Digital Translanguaging in EFL Learning: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59211/mjpjetl.v4i1.279Keywords:
translanguaging, digital platforms, EFL learning, multimodality, learner engagementAbstract
This systematic literature review examines how translanguaging is used in digital platforms for EFL learning, with specific attention to pedagogical practices, multimodal resources, and learner engagement. Existing research has increasingly discussed translanguaging in multilingual classrooms and digital learning environments, yet the relationship among platform use, instructional practice, multimodal meaning-making, and learner participation remains fragmented. To address this gap, the study reviewed selected articles published between 2016 and 2026 from Scopus, ERIC, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, and SINTA 1 and 2 journals. The review followed the principles of systematic literature review in educational research and was guided by PRISMA 2020 procedures, including identification, screening, eligibility assessment, and thematic synthesis. The findings show that digital translanguaging appears across online English teaching videos, hybrid courses, remote learning platforms, social media, AI-assisted tools, telecollaboration, and digital storytelling. Translanguaging functions as pedagogical scaffolding, interactional support, identity expression, and learner agency. The novelty of this review lies in integrating digital platforms, multimodal resources, and learner engagement into one analytical framework for understanding translanguaging in EFL learning.
Downloads
References
[1] O. Garcia and L. Wei, Translanguaging: Language, Bilingualism and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. doi: 10.1057/9781137385765.
[2] S. Canagarajah, Translingual Practice: Global Englishes and Cosmopolitan Relations. Routledge, 2012. doi: 10.4324/9780203073889.
[3] W. Y. J. Ho, “The Construction of Translanguaging Space Through Digital Multimodal Composing: A Case Study of Students’ Creation of Instructional Videos,” J. English Acad. Purp., vol. 58, p. 101134, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.jeap.2022.101134.
[4] W. Y. J. Ho and K. W. H. Tai, “Translanguaging in Digital Learning: The Making of Translanguaging Spaces in Online English Teaching Videos,” Int. J. Biling. Educ. Biling., vol. 27, no. 9, pp. 1212–1233, 2024, doi: 10.1080/13670050.2021.2001427.
[5] C. Lu and M. M. Gu, “Review of Research on Digital Translanguaging Among Teachers and Students: A Visual Analysis Through CiteSpace,” System, vol. 123, p. 103314, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.system.2024.103314.
[6] M. Y. Yuzlu and K. Dikilitas, “Translanguaging in the Development of EFL Learners’ Foreign Language Skills in Turkish Context,” Innov. Lang. Learn. Teach., vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 176–190, 2022, doi: 10.1080/17501229.2021.1892698.
[7] A. H. Umam, S. Sugiharto, and C. Manara, “Translingual Practice in Remote EFL Tertiary Education: How Multilingual Speakers Create Translanguaging Spaces,” Indones. J. Appl. Linguist., vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 258–269, 2023, doi: 10.17509/ijal.v13i2.63065.
[8] G. Kress, Multimodality: A Social Semiotic Approach to Contemporary Communication. London: Routledge, 2010.
[9] J. A. Fredricks, P. C. Blumenfeld, and A. H. Paris, “School Engagement: Potential of the Concept, State of the Evidence,” Rev. Educ. Res., vol. 74, no. 1, pp. 59–109, 2004, doi: 10.3102/00346543074001059.
[10] L. Wei, “Translanguaging as a Practical Theory of Language,” Appl. Linguist., vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 9–30, 2018, doi: 10.1093/applin/amx039.
[11] O. Zawacki-Richter, M. Kerres, S. Bedenlier, M. Bond, and K. Buntins, Eds., Systematic Reviews in Educational Research. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, 2020. doi: 10.1007/978-3-658-27602-7.
[12] M. J. Page, J. E. McKenzie, P. M. Bossuyt, and others, “The PRISMA 2020 Statement: An Updated Guideline for Reporting Systematic Reviews,” BMJ, vol. 372, p. n71, 2021, doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71.
[13] I. P. I. Kusuma and F. R. Madiseh, “EFL Learners’ Translanguaging on Social Media: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study,” Training, Lang. Cult., vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 86–99, 2025, doi: 10.22363/2521-442X-2025-9-4-86-99.
[14] B. Waluyo and F. Rouaghe, “Beyond Teacher-Led Approaches: Student-Initiated Translanguaging with Artificial Intelligence Tools in Foreign Language Acquisition,” 2025, doi: 10.1177/21582440251362998.
[15] S. Canagarajah, “Translanguaging in the Classroom: Emerging Issues for Research and Pedagogy,” Appl. Linguist. Rev., vol. 2, pp. 1–28, 2011, doi: 10.1515/9783110239331.1.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
URN
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rudiaman Purba, Rudi Hartono, Yuliati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors grant the journal the right of first publication. which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited. Authors are responsible for ensuring that any third-party materials included in their work have proper permissions.
Comments
Comments are checked by the editorial team before they appear. Keep to the article's content; personal attacks, advertising and spam are removed.
Write a comment
Please log in to comment. Log in