The Perceptions of the Use of Translanguaging as a Form of Oral Feedback in Indonesian Tertiary English Language Teaching Context

Abstract

As the practice of using different languages to extend the process of knowledge construction, translanguaging is often performed in teachers’ corrective feedback in foreign language classrooms. The research aimed to analyze students’ perception of the implementation of translanguaging as a form of oral corrective feedback in an EFL-speaking context at a private university in Indonesia. This study used a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design through two phases of data collection: a questionnaire (N=60) and semi-structured interviews (N=8). The findings of this study indicate that students perceive translanguaging as a beneficial practice in implementing oral corrective feedback in the EFL-speaking classroom, such as increasing the chances for language acquisition, empowering students to take educational risks, creating a more welcoming and socially inclusive learning environment due to students’ diverse language proficiency, and increasing in-classroom participation and engagement. However, it is also perceived that translanguaging should not be used too excessively to avoid confusion amongst students with lower target language proficiency. It is recommended that teachers give students a fair chance to interact meaningfully with more than one language by including translanguaging oral feedback as a pedagogical strategy, to help students reach their academic goals, notice differences in language, and promote bilingualism and biliteracy. The students' positive opinions of translanguaging highlighted its potential as an effective pedagogical technique. It is also hoped that this research becomes a basis for establishing English language teaching policies that are appropriate to the multilingual pedagogical context in Indonesia.