Translanguaging in English Language Teaching: A Review of Pedagogical Applications, Benefits, and Challenges

Abstract

English language teaching has traditionally reflected monolingual approaches that privilege the exclusive or predominant use of the target language. In contrast, translanguaging recognizes learners’ existing linguistic repertoires as resources that can strategically support comprehension, interaction, and language learning. This review analyzes the scientific literature on translanguaging in English language teaching, focusing on its conceptualization, pedagogical applications, documented benefits, and main challenges. The study reviews publications mainly from 2016 to 2026 and draws on sources identified through Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, Cambridge Core, SAGE Journals, MDPI, Taylor & Francis Online, SpringerLink, JSTOR, and Dialnet. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the review retained 41 sources covering students and teachers across different educational levels and organized them through thematic categorization. The analysis shows that translanguaging contributes to content comprehension, vocabulary and grammar learning, reading, writing, collaborative interaction, and metalinguistic reflection. The literature also reports greater participation, confidence, inclusion, reduced anxiety, and recognition of learners’ linguistic identities. At the same time, English-only policies, monolingual ideologies, insufficient teacher preparation, possible overreliance on the first language, and methodological limitations remain important challenges. The review concludes that translanguaging should not replace English instruction; rather, teachers can use it strategically when it responds to specific learning objectives, learner needs, and classroom contexts.