Translanguaging as a Pedagogical Bridge for Mindful Learning in EFL Secondary Classrooms

Abstract

The implementation of deep learning in Indonesia’s education policy emphasizes mindful learning, yet its manifestation in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms remains underexplored. This study investigates how mindful learning is manifested in EFL classrooms and how translanguaging pedagogy facilitates learning awareness and meaning-making. A qualitative case study was conducted with three English teachers and tenth-grade students at a senior high school in Manado, Indonesia. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with three teachers and three students, and document analysis, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal two interconnected components of mindful learning: learning awareness, developed through active noticing, self-monitoring, and reflective engagement; and meaning-making, constructed through interpretation, negotiation of meaning, and collaborative knowledge construction. The study further suggests that translanguaging functions not merely as a linguistic strategy but as a pedagogical mechanism that provides linguistic flexibility and cognitive scaffolding, enabling students to engage more consciously and meaningfully in learning. Based on these findings, the study proposes a conceptual model positioning translanguaging pedagogy as a bridge connecting linguistic flexibility, learning awareness, and meaning-making to foster mindful learning in EFL classrooms.