TESOL IN TRANSITION: EXAMINING STAKEHOLDERS` USE OF AND ATTITUDES TOWARD TRANSLANGUAGING AND MULTIMODAL PRACTICES IN EFL CONTEXTS

Abstract

The current landscape of English as a global language has generated disputes concerning the role of English in academic and social settings, particularly how it should be taught and learned in diverse contexts. On one hand, native speakerism has long been advocated in traditional English language teaching (ELT) settings where teachers and students follow a so-called native standard. On the other hand, classroom practice has generated opportunities for stakeholders to adopt translanguaging and multimodality to facilitate learning and maintain their identities. This study investigated teachers` usage of and attitudes toward translanguaging at two universities in Macau and the Chinese mainland. Data were collected through classroom observations of four ELT teachers and in semi-structured interviews. The results of the qualitative content analysis showed that various translanguaging strategies were used, including deepening understanding, explaining key terms, and creating classroom rapport in classroom discourse. However, although the findings were generally positive, some teachers experienced difficulty in accepting translanguaging and multimodal classroom practices. The implications of the findings are discussed, and recommendations are offered regarding the need to raise awareness among TESOL researchers and practitioners in recognizing multimodal resources for a multilingual and multimodal TESOL in the future.