The interplay between theory and praxis in developing a curriculum centred on translanguaging

In hierdie artikel word die praktyk van transtaling ondersoek binne die konteks van ’n akademiesegeletterdheidsmodule wat in 2016 in Engels aangebied is vir Afrikaanssprekende eerstejaarstudente in Konstruksie-ekonomie. Die navorsing is gedoen met die oog op ’n beskrywing van die sistematiek van die praktyke wat gevolg is, en die moontlike waarde van ’n beskrywende model vir toekomstige kurrikulumontwikkeling. Eerstens word ’n oorsig gegee oor linguistiese en toegepaste linguistiese teorieë wat die gebruik van die eerste taal in die tweedetaalklas ondersteun. Dit word gevolg deur ’n bespreking van die onderskeid tussen leerdergesentreerde en dosentgesentreerde transtaling, wat as vertrekpunt dien vir die ponering van ’n pedagogiese raamwerk vir transtaling. Die empiriese gedeelte van die artikel beskryf ’n gevallestudie van beperkte omvang, wat gerig was op die transtalingsvookeure en -praktyke van eerstejaarstudente in Konstruksie-ekonomie. Die data, wat deur middel van voor- en na-intervensie-vraelyste ingesamel is, is sowel kwantitatief as kwalitatief ontleed. Dit blyk dat die studente reeds voor die aanvang van die module positief ingestel was teenoor die gebruik van sistematiese transtaling, en dat hulle houding tydens die intervensie positief gebly het. Gedurende die intervensie is dosentgesentreerde transtaling gebruik vir funksies soos klasbestuur, verduideliking van grammatika en woordbetekenis, sowel as vir kommunikasie met individuele studente. Leerdergesentreerde transtaling het veral plaasgevind gedurende interpersoonlike kommunikasie met medestudente en die dosent, asook beplanning en onderhandeling in kleingroepe. Die ontleding van die data het twee aspekte van die pedagogiek van transtaling uitgelig wat nog nie voldoende aandag in die literatuur gekry het nie, naamlik die verskil en die onderlinge verband tussen transtaling en vertaling; en die soms eensydige fokus op transtaling in die rigting van die T1, teenoor die inverse: transtaling in die rigting van die T2. Op grond van die navorsingsbevindinge word ’n kurrikulummodel voorgestel wat as basis kan dien vir die beplanning van transtaling in kontekste waar nuwe vakkonsepte tesame met ’n tweede taal as akademiese taal aangeleer word. Hierdeur word die toegepaste linguistiek se fokus op sowel teorie as empirie in die ontwerp van oplossings vir praktiese taalprobleme beklemtoon.This article investigates the practice of translanguaging in the context of a group of Afrikaans-speaking first-year Construction Economics students enrolled for an academic literacy module in English, in 2016. The research was conducted with a view to describe the systematics of the practices followed, and the possible value of a descriptive model for future curriculum development. First, an overview is provided of linguistic and applied linguistic theories that support first-language usage in a second-language classroom. This is followed by a discussion of the difference between learner-centred and lecturer-centred translanguaging, which serves as a departure point for advancing a pedagogic framework for translanguaging. The empirical part of the article describes a case study of limited scope aimed at the translanguaging preferences and practices of first-year Construction Economics students. The data collected through pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. It would seem that even prior to the commencement of the module, students were positively inclined towards using systematic translanguaging, and their attitude towards the intervention remained positive. During the intervention, lecturer-centred translanguaging was used for functions such as classroom management, clarifying grammar and vocabulary, and communicating with individual students. Learner-centred translanguaging took place particularly during interpersonal communication with fellow students and the lecturer, and for planning and discussions in small groups. Analysing the data highlighted two aspects of the pedagogics of translanguaging that previously did not receive adequate attention in the literature, namely the difference and interrelationship between translanguaging and translation; and the sometimes unilateral focus on translanguaging in the direction of the L1, compared to the inverse, translanguaging in the direction of the L2. Based on the research findings, a curriculum model is proposed, which could serve as a basis for planning translanguaging in contexts where new subject concepts are acquired together with the acquisition of a second language as academic language. This highlights the fact that applied linguistics focuses both on theoretical and on empirical methods in designing solutions to practical language problems.http://spilplus.journals.ac.za/pub/indexam2018Unit for Academic Literac