Navigating policy and practice

Abstract This article delves into how institutional and cultural factors influence translanguaging in Chinese classes at Mali’s Confucius Institute, using Hornberger’s (2002) ecological approach, Bourdieu’s (1991) linguistic capital, and García & Li’s (2014) translanguaging theory. Data from interviews with 20 teachers, document reviews, classroom observations, and a learner questionnaire ( N = 56) reveal a tension: policies favour Chinese-only instruction, yet teachers use informal translanguaging to connect with students. Cultural hierarchies complicate this: French as a “code for cognition,” Bamanankan as a “code for connection,” and local languages remain marginalised. Drawing on systematic observation coding (187 translanguaging events across three classroom sessions) and conversation analysis of representative episodes, the study proposes a Hierarchical Translanguaging Model for CFL to address layered postcolonial hierarchies and design graded language scaffolding, balancing immersion and multilingual support without abandoning core Chinese practice. These insights emphasise the need for policy reforms, improved teacher training, and culturally responsive resources to legitimise translanguaging in CFL.