Translanguaging in EFL Writing: Examining Student Exam Papers in an EMI Setting

Year 2023, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 492 - 514, 23.10.2023

Mehmet Akkuş , Ufuk Ataş

https://doi.org/10.31464/jlere.1287007

Abstract

Translanguaging has recently emerged as a topic of interest in English Medium Instruction (EMI) contexts, where students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in English, particularly in academic writing. This paper explores the potential benefits of incorporating translanguaging practices in exam papers to support multilingual students' understanding and performance. Drawing on constructionist grammar as its theoretical framework, this study discusses the complexities of translanguaging in exam papers and provides practical examples of how it can be implemented in English literature classrooms, especially in EMI contexts. Embracing a mixed-methods design to comprehensively understand translanguaging practices in exam papers and their effects on student performances and using a sample of English literature students in Türkiye, the study analyses exam papers to explore translanguaging and its potential impact on students' written work. The findings suggest that translanguaging practices in exam papers facilitate students' comprehension and promote their confidence and engagement in learning. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of research on translanguaging in education and provides insights into how translanguaging practices can be effectively implemented in English medium instruction.

Keywords

Translanguaging, Writing, Exam papers, English-medium instruction

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