PRIMARY SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF PEDAGOGICAL TRANSLANGUAGING AFTER PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Abstract

In English as a foreign language contexts, first language use remains contested, despite increasing recognition of multilingual pedagogies. This qualitative study explores primary EFL teachers’ perceptions and self‑reported implementation of pedagogical translanguaging after attending professional training in Southern Vietnam. It examines teachers’ perceptions of the pedagogical principles introduced during the training, their reported adaptations of these ideas, and contextual factors that shaped their instructional choices. Using a qualitative multiple‑case design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with eight primary English teachers in the Mekong Delta. Findings indicate that the training encouraged teachers to reconceptualize Vietnamese use as intentional and pedagogically justified scaffolding. Teachers reported maintaining English as the dominant medium while using Vietnamese selectively to clarify meaning, support task preparation, and foster participation. Implementation was constrained by time pressure, assessment requirements, and external expectations. Overall, translanguaging was enacted as a context‑sensitive pedagogical strategy affected by local classroom realities. The research findings suggest that professional development programs should provide practical and context-responsive support to help primary EFL teachers implement pedagogical translanguaging effectively in their classrooms.