Translanguaging in Action: A Quantitative Study of Multilingual Practices in Tertiary Classrooms

Abstract

Translanguaging is an approach in education that allows students to use their entire linguistic resources in the classroom to understand content and support learning. Research in the field acknowledges translanguaging as an effective approach in multilingual education. This current research analyzed the impact of translanguaging pedagogy on students’ comprehension, classroom participation, and academic performance. Additionally, it analyzed the relationship between translanguaging practices and instructional strategies. Drawing on Sociocultural Theory, Cummins’ Interdependence Hypothesis, and Cognitive Load Theory, this quantitative correlational study gathered data from 241 college students through convenience sampling. The survey questionnaire, adapted from Eslit (2025), served as the data gathering tool. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, simple linear regression, and Pearson product-moment correlation were employed. Findings indicated that translanguaging strategies are a significant predictor of students’ comprehension (R² = .769, β = .877, p < .001), classroom participation (R² = .636, β = .798, p < .001), and academic performance (R² = .851, β = .923, p < .001). The greatest effect was found on academic performance. In addition, a significant positive correlation was observed between translanguaging practices and instructional strategies (r = .873, p < .001). The results indicate that translanguaging can lead to better comprehension, active participation, and better academic performance when learners are allowed to employ their full linguistic repertoire through translanguaging. The study offers empirical evidence for the adoption of translanguaging in higher education and highlights its potential as a participatory and empowering pedagogical approach in multilingual university classrooms.