Translingual Practice: Weaving Native Cultures to a Writing Classroom

Abstract

The growth of extensive discussions of translingualism has emerged in the area of writing and composition in recent years in response to view writing as a negotiation of cross -language form in the multilingual contact zone. Translingual approach problematizes the propagation of monolingual orientations: standardized native-speaker norms and the stigma of printed written language, and overlooks the diverse cultural and linguistic potentials brought by the students in the English writing classroom. Translingualism does not offer the generic model to bridge the linguistic gaps perpetuated between academic setting and students backgrounds. However, it endorses transformative perspectives of language teachers to embrace students differences in first language and second language meaning-making production and the creative use of semiotic resources in the classroom. With a clear understanding and knowledge of students cultures, Canagarajah (2015) argues that writing teachers can better apply translingual practice in the classroom due to their well-experience as multilingual writers and speakers. This paper aims to situate the concepts of translingualism concerning students native cultures and classroom settings in Indonesia, in particular in Moluccas (known as Maluku) context. The pedagogical practice of translingual practice is addressed based on the context- and cultural-specific manner and draws upon Canagarajah's (2013) four macro-level strategies of Translingualism. As such, this paper can broaden the horizon of language teachers and scholars about the possible chance to adopt and adapt translingual practice in a local setting with the available knowledge and understanding.