Students’ Perceptions of Translanguaging in Classroom Interaction at SMPN 1 Binjai

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate students’ perceptions toward translanguaging in classroom interaction and to explore the factors influencing those perceptions. This study employed a descriptive qualitative research design. The participants were 30 students of class VII-3 at SMPN 1 Binjai. The data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire distributed using Google Forms and semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using the qualitative data analysis by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014), which consisted of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings showed that most students had positive perceptions toward translanguaging in classroom interaction (25 out of 30 students, 83.3%), while a smaller number showed negative perceptions (5 students, 16.7%). Students generally believed that translanguaging helped them understand the material more easily, increased confidence, and created a more comfortable classroom atmosphere. However, several students felt that mixing Indonesian and English sometimes caused confusion and reduced focus during communication activities. On the other hand, students’ perceptions were influenced by three main factors namely competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Competence became the most dominant factor with 15 participants (50%), followed by relatedness with 11 participants (36.7%), and autonomy with 4 participants (13.3%). These findings indicate that students tended to develop more positive perceptions toward translanguaging when supported in classroom interaction.