Shattering the glass ceiling of language barriers in bilingual and multilingual classrooms

Abstract This paper aims to explore the role of teachers in bilingual and multilingual translanguaging classrooms and how bilingual and multilingual translanguaging are different from each other. Data were collected from five state-run schools in the Paschim Medinipur district, West Bengal, India. A qualitative approach to data analysis was adopted. Findings reveal that most English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers use translanguaging in two different ways — six teachers use only two dominant languages (Bengali and English) and three teachers use three languages, including minority languages. This paper argues that bilingual translanguaging is subtractive whereas multilingual translanguaging is additive and inclusive. Moreover, multilingual translanguaging seems to be more beneficial to students than bilingual translanguaging.