Translanguaging as an emotional assessment practice: unveiling Chinese EFL students’ perceptions and experiences

Abstract The role of translanguaging (TL) pedagogies has recently received a surge of scholarly attention across educational contexts. However, its mechanism and realization in relation to second/foreign language (L2) assessment has been ignored. To bridge this gap, this qualitative study examined the perceptions of 42 Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) students regarding TL integration in assessment and its emotional outcomes. The data were collected by a semi-structured interview held in person. The results of the thematic analysis showed that Chinese EFL learners had a positive view of using TL pedagogies in assessment domains. They argued that this approach fosters L2 learners’ ‘self-expression’, ‘content understanding’, and ‘comprehension of complex concepts’ and improves ‘teaching efficiency, assessment efficacy, positive learner-related emotions, and classroom atmosphere’. Furthermore, it was found that TL pedagogy could prevent and remove negative emotions such as pressure and anxiety among Chinese EFL learners. The results of the interview analysis also pinpointed that the use of TL in assessment produces various positive and negative emotional outcomes depending on its degree of use and reliance. The study discusses the findings and provides implications for EFL educators regarding the use of mother tongue in L2 assessment practices.