Translanguaging and Multilingual Teaching and Writing Practices in a Pakistani University: Pedagogical Implications for Students and Faculty

Language is at the core of teaching and learning; it is an essential pathway through which concepts and skills are learned, evaluated, and extended, and by which more complex understandings are subsequently developed. Learning a language is far more complex than having an ability to translate, memorize dialogues and facts, or engage in one-way communication. In the wake of increased globalization, human mobility, and cultural diversity within and across countries worldwide, many positive and yet challenging consequences emerge regarding language and communication, especially in the education of learners at all levels. In Pakistan, increased cultural and linguistic diversity is present among its universities’ student bodies, where students from several regions can now study together, bringing together multiple languages and cultural practices. This scenario can be both enriching and challenging: while multiple backgrounds and means of communication can expand dialogue and add to students’ perspectives, the presence of many languages in a classroom setting more often than not presents marked challenges for both faculty and students. This is particularly the case in English classes, where a mastery of English is a requirement for all university students. A particular challenge in Pakistan takes place in its university English classes where there often exists a marked cultural and linguistic gap between faculty and students, as reported by Yasmin and Sohail (2018), and yet other factors and challenges also contribute to the learning scenario. Understanding some of the most significant contributing factors is essential because if updates and changes arising from classroom data are not addressed, student learning will continue to be negatively impacted (c.f., Tamim 2014). The present study has thus emerged from a specific yet generally widespread situation. Two researchers, a linguistics professor from Pakistan and a professor of education and second language acquisition research in the US (who also led a three-year grant there), have joined their perspectives and experiences to examine some of the challenges present for English learners and their instructors at a large, private university in Lahore. To seek solutions to some of the challenges faced by English faculty and their university students, this study uses a research frame of second language acquisition, equitable sociocultural educational practices, and emerging possibilities afforded by translingualism. These perspectives provide lensesthrough which the researchers might explore aspects of teaching and learning English in a university’s English classes, mainly related to the development of English writing practices of its multilingual learners. The following research questions have led our investigation to accomplish the aim mentioned above. 1. How do English learners at this university describe their triumphs and challenges in acquiring English for academic purposes, and what insights do their work samples provide? 2. What are the faculty’s reported teaching approaches used in the English classes related to the development of English writing practices of multilingual learners at this university? 3. What pedagogical implications were revealed from the student and faculty perception data?