The status of the use of translanguaging as a technique in teaching Science in bilingual classes. S.A.Kularathne. Teacher Centre Yakarawatte.Kuliapitiya. M. Perera Dept. of Humanities Education University of Colombo

Background. Science has been a widely studied subject in the bilingual curriculum. Science is a subject with full of abstract concepts. English proficiency of the bilingual learner is recorded to be low. Text books made available to bilingual learners are direct translations of textbooks meant for monolinguals. Therefore there is a need to use different techniques to help the learners to become bilinguals

What is translanguaging? “Languaging” is the term we have been using to refer to the activity of mediating cognitively complex ideas using language (Knouzi, Swain, Lapkin, & Brooks, 2010; Swain, 2006; 2010; Swain, Lapkin, Knouzi, Suzuki, & Brooks, 2009) Translanguaging refers to the language practices of bilingual people. (Garcia,p.3) Translanguaging is used as a strategy to ignite bilingual learners language learning repertoire. (Garcia, Flores & Woodle, 2015)

Translanguaging “flexibility of bilingual learners to take control of their own learning, to self- regulate when and how to language, depending on the context in which they’re being asked to perform” ( ?p. 80 ). translanguaging as an approach to capture the fluidity of language.

Trans languaging. Grammatical clues Non linguistics Morphological clues Linguistic Context clues culture expereince Learner styles

Translanguaging &Code switching… Rigid Transfer Less or no thinking. No internalization. Code 1 Code2

Objectives of the study. To study the bilingual teachers (Science) awareness about translanguaging. To study the use of translanguaging as a strategy in the learning teaching process in Bilingual classes in teaching Science at junior secondary level.

Methodology 22 Learning teaching sessions- Science were observed. A questionnaire was administered to 207 bilingual teachers in the sample selected..

Classroom observation. MediumNumberpercentage L1 only00 L2 only418% Code mixing (prominently) % Code switching(prominently)39.0% Translanguaging00

Course components in Teacher education programmes Components.Number participat ed Percentages. English Language9847.3% Bilingual Models7436% Content &Language Integrated earning 6217% Subject improvement %

Suggestions and recommendations. Translanguaging and languaging as a component should be included in teacher education programmes. Competencies/ learning outcomes should be re articulated to accommodate translanguaging. Lesson plans found in TGs / TIMs should be redesigned.

García, O. (2009). Bilingual education in the 21st century: A global perspective.Malden, MA and Oxford: Basil/Blackwell. Knouzi, I., Swain, M., Lapkin, S., & Brooks, L. (2010). Self- scaffolding mediated by languaging: Microgenetic analysis of high and low performers. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 20,