Conducting a research synthesis on translanguaging practices in Anglophone classrooms

Abstract

This chapter discusses the process and experience of conducting a research synthesis on translanguaging practices in Anglophone classrooms. Translanguaging challenges monolingual policies in many educational contexts and encourages language learners to utilise their full linguistic repertoires to learn. Although the term ‘translanguaging’ is widely discussed, its conceptualisation and applications to practice are still varied, which can make translanguaging activities in the classroom challenging. Our research synthesis takes the form of a ‘practice review’, where we assess relevant literature in both academic journals and practitioner magazines. The review aims to identify and gain insights into ‘what translanguaging looks like in practice’ and ‘how it can be applied as a pedagogical approach in real-life classrooms’. The chapter starts by introducing the rationale and aims of the practice review. We then reflect on the dilemmas we faced during the research process such as limited results found in the literature and defining the Anglosphere. Based on these dilemmas, we discuss what we did and what we could have done differently. The chapter ends with discussion questions and a list of recommended reading. Through this reflection process, we discuss both challenges and benefits of conducting a practice review, with examples from our own experiences.