Translanguaging and Metacognitive Instruction: Effects on Listening and Metacognitive Awareness in CFL Learners

This study examines the effects of integrating pedagogical translanguaging and metacognitive instruction on Thai university students’ listening comprehension, metacognitive awareness, and attitudes in Chinese as a Foreign Language classroom. It investigates how multilingual scaffolding, particularly English, can support strategic listening when teachers and students do not share a first language. The study aims to enhance comprehension and learner autonomy through structured multilingual scaffolding. It also highlights the potential of English as a pedagogical bridge to foster comprehension and self-regulation in multilingual settings. An eight-week intervention was conducted with 36 second-year Thai students in an International Business Chinese program, using a framework informed by Lin’s Multimodalities-Entextualization Cycle and Vandergrift’s Metacognitive Pedagogical Sequence. A mixed-methods design was employed, with data collected through parallel Chinese listening tests, the Metacognitive Awareness Listening Questionnaire, attitudinal questionnaires, and interviews. Findings showed significant gains in listening performance and metacognitive awareness. Most students found translanguaging beneficial for understanding and applying strategies, though some expressed concerns about over-reliance on English and emphasized the need for balance. This study contributes to the pedagogy of Chinese as a foreign language by providing empirical support for the strategic integration of pedagogical translanguaging and metacognitive instruction. It recommends the balanced use of multilingual scaffolding to enhance listening development and foster learner autonomy in linguistically diverse classrooms.