Translanguaging pedagogy and learner agency in monolingual Iranian EFL classrooms: An experimental study
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of translanguaging-oriented instruction on Iranian EFL learners’ agency, classroom participation, identity affirmation, and attitudes toward multilingualism. Seventy-eight university students were assigned to an experimental group, which received instruction integrating Persian and English strategically, or a control group, which followed an English-only policy. Data were collected using validated questionnaires at pretest and posttest stages. Analyses included paired- and independent-samples t-tests, ANCOVA, and regression to examine within-group changes, between-group differences, and predictive relationships. Results showed that learners in the experimental group reported significant increases in agency, participation, identity affirmation, and positive attitudes toward multilingualism compared to the control group. Regression analyses indicated that translanguaging-oriented instruction strongly predicted posttest learner agency, even after controlling for pretest scores. The findings suggest that strategic use of learners’ full linguistic repertoire can enhance both cognitive and affective dimensions of EFL learning. The study highlights the potential of translanguaging pedagogy to challenge monolingual ideologies, promote learner autonomy, and foster identity and multilingual awareness in exam-driven EFL contexts. Implications for teaching, curriculum design, and language policy are discussed.