Cultural and linguistic resources as an asset-based language learning approach: translanguaging pedagogy for English learning at a Chinese university

Abstract

The growth of international exchange and student mobility has heightened the need for high-quality instruction in higher education to maintain competitiveness in the global education landscape. In response to the internationalization of higher education, the Ministry of Education in China began promoting Chinese-English bilingual education to develop global citizens. While national and global trends demand competitive international scholars, leveraging teachers’ and learners’ linguistic and cultural resources while implementing translanguaging pedagogy in Asian countries remains underexplored. Using qualitative interview data, this study aims to investigate instructors’ and students’ attitudes and perceptions toward Chinese-English bilingual instruction enacted through translanguaging pedagogy in general English courses at a private Chinese university. Findings suggest how non-English language resources can be leveraged and capitalized as a form of asset-based translanguaging pedagogy. The findings of this study have implications for both research and practice regarding the benefits of dynamic bilingualism and non-English linguistic and cultural resources in promoting asset-based language learning. Prevailing monoglossic and imperialistic language ideologies in English-language instruction and research are also discussed.