“BRIDGING LANGUAGES, BUILDING FUTURES: TRANSLANGUAGING PEDAGOGIES IN PVTG WOMEN'S ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING”

Abstract

This study investigates the implementation and impact of translanguaging pedagogies in English language learning programs for women from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India. Drawing on a mixed-methods research design, we examined 428 PVTG women learners across five states (Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh) participating in innovative multilingual education programs from 2021 to 2023. The research challenges monolingual English teaching approaches by demonstrating how strategic use of learners' complete linguistic repertoires—including tribal languages, regional languages, and Hindi—enhances English acquisition while preserving indigenous linguistic identities. Quantitative results show 68.3% improvement in English communicative competence when translanguaging strategies were employed, compared to 31.2% in English-only instruction groups. Qualitative findings reveal that translanguaging reduced anxiety (74% of participants), increased metalinguistic awareness (81%), and strengthened cultural identity (89%). The study identifies key success factors, including flexible linguistic boundaries, multimodal meaning-making, and community-based scaffolding. Women reported enhanced confidence in digital spaces (76%), healthcare communication (69%), and children's education support (83%). The research contributes to decolonizing English language teaching by validating indigenous languages as resources, rather than deficits, and offering a transformative model for multilingual education in marginalized communities globally.