Teachers’ Perceptions of the Use of Translanguaging within English Education in Grades 4-6

Sammanfattning: This degree project aims to explore, in the context of translanguaging, teachers' perceptionsof the use of pupils’ first language within English as a second language education inSweden. Following a review of the concept of translanguaging from a historic andpedagogical perspective, teachers’ views on the roles of their pupils’ first and secondlanguages as reported in international research, recent research pertaining to teachers'perceptions and pedagogical methods within translanguaging is highlighted. Results from amethodological triangulation examination of data emanating from a survey, interviews andclassroom observations show that: even though the term translanguaging is relativelyunknown, teacher respondents use translanguaging as a method within ESL education inSweden; a majority of teachers value their English-use higher than their use of the pupils’first language, but are not averse to using translanguaging when deemed appropriate; and amore positive attitude is displayed towards the pupils use of their first language, but the useof English is preferred.