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Translingual practices for critical language awareness in English as an additional language writing education

  • Huan Feng

    Huan Feng is an associate professor in the School of Western Languages and Cultures at Harbin Normal University. Her research interests include second language acquisition, practice-based language education, and multimodal composition.

    and Yachao Sun

    Yachao Sun is an assistant professor in the Language and Culture Center at Duke Kunshan University. His research interests include multilingual writing, translingual studies, multimodal composition, and corpus linguistics.

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Published/Copyright: November 29, 2024
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Abstract

This study explores the impact of translingual practices on Critical Language Awareness (CLA) in English as an Additional Language (EAL) writing education within a non-English Medium Instruction (non-EMI) Chinese higher education context. A case study approach was employed to investigate five students’ EAL writing practices and language ideologies. Data collection included screen recordings of students’ writing processes, semi-structured interviews, and their written products. The findings revealed that translingual practices facilitated CLA development. Students adeptly meshed their home language and English, which reflected a complex interplay of linguistic identity and power dynamics in academic settings. The study found that translingual practices enabled students to challenge monolingual ideologies and develop a critical understanding of the socio-political implications of language use. The findings indicate that translingual practices can not only facilitate content learning but also promote a deeper engagement with social justice issues within EAL writing education. Hence, this study emphasizes the necessity for EAL writing education to embrace translingual practices, thereby enriching students’ CLA.


Corresponding author: Yachao Sun, Language and Culture Center, Duke Kunshan University, No. 8 Duke Avenue, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215316, China, E-mail:

Funding source: General Program of Philosophy and Social Science Research in Colleges and Universities of Jiangsu Province

Award Identifier / Grant number: 23KJSED057

Funding source: Heilongjiang Province Philosophy and Social Science Research Planning Project

Award Identifier / Grant number: 22YYE474

About the authors

Huan Feng

Huan Feng is an associate professor in the School of Western Languages and Cultures at Harbin Normal University. Her research interests include second language acquisition, practice-based language education, and multimodal composition.

Yachao Sun

Yachao Sun is an assistant professor in the Language and Culture Center at Duke Kunshan University. His research interests include multilingual writing, translingual studies, multimodal composition, and corpus linguistics.

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Received: 2024-03-18
Accepted: 2024-11-16
Published Online: 2024-11-29
Published in Print: 2025-07-28

© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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