Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

English

Committee Chair

Rebecca Adams

Committee Chair

Rebecca Adams

Committee Member

Katherine Fredlund

Committee Member

Rebecca Adams

Committee Member

Ronald Fuentes

Abstract

Recent research has highlighted the significant role of pedagogical translanguaging in language classrooms, particularly in enhancing L2 or TL writing development (García, 2014; García & Kano, 2014; Parmegiani, 2022; Turnbull, 2019; Zhang, 2019). This study investigates the impact of translanguaging pedagogy on the development of academic writing among Kurdish EFL learners in comparison to traditional monolingual instruction during a seven-week intensive English language summer course prior entering academic courses. The research involved 40 Kurdish EFL learners and enrolled in two intact classes at a private university in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Participants were divided into two groups: one was taught using translanguaging practices, which encouraged the strategic use of both Kurdish and English for learning tasks, and the other group was taught through a monolingual, English-only approach. Drawing on pretest and posttest writing assessments, three collaborative writing tasks administered during weeks 3, 5, and 7, and a post-study survey, the study addressed three key research questions related to writing development, collaborative writing performance, and learner attitudes. Results indicated that while both groups improved their academic writing, the Translanguaging group demonstrated significantly greater gains in rubric scores and error reduction from pretest to posttest, particularly in organization, content, and form-related accuracy with less advantage observed in the Monolingual group. It suggests that the inclusion of the learners' L1 supported deeper cognitive engagement and facilitated more effective language production (García & Wei, 2014). In the collaborative writing tasks, the translanguaging group produced longer, more accurate, and higher-quality texts, demonstrating greater engagement and linguistic improvement. Survey responses revealed that learners viewed both instructional methods as beneficial, but those in the Translanguaging group expressed greater confidence, reduced anxiety, and stronger support for the approach, highlighting its cognitive and affective benefits in EFL contexts. This research adds to the growing body of evidence that challenges the monolingual bias in language education and supports the inclusion of learners’ full linguistic resources in classroom instruction. The findings have pedagogical implications for EFL contexts, particularly in linguistically diverse regions such as Kurdistan, where embracing translanguaging can foster more inclusive and effective writing instruction.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open Access

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