Translanguaging and trans-semiotizing in English-medium classrooms: Upholding university’s policies or constructing knowledge?

Abstract

Universities worldwide adopt English-medium instruction (EMI) due to the global role and status of English. However, policies advocating for EMI often overlook the importance of other languages, semiotic resources, and modalities in communication. Such oversight underscores the necessity of examining the adoption and implementation processes of both English and other languages. Building on an expanded language policy framework as well as translanguaging and trans-semiotizing perspectives, we investigated the language ideologies and classroom language practices of educators and students as micro-level responses to a private Bangladeshi university's English-only policy. To gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon, we employed a case study design and gathered data from various sources, including semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and stimulated recall interviews. A thematic analysis of the data revealed that both educators and students held favorable beliefs about English, the adoption of EMI, and translanguaging in classroom teaching. In their language practices, translanguaging and trans-semiotizing were an integral part of instruction for various epistemological and pedagogical reasons, and EMI was used mostly in written discourse. Thus, EMI was more of an ideological manifestation and involved languages other than English. In this light, there is a need for a policy shift from an English-only to a bi/multilingual focus in Bangladeshi higher education.