Unpacking multilingual learners’ creativity in the TBLT classroom: a translanguaging perspective

Abstract

The past decade has witnessed a growing amount of research on TBLT, translanguaging, and creativity respectively. However, research on translanguaging and creativity has not yet been situated in the TBLT context, while creativity research in TBLT classrooms has not realised the role of learners’ full linguistic repertoire in creative meaning-making. To address this research gap, this qualitative study, conducted in a TBLT classroom at a Chinese university, explored how multilingual learners engaged in translanguaging practices to foster creativity and how they perceived their translanguaging practices. Data were collected from classroom observations, audio recordings, audio-simulated-recall interviews, and artefacts. Drawing on the theory of translanguaging, the 5A’s creativity framework, and the framework of moment analysis, this study revealed that multilingual learners agentively created translanguaging spaces where they promoted creativity through (1) bringing in past experience; (2) coordinating multilingual, multimodal, and multisensory resources; and (3) expressing multilingual identity. A contextualised 5A’s creativity framework was put forward to understand how these three types of translanguaging practices mediate the interactions among actors, audiences, and new artefacts within the affordances of the TBLT classroom. Implications for implementing translanguaging in TBLT to enhance creativity are discussed in terms of both micro-level teaching practices and macro-level education policy.

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