ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of translation and translanguaging in the context of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in secondary schools. In many EMI programmes where English is used to teach academic subject content, studies have found that students lacking sufficient proficiency in the instructional language may struggle with content. Hence, in order to promote the learning of content as well as languages, these programmes require approaches that take into account the particular needs of students. Such approaches can involve translanguaging, which entails the use of two or more languages for making meaning. Translanguaging may include translation practices, such as bilingual students providing support for their classmates by translating the teacher’s statements. Further, teachers may encourage student interaction in the first language (L1) in order to encourage student participation in class discussions, as students can translate their classmates’ oral contributions. Within such a framework, learning is facilitated by connecting content knowledge (such as subject-specific terminology) in the L1 with content knowledge in other languages. Including translation as part of an EMI programme may thus be key to affording access to content in the classroom as well as to offering the potential to challenge language hierarchies.
