The Use of Translanguaging as a Strategy for Teaching English as a Second Language in Sub-County Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

Language teaching in multilingual contexts has increasingly emphasized strategies that leverage learners’ linguistic repertoires to enhance comprehension and participation. This study sought to investigate teachers’ use of Translanguaging (TL) as a strategy for teaching English as a second language (L2). The study was undertaken in sub-county Secondary Schools in Bungoma County in Kenya and was guided by Ofelia Garcia’s theory of Translanguaging. In this research, the mixed methods convergence research design, which combined qualitative and quantitative techniques, was used. The study population was teachers of the English language and their students. This population comprised 16 purposively selected teachers of English from 16 purposively selected schools and 96 students from 8 purposively sampled schools. Individual student participants in the study were then selected by simple random sampling. Questionnaires for both teachers and the students were used in data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the quantitative and qualitative data collected in the research. The findings from the quantitative data obtained revealed that over 75% of the teachers of English were using Translanguaging as a teaching strategy. Students indicated that their teachers of the English language used other languages at 73.95% as 87.5% felt that Translanguaging enhances Second Language achievement. Findings from qualitative data indicated that teachers use TL to emphasise and explain concepts; explain vocabularies and terminologies; and elaborate to those who do not understand English. The study concluded that the teachers of the English language subject use TL as a teaching strategy contrary to policy. This study therefore recommends that the Ministry of Education in Kenya should consider revising the policy on the Medium of Instruction in sub-county secondary schools as a paradigm shift in the teaching of language to include Translanguaging for enhanced learner achievement in English as a second language in these schools.