Abstract
This study explores the role of translanguaging in Brazilian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, focusing on how in-service teachers perceive translanguaging and how they navigate the challenges of implementing translanguaging to support student learning. While using a qualitative approach, three EFL teachers were interviewed. Three findings reveal a significant tension between institutional beliefs that enforce English-only policies and the practical realities of student comprehension. Teachers report that using Portuguese strategically enhances understanding, reduces student anxiety, and fosters engagement. Participants highlighted a lack of formal training in translanguaging during their teacher preparation program, leading them to rely on autonomous learning and experience to justify their practices. This study concludes that translanguaging is a professional necessity and an act of pedagogical agency that challenges institutional dominion. I argue that institutions must validate this intuitive practice by implementing context-specific in-service professional development and advocating for flexible language policies that transform teacher autonomy into supported systemic change.
Recommended Citation
Castor, Vitoria
(2026)
"Exploring Translanguaging Strategies in Brazilian EFL Classrooms: Teacher Perceptions, Challenges, and Institutional Pressures,"
MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL: Vol. 7, Article 5.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mitesol/vol7/iss1/5