Translanguaging Practice in Classroom Interaction Between Junior Highschool Teacher and Students

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the types of translanguaging used in classroom interaction between a junior high school teacher and students, and to describe how these practices were implemented during the English learning process at SMP N 2 Nainggolan. The research employed a descriptive qualitative design grounded in García and Wei's (2014) concept of translanguaging as the flexible use of bilingual speakers' linguistic repertoires to support communication and meaning-making in multilingual classrooms. Data were collected through classroom observation across three meetings and interviews with the English teacher and selected students. Findings showed that translanguaging occurred through the use of Indonesian, English, and local language expressions, appearing 53 times overall and comprising three types adapted from Sari (2021): inter-sentential translanguaging (30 occurrences), intra-sentential translanguaging (14 occurrences), and tag translanguaging (9 occurrences), with inter-sentential translanguaging the most dominant. In terms of function, teacher-directed translanguaging served to deliver instructions, clarify learning materials, scaffold students' understanding, ensure comprehension, and manage the classroom, while student-directed translanguaging supported scaffolding, meaning negotiation, and peer interaction. These practices helped create a more comfortable learning atmosphere and encouraged students' active participation. In conclusion, translanguaging functions as an effective pedagogical strategy that supports communication, comprehension, and interaction in the English learning process within a multilingual EFL classroom.