The Efficacy of a Translanguaging-Based Pedagogy in Reducing Speaking Anxiety and Improving Grammatical Accuracy in Students at a University in Vietnam

This study paper investigates the efficacy of a translanguaging-based pedagogical intervention on two persistent challenges in English language teaching in Vietnam: high levels of speaking anxiety and persistent grammatical inaccuracies. Situated within the context of Vietnamese higher education, the research addresses the limitations of dominant English-only monolingual ideologies, which often exacerbate student apprehension and fail to leverage their full linguistic competence. A quasi-experimental, mixed-methods study was conducted over a 14-week semester with 62 second-year non-English major students at Dai Nam University, Hanoi. The experimental group (n=31) received instruction grounded in purposeful and systematic translanguaging strategies, while the control group (n=31) was taught using a conventional English-only approach. Data were collected using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), a timed oral production task scored for grammatical accuracy (error-free clauses), and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis using independent and paired-samples t-tests revealed that the experimental group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in speaking anxiety (p < .001) and a statistically significant improvement in grammatical accuracy (p < .001) compared to the control group. Qualitative data from thematic analysis of interviews proof these findings, indicating that translanguaging created a low-anxiety cognitive and social space, facilitated deeper metalinguistic understanding by comparing L1 and L2 structures, and enhanced peer collaboration. The findings suggest that a structured translanguaging pedagogy is not a deficit but a powerful resource. It offers a viable, evidence-based pathway for Vietnamese educators to foster more confident and accurate English speakers, aligning with national goals to enhance English proficiency in a manner that is both effective and psychologically sound.