The effects of translanguaging on the development of EFL learners’ language skills

Abstract

The present research synthesis aims to examine the effects of translanguaging on the development of English as a foreign language learners’ language skills. A total of 20 studies were selected and analyzed to answer the research questions about the effects of integrating translanguaging as a pedagogical tool for developing language skills in English, and also to discover the strategies that have been reported to be useful for integrating this strategy. These articles were selected based on empirical studies using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. Additionally, online papers were included due to their availability, those with a focus on the effects of translanguaging on the development of language skills. This work did not include papers that focused on English as a second language since this project only focuses on English as a foreign language classrooms. The results of this analysis revealed that through the implementation of translanguaging, students present positive effects such as a notable improvement in the four language skills, since through the use of translanguaging students felt more comfortable and motivated to use English. Finally, it was found that the most useful strategies for applying translanguaging are class discussion, translation, paraphrasing, and providing feedback. Through these strategies, students presented an increasing improvement in their skills.