Attitudes Toward Translanguaging of English Teachers in a Private College in Lucena

Abstract

In today's multilingual classrooms, English teachers face increasing challenges in meeting the diverse linguistic needs of their students. This study examined the attitudes of English teachers toward translanguaging as a pedagogical approach in a private college in Lucena, Philippines.  Drawing on Fang and Liu's (2020) framework, the study focused on teachers’ attitudes toward content-oriented, student-oriented, and classroom-oriented purposes. A qualitative case study design was employed to collect data from three English teachers through a focused group discussion, which was then categorized thematically. Findings revealed that English teachers generally held positive attitudes toward translanguaging as a pedagogical approach. Additionally, English teachers acknowledged its importance in promoting inclusive and comprehensible instruction, as well as student-centered learning, which supports classroom dynamics. Moreover, English teachers emphasized its value in accommodating linguistic diversity and increasing learner engagement. However, teachers also identified specific challenges, such as assessment constraints and cognitive demands. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of translanguaging in English language classrooms, particularly in bilingual and multilingual contexts in the Philippines.