Translanguaging to scaffold students’ participation in a linguistically and culturally diverse tertiary classroom in Taiwan

Abstract

Where English medium instruction (EMI) is well established in Asia, notably secondary schools in Hong Kong, teachers’ and students’ translanguaging practices have been studied for years. Recently, however, translanguaging studies began focusing on emerging EMI contexts, especially in higher education, in Asian countries with no history of Anglophone colonization but relatively high proportions of international students and faculty. Accordingly, this paper explores how translanguaging was practiced and affected teaching and learning in a linguistically and culturally diverse tertiary EMI classroom in Taiwan. Guided by the frameworks of translanguaging and interactional scaffolding, this case study illuminates translanguaging practices’ impact on student engagement and participation in such settings, and in particular, on students’ reluctance to participate. Analysis of classroom-observation data reveals the potential for combining interactional ­scaffolding moves with translanguaging practices to (1) enhance learning opportunities during teacher-student interactions, especially among quieter and more passive local Taiwanese students, and (2) validate all students’ unique cultural and linguistic resources. The findings showcase practical implications for EMI researchers and practitioners.

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