Translanguaging Pedagogy: A Tool for Social Justice and Equity in the Language Classroom
Monishita Hajra Pande | The English and Foreign Languages University
ORCiD ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8707-6192
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.71106/AIUT8526
Publication: Social Justice Special Issue
Abstract | Translanguaging is a powerful tool to address questions of social justice and equity in the language classroom. While teaching dominant languages (in this case English) that automatically operate as hegemonic forces, invisible but powerful language hierarchies get formed that often engulf language practices and identities of learners, especially in a classroom that promotes monolingual norms and expectations. This paper discusses pedagogical translanguaging as a transformative practice that has the power to engage in critical literacy in ESL/EFL contexts. It reports experiences and insights from a writing course offered to adults of foreign nationals learning English as a Foreign Language at EFL University Hyderabad, India. It discusses tasks and reflections from classroom interactions and argues for adopting a process approach to teaching writing that incorporates pedagogical translanguaging to maximise learner engagement by systematically creating opportunities for them to use their full linguistic repertoire and actively bring in their cultural resources to negotiate meaning in the classroom. Data from focused group discussions, reflective journals, and unstructured interviews throw light on the learning process and provide useful insights into translanguaging as a pedagogical tool, thereby creating counter narratives which question and contest power and linguistic hierarchies in the classroom.
Key words | Pedagogical Translanguaging, Multilingual Pedagogy, Bi/Multilingualism, Codemeshing, Writing Skills, Language Education, Language Equity, ESL, Metalinguistic, Social Justice
Monishita Hajra Pande (monishita@efluniversity.ac.in; ORCiD ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8707-6192) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Training and Development at The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad (EFLU), India. She has a doctoral degree in English Language Education from EFLU. Her present research interests are translingual writing pedagogy, language teacher identity and integration of AI tools for development of reading skills in multilingual contexts. She offers courses in bi/multilingualism, language teaching methods, and academic reading and writing. She also contributes to various teacher training programmes.
MLA Citation for this Article:
Pande, Monishita Hajra. “Translanguaging Pedagogy: A Tool for Social Justice and Equity in the Language Classroom.” Language, Literature, and Interdisciplinary Studies, Social Justice Special Issue, 31 Dec. 2025, pp. 2.65–2.78, https://doi.org/10.71106/AIUT8526.