nepalese English teachers mobilize learners’ existing linguistic and cultural resources while maintaining English as the principal target of instruction. The findings underscore the importance of teacher education that develops teachers’ capacity to make purposeful, context-sensitive linguistic and cultural choices in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms.
Bibash Thapa, Sujita Upadhayaya· A Peer Reviewed Journal on S...· 0 citations
This study explored the lived experiences of Filipino English language teachers implementing differentiated instruction in multilingual classrooms in Timor-Leste. Grounded in descriptive phenomenology, the study examined how teachers navigated linguistic diversity, adapted instructional practices, and constructed meaning from their experiences in multilingual educational settings. The study employed Colaizzi’s seven-step phenomenological method to analyze participants’ narratives and uncover the essence of their lived experiences. Purposive sampling was utilized to select nine Filipino English language teachers who had at least one year of teaching experience in multilingual classrooms in Timor-Leste. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, reflective responses, and follow-up clarifications. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed through phenomenological reduction, formulation of meanings, clustering of themes, and synthesis of the essence of the phenomenon. Findings revealed that teachers experienced persistent linguistic barriers, instructional adjustments, cultural negotiation, and professional adaptation while implementing differentiated instruction. Emergent themes included adaptive instructional flexibility, multilingual responsiveness, collaborative support systems, and reflective teacher agency. The essence of the phenomenon revealed that implementing differentiated instruction in multilingual classrooms is a continuous process of negotiation, adaptation, and culturally responsive engagement shaped by linguistic diversity and professional commitment. Based on the findings, the Adaptive Multilingual Differentiated Instruction (AMDI) Framework was developed to support English language teaching in multilingual contexts. The study contributes to multilingual education, differentiated instruction, and cross-cultural teacher development.
Grace D. Kilbas,, Maria Joahnna S. Barrita· International journal of mul...· 0 citations
Translanguaging, understood as the flexible use of learners’ full linguistic repertoires, has emerged as a significant yet contested practice in language education. While some educators advocate for target-language-only instruction, others view the strategic integration of students’ first language (L1) as part of a broader translanguaging approach that supports comprehension, autonomy, and identity affirmation. This exploratory qualitative study examines language teachers’ perceptions of pedagogical translanguaging and explores how these perceptions are shaped by contextual and demographic factors, including geographic location, age, and grade level taught. Twenty language teachers participated in an open-ended online questionnaire distributed via social media. Data were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis informed by sociocultural and social cognitive theoretical perspectives. Findings indicate broad support for pedagogical translanguaging as a scaffold for comprehension, emotional security, and inclusive practice. However, variations in perception appear to reflect contextual influences such as institutional policies and professional experience rather than clear demographic patterns. The results position translanguaging as a context-sensitive instructional approach shaped by institutional norms and teacher development. Implications highlight the need for targeted professional development, greater conceptual clarity in teacher education, and policy reconsideration to support equitable multilingual pedagogy.
Deniz Alkan Aydin· International Journal of Lan...· 0 citations
This study investigates how Vietnamese culture is integrated into English Language Teaching (ELT) by examining teachers' perceptions, classroom practices, and the challenges they encounter in Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Drawing on individual interviews and classroom observations with 10 Vietnamese EFL teachers, the study found that teachers viewed local culture as a valuable pedagogical resource for connecting English learning with students' identities, experiences, and everyday lives. Integrating Vietnamese culture encouraged learner engagement, enabled students to express their own cultural knowledge through English, and supported teachers' understanding of learners' sociocultural backgrounds. Classroom practices included using local festivals, authentic cultural materials, stories, and role-playing activities to make English learning more meaningful and contextually relevant. However, teachers also faced challenges related to cultural sensitivity, limited access to locally grounded English-language resources, and difficulties in translating culturally embedded meanings across languages. The findings further indicate that although Vietnamese culture was regularly incorporated into lessons, classroom discussions often emphasized cultural description rather than interpretation and critical reflection. The study argues that the value of local culture integration lies not simply in including local content but in promoting intercultural learning through dialogue, interpretation, and engagement with multiple cultural perspectives.
Jasmine Sapul, M. Ulla, S. Busbus· Intercultural Communication...· 0 citations
The debate between monolingual English-medium instruction (EMI) and multilingual pedagogy has gained increasing attention in multilingual societies, where English functions as a global lingua franca. At the same time, local languages hold cultural and cognitive value. This study examines students' perspectives on English-medium and multilingual instruction through a qualitative, praxis-oriented investigation conducted at Pak-Turk Marif International School and The City School, Hyderabad, Pakistan. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective written responses from ESL students (n = 10). Guided by a praxis framework and informed by translingual theory and critical pedagogy, the study moves from identifying a classroom-based issue to generating contextual evidence, analyzing student responses, and reflecting on pedagogical implications. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which allowed key patterns to emerge from the students' experiences. The findings reveal a clear preference for multilingual pedagogy, with ( n=7) participants favoring the use of multiple languages to enhance comprehension, inclusivity, and engagement. In contrast,(n=3) respondents supported EMI, primarily for reasons of consistency and English language development. Importantly, even among EMI supporters, English was viewed as an instrumental resource rather than an inherently superior medium of cognition. The study demonstrates that multilingual pedagogical practices better align with students’ learning needs and socio-cultural contexts. The study argues for flexible, context-sensitive language practices that integrate English without marginalizing local languages. It also opens new gates for future research.
Shuhban Ali Siyal, Sajid Ali Umrani, M. Farooq et al.· Journal of Arts and Linguist...· 0 citations
In early English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms, young learners’ meaning-making is often hindered by language-focused pedagogies that prioritize accuracy over expression. This study examined how a Vietnamese EFL teacher implemented translingual arts-based pedagogy with young learners. Using a qualitative case study design, the study explored one Vietnamese EFL teacher’s experiences through an in-depth narrative interview. The interview was conducted in Vietnamese, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis informed by narrative analysis to capture the teacher’s pedagogical experiences, decision-making, and contextual influences. The findings show that the translingual arts-based activities, especially drawing, facilitated the children’s meaning-making through the flexible use of Vietnamese, English, and other semiotic resources. This pedagogical approach assisted the teacher in supporting children’s learning through the incorporation of greater involvement, confidence, and gradual expansion of English use. Nonetheless, the teacher encountered challenges of classroom management, curricular requirements, and parental expectations. The research findings - insights into teacher cognition rather than direct evidence of classroom interaction - highlight the potential of translingual arts-based pedagogy for early EFL education and emphasize the significance of understanding educators’ lived experiences when they innovate and develop new multilingual methods.
Unknown authors· VNU Journal of Foreign Studi...· 0 citations
