Document Type : Research article
Authors
1 TEFL Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ershad Damavand, Tehran, Iran
2 Language center, Imam Sadeq University, Tehran, Iran
3 TEFL Department,, Social Sciences Faculty, University of Ershad Damavand, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Inspired by recent shifts in Western countries in inclusive education reflected in translanguaging in language education, this study explores how translanguaging can broaden language horizons in Iranian language academies and universities. This research as a qualitative inquiry specifically focuses on Iranian English for General Purposes (EGP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instructors and students to analyze their perceptions and translanguaging approaches in the classroom and how it is regarded in order to discover the discrepancies and association between perception and practice. To this end, a group consisting of EGP and ESP teachers were interviewed and their classes were observed. Some of their students were also given a questionnaire to assess how they regarded translanguaging and if it was a useful approach. The results showed methodological and practical constraints in implementing translanguaging approaches in the educational contexts in Iran where bi/multilingualism is defined within the traditional paradigm of mother tongue vis-a-vis foreign languages. A notable finding of this research was the increased support for translanguaging among educators who were proficient in three or more languages in ESP/EGP settings, in terms of attitudes and behaviors. Furthermore, ESP instructors and students were more supportive of translanguaging, while limiting its definition within the use of L1. This study as a pioneering endeavor in bi/multilingual education in Iran has significant implications for teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers working within bi/multilingual educational spaces.
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