Cultivating decolonial translanguaging: pedagogical maneuvering to support multilingual writing and non-dominant knowledge systems

• Bisht, Gautam ^[1] ; Lam, Wan Shun Eva ^[1]
  1. [1] Northwestern University

     Northwestern University

     Township of Evanston, Estados Unidos

     
• Localización: Language awareness, ISSN 0965-8416, Vol. 34, Nº. 3, 2025, págs. 657-681
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1080/09658416.2025.2554722
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The National Education Policy (NEP) in India emphasizes promoting local languages and knowledge systems in higher education. However, there is limited research on pedagogical practices that effectively support this goal. In response, this paper examines pedagogical interactions in an online writing project designed to foster decolonial translanguaging, defined as using multiple languages to represent non-dominant knowledge systems. Through qualitative methods, we explore the case of Manoj, a first-generation college student who wrote about Adivasi (Indigenous) food practices in Santhali, Hindi, and English. We ask: How did mentor–student dialogues support the use of multiple languages to write about Adivasi knowledge? What tensions did they navigate, and how? An analysis of curricular interactions between Manoj and his mentor reveals what we call pedagogical maneuvers—real-time improvisations that supported them in: (a) moving across histories and futures of language, (b) shifting from notions of broken language to breaking language, and (c) going beyond a love/hate relationship with English. By tracing this collaborative writing process, we illuminate both the broader purpose and the contextual ambiguity of decolonial translanguaging, as well as the micro-processes that shape its pedagogy. We conclude with practical insights for designing learning environments that support linguistically marginalized youth.

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