Prospective prognostication: An examination of translanguaging in Pakistan’s educational landscape through the lens of teachers’ and students’ perceptions

Scholars have recently begun to pay close attention to translanguaging, a cutting-edge pedagogical strategy utilized in bilingual and multilingual environments for teaching second languages. The adoption of translanguaging in classes of English as an additional language (EAL) has not been thoroughly studied from the perspectives of teachers and students. By drawing on theoretical frameworks, this study aims to explore how teachers and students in higher education institutions feel about the usage of translanguaging in Pakistani EAL classrooms. Moreover, the study considers the elements that influence teachers’ perceptions of translanguaging. Employing a rigorous mixed-methods methodology, this study systematically addresses the current research gap by utilizing questionnaires, interviews, and observations as data collection tools. To analyse the data, the study employs the constant comparative technique. The findings shed light on a wide spectrum of pedagogical views held by teachers, ranging from moderate English-only beliefs to monolingual English-only beliefs. These ideas are found to be influenced by experiences with early language learning, formal education, and contextual components. The study also reveals that students generally have favorable perspectives on translanguaging, but some have a more negative opinions on using their first language excessively. These findings highlight the need for enhanced teacher education programs and institutional policy change, to better meet the requirements and expectations of both teachers and students. Additionally, the study emphasizes the pressing necessity of establishing a balanced power dynamic in language use within EAL classrooms. By shedding light on the perspectives of teachers and students on the use of translanguaging in EAL classrooms, this study enhances the current understanding of this pedagogical approach. It also offers practical implications for language teachers and policymakers, facilitating informed decisions and actions in language education settings.