Vietnamese EFL secondary teachers’ translanguaging use and their perceptions

Abstract

Although the concept of translanguaging is not new, little is
 known about how it is employed and viewed by Vietnamese English
 as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in both public and private
 institutions. By investigating how EFL secondary teachers in the
 public and private sectors employ translanguaging in language
 schools and their perceptions, this convergent mixed-method study
 bridged the gap in current literature. Following the collection of
 questionnaires from 32 secondary school teachers in a district of
 Hanoi and four semi-structured interviews with 04 survey
 participants, descriptive analysis was used to examine the
 quantitative data while thematic analysis was used to analyze the
 qualitative data. The merged results showed that most teachers in
 both sectors had positive opinions on translanguaging and thought it
 was crucial for scaffolding students’ learning, especially for
 cognitive purposes (e.g. to explain difficult grammar/ vocabulary)
 due to the importance of grammar and vocabulary for exam
 preparation while using translanguaging for affective purposes was
 found unimportant by most participants. Also, teachers in public
 schools reported using translanguaging more frequently than those
 in private schools due to the private institutions’ policy. The study
 continues to confirm results of previous studies, supporting
 translanguaging use in EFL classrooms. It also argues that
 translanguaging should not be prohibited but included strategically
 in language teaching, calling for reconsideration in language policy
 from private schools. Some implications were offered and further
 research is needed to generate more insights.