Reframing Science Teaching in Multilingual Moroccan Classrooms through Spontaneous Translanguaging Practices

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Reframing Science Teaching in Multilingual Moroccan Classrooms through Spontaneous Translanguaging Practices
Language: English
Authors: Khalid Laanani, Said Fathi
Source: Discover Education. 2026 5.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 24
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Grade 10
High Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Science Education, Science Teachers, Foreign Countries, Multilingualism, Code Switching (Language), French, Language Usage, Teaching Styles, Educational Benefits, Barriers, Grade 10, Language Role, Secondary School Teachers
Geographic Terms: Morocco
DOI: 10.1007/s44217-026-01552-4
ISSN: 2731-5525
Abstract: This qualitative study investigates a postcolonial educational setting where translanguaging pedagogy remains under-researched despite its prevalence. It specifically examined how three Moroccan science teachers leveraged the pedagogical potential of spontaneous translanguaging and highlighted its different beneficial functions in French-medium instruction (FMI) science classrooms. Using Abductive Thematic Analysis (ATA), the results were both informed by translanguaging theory and grounded in empirical observations. Accordingly, the study identified six major themes, capturing functional roles of spontaneous translanguaging. The results showed that spontaneous translanguaging was used pedagogically to construct scientific knowledge and maintain the continuity of the teaching-learning process. However, despite its immense potential for creating an anxiety-free learning environment, the study found that translanguaging was not leveraged for deep conceptual reasoning, and its proclaimed power in 'erasing' student silence remained limited. The study contributes to the current debate in international scholarship about the presumed benefits of implementing translanguaging as a pedagogy, especially in science classrooms. The paper discusses implications for science education, teacher education, and language-in-education policy.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 20260101
Accession Number: EJ1514227
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This qualitative study investigates a postcolonial educational setting where translanguaging pedagogy remains under-researched despite its prevalence. It specifically examined how three Moroccan science teachers leveraged the pedagogical potential of spontaneous translanguaging and highlighted its different beneficial functions in French-medium instruction (FMI) science classrooms. Using Abductive Thematic Analysis (ATA), the results were both informed by translanguaging theory and grounded in empirical observations. Accordingly, the study identified six major themes, capturing functional roles of spontaneous translanguaging. The results showed that spontaneous translanguaging was used pedagogically to construct scientific knowledge and maintain the continuity of the teaching-learning process. However, despite its immense potential for creating an anxiety-free learning environment, the study found that translanguaging was not leveraged for deep conceptual reasoning, and its proclaimed power in 'erasing' student silence remained limited. The study contributes to the current debate in international scholarship about the presumed benefits of implementing translanguaging as a pedagogy, especially in science classrooms. The paper discusses implications for science education, teacher education, and language-in-education policy.
ISSN:2731-5525
DOI:10.1007/s44217-026-01552-4