Translanguaging Practices in Vietnamese EFL and CFL Classrooms: A Mixed-Methods Comparative Study.

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Title:	Translanguaging Practices in Vietnamese EFL and CFL Classrooms: A Mixed-Methods Comparative Study.
Authors:	Phung, Thong Nguyen Tri¹, Huynh, Huy Gia²
Source:	Journal of Language Teaching & Research. Jul2026, Vol. 17 Issue 4, p1221-1231. 11p.
Subject Terms:	Foreign language education, Mixed methods research, Teacher education, Teaching methods, Similarity (Language learning), Multilingual communication, Vietnamese language
Abstract:	Translanguaging has emerged as a transformative pedagogical approach in foreign language education, yet comparative research examining how linguistic proximity between L1 and target language shapes translanguaging practices remains scarce. This mixed-method study investigated translanguaging practices employed by Vietnamese university lecturers in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) classrooms using Fang and Liu's (2020) five-dimensional framework: concept explanation, comprehension check, knowledge localization, instruction reinforcement, and rapport building. Data were collected from ten lecturers (five EFL and five CFL) through classroom observations, field notes, audio recordings, and stimulated recall interviews. Quantitative analysis revealed that knowledge localization was the most divergent dimension, with CFL teachers employing this strategy significantly more frequently than EFL teachers. This difference is attributed to the extensive Sino-Vietnamese cognate system, which enables CFL teachers to systematically exploit connections between Chinese and Vietnamese linguistic and cultural resources. In contrast, the remaining four dimensions showed comparable patterns across both contexts, suggesting these functions are driven by universal pedagogical needs rather than language-specific factors. Qualitative findings revealed that while CFL teachers deliberately leveraged linguistic proximity, EFL teachers expressed concerns about localization compromising target language authenticity. These findings extend translanguaging theory by demonstrating that translanguaging dimensions operate differently depending on linguistic proximity and highlight implications for teacher education programs to address monolingual ideologies that may constrain translanguaging practices in EFL contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
	Copyright of Journal of Language Teaching & Research is the property of Academy Publication Co., LTD and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	Translanguaging has emerged as a transformative pedagogical approach in foreign language education, yet comparative research examining how linguistic proximity between L1 and target language shapes translanguaging practices remains scarce. This mixed-method study investigated translanguaging practices employed by Vietnamese university lecturers in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) classrooms using Fang and Liu's (2020) five-dimensional framework: concept explanation, comprehension check, knowledge localization, instruction reinforcement, and rapport building. Data were collected from ten lecturers (five EFL and five CFL) through classroom observations, field notes, audio recordings, and stimulated recall interviews. Quantitative analysis revealed that knowledge localization was the most divergent dimension, with CFL teachers employing this strategy significantly more frequently than EFL teachers. This difference is attributed to the extensive Sino-Vietnamese cognate system, which enables CFL teachers to systematically exploit connections between Chinese and Vietnamese linguistic and cultural resources. In contrast, the remaining four dimensions showed comparable patterns across both contexts, suggesting these functions are driven by universal pedagogical needs rather than language-specific factors. Qualitative findings revealed that while CFL teachers deliberately leveraged linguistic proximity, EFL teachers expressed concerns about localization compromising target language authenticity. These findings extend translanguaging theory by demonstrating that translanguaging dimensions operate differently depending on linguistic proximity and highlight implications for teacher education programs to address monolingual ideologies that may constrain translanguaging practices in EFL contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	17984769
DOI:	10.17507/jltr.1704.09