Translanguaging for transformation in higher education
A case study of two institutions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21757128 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anelisa Thengimfene (0000-0002-7093-0161, University of South Africa), Yolisa Madolo (0000-0003-1390-8192, Walter Sisulu University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 44 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 77-91 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1607-3614 • E-ISSN: 1727-9461 |
| Publisher | National Inquiry Services Center (NISC) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2989/16073614.2025.2573986 |
| OpenAlex | W4417236942 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 45 |
In the calls for transformation in higher education, exemplified by the pivotal 2015/16 #RhodesMustFall initiative, students have increasingly demanded transformative practices in teaching and learning. A central focus of this movement has been the Africanisation and contextualisation of higher education, highlighting the urgent need for inclusive practices that reflect students’ diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Translanguaging, as a pivotal strategy, plays a significant role in promoting multilingualism and subsequently inclusivity. This research delves into the utilisation of translanguaging for transforming teaching and learning practices in higher education, focusing on two selected institutions in South Africa. These two institutions were purposively selected to reflect the contrasting contexts of South African higher education. Grounded in language ideology theory, the study aims to uncover how deeply entrenched language beliefs and attitudes shape the implementation of translanguaging practices in institutional contexts. Through a qualitative methodology employing document analysis and interviews, the study examines the teaching and learning policies of the two institutions. By triangulating data from these two methods, the research seeks to examine translanguaging’s pivotal role in driving the transformation of teaching and learning practices in South African higher education. Ultimately, this study’s findings contribute to theoretical advancements in understanding language ideologies in educational contexts and practical strategies for fostering linguistic diversity and inclusivity in curriculum implementation processes
Higher education · Translanguaging · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Multilingual Education and Policy · Second Language Learning and Teaching
Completing College
Language Policy
Translanguaging
Translanguaging in the Bilingual Classroom
Introduction Language Ideology as a field of inquiry
The Theory and Practice of Language Ideologies in Modern Societies
Exploring translanguaging practices in synchronous and asynchronous online-instructed first-year academic literacy interventions
Translanguaging in the classroom
‘Walking out from the flat’
Revisiting symbolic power and elite language education in China
Translanguaging in the classroom
Students’ Voices on How Indigenous Languages Are Disfavoured in South African Higher Education
Decolonisation of higher education
Artificial intelligence in South African universities
Language, Africanisation, and Identity Politics at a South African University
Raising Critical Language Awareness in a Translanguaging-Infused Teacher Education Course
Translanguaging Pedagogies for Positive Identities in Two-Way Dual Language Bilingual Education
Social Class, Identity, and Migrant Students
Translanguaging
Decolonizing the university
Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method
Decolonizing higher education in a global post-colonial era
Pedagogical translanguaging
Sociocultural theory and concept-based language instruction
Rainbow is not the new black’
English medium instruction, identity construction and negotiation of Teochew-speaking learners of English
Signature pedagogies in the professions
Intellectual imperialism and decolonisation in African studies
Imagination, decolonization, and intersectionality
Undoing Appropriateness
Translanguaging as a Practical Theory of Language
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |