Empowering Indigenous Languages and Cultural Identities through Translanguaging in Nigerian Primary Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63385/cces.v1i2.211Keywords:
Translanguaging, Indigenous Languages, Cultural Identity, Multilingual Education, Social JusticeAbstract
This study examined how translanguaging empowered Indigenous languages and cultural identities in Nigerian primary schools, addressing the research gap concerning the limited understanding of translanguaging as a classroom support mechanism for Indigenous language maintenance. The specific objectives of the study were to examine how translanguaging strategies were implemented, to assess their influence on linguistic proficiency, and to evaluate their effect on cultural identity and self-esteem among Indigenous pupils. Guided by a sociocultural and translanguaging theoretical framework, the study adopted a mixed-methods design involving classroom observations, student interviews, and language proficiency assessments conducted across four primary schools with high Indigenous learner populations. The study found that translanguaging practices improved students’ ability to alternate between Indigenous and dominant languages with greater competence, strengthened classroom participation and learning outcomes, and enhanced cultural awareness and pride. The study concluded that translanguaging promoted linguistic development, preserved cultural identity, and reduced the marginalisation of Indigenous languages in formal schooling. The study contributed to existing knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the practical value of translanguaging in multilingual basic education, revealing its potential to inform equitable language education policies. The study also reveals the need for curriculum planners to adopt translanguaging as a tool for linguistic diversity, cultural sustainability, and inclusive pedagogy.
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