Students’ Voices in Translanguaging Practices in English Medium Instruction in Southeast Asian Universities
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Abstract
Much research on language use in English Medium Instruction (EMI) classes indicates that lecturers commonly use translanguaging to support students’ content learning. The present comparative study aims to build momentum by focusing on students’ self-reported translanguaging practices to accomplish content learning-related activities both in and outside the classroom. The data consist of nine focus group discussions involving domestic and international students enrolled at three Southeast Asian universities—in Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The grounded theory analysis examines students’ voices of the situations, reasons for using translanguaging, and their perspectives on such practice across the three countries. The findings reveal that, in addition to using translanguaging in classroom interactions and group discussions, students employ it to support their reading and writing activities. Key differences in translanguaging practices and perspectives are discussed across research contexts. This study offers implications for language education policymakers and EMI practitioners in multilingual contexts.
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