Exploring Undergraduate EFL Students’ Perspectives of Translanguaging and Translation: Benefits and Challenges in Group Collaboration at the University of Duhok

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the perceptions of English major students to determine the benefits and challenges of employing translanguaging and translation practices across three dimensions: communication, group dynamics, and task performance. It also seeks to investigate learner-related and contextual variables’ effectiveness on students’ perspectives towards these practices. To achieve these aims, a quantitative research design was employed to collect data through a structured questionnaire administered to (n=108) third-and-fourth year students, who enrolled in the Department of English Language, College of Basic Education, University of Duhok. Findings show translanguaging and translation practices support comprehension, inclusivity, task completion, and group collaboration, especially for Kurdish students with intermediate to advanced English. Yet challenges such as distractions and exclusion emerged, negatively influencing some students’ English proficiency development during assignments. These findings suggest employing structured translanguaging and translation pedagogy and explicit guidelines for equitable participation.