Translanguaging practices in higher education to teach across content areas in Belize: A multicase study

This study aimed to analyze four tertiary educators' perceptions of their axiological language ethos and practical teaching pedagogy at the tertiary level in Belize. This study describes the professors’ inveterate language ideologies and their proclivity towards Translanguaging, specifically, how they incorporate Translanguaging in their teaching. This qualitative multicase research began with a purposive recruitment survey that invited four participants best suited to explore the research questions. Data collection consisted of class observations, interviews, class observation protocol sheets, and memos documenting Translanguaging moves. Findings: Datum revealed that by default, one tertiary educator, disciplined in the humanities, holds a Translanguaging stance, designs, and shifts at various spectrums. These pedagogical moves manifested due to their post-colonial educational backgrounds. They naturally allow Belizean students to freely express themselves using their full linguistic repertoire to engage with the content and facilitate learning. The evidence shows these educators do not use an English-only approach to teaching; instead, they use English-plus instruction. Implications: In Belize, the educational language policy mandates English as the official language of instruction while acknowledging the country’s rich and diverse sociolinguistic ecology. The policy “encourages the use of native/home languages, where necessary, to facilitate learning” (Ministry of Education, 2000, p. 183). However, the policy provides no framework for incorporating native/home languages in the classroom. A declaration to take action on language preservation states the government will “Ensure the development of education policies that promote minority languages as mediums of instruction in the education system” (Belize National Cultural Policy, 2016, p. 8). This research shares how Belizean educators can purposefully decolonize education in Belize by employing translanguaging pedagogical practices and using English-plus approaches to instruction and teaching.