Translanguaging in Indigenous Peoples’ Schools: A Systematic Review
Keywords:
Language Policy, Philippine Schools, Systematic Review, Indigenous Education, TranslanguagingAbstract
Through a systematic review, this study examines translanguaging practices in Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) schools in the Philippines, focusing on their pedagogical, cultural, and institutional dimensions. Using the PRISMA 2020 framework, twenty-five studies published between 2009 and 2025 were identified from Scopus, ERIC, and Google Scholar. The findings were synthesized thematically across four interconnected areas: instructional practices, learner and teacher outcomes, implementation challenges, and implications for academic achievement and cultural identity. The review indicates that translanguaging is commonly enacted through the flexible use of multiple languages in classroom instruction, community-based storytelling, and contextually grounded learning materials. Rather than functioning merely as a linguistic strategy, translanguaging emerges as a pedagogical approach that enhances learner engagement, conceptual understanding, and participation across subject areas, while simultaneously legitimizing Indigenous linguistic and cultural resources within formal education. At the institutional level, the synthesis reveals persistent constraints, including the absence of coherent MTB-MLE policy frameworks, limited teacher preparation for multilingual pedagogy, insufficient culturally responsive materials, and the continued influence of monolingual language ideologies among key stakeholders. These factors collectively restrict the broader institutionalization of translanguaging practices. Overall, the review suggests that translanguaging holds significant potential for advancing educational equity and linguistic justice for Indigenous learners. However, realizing this potential requires systemic alignment across teacher education, curriculum development, and language policy. Future research adopting longitudinal, culturally grounded, and developmental perspectives is needed to further examine how translanguaging supports both academic learning and the intergenerational maintenance of Indigenous languages and identities.
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