The Use of Javanese in EFL Classes: A Translanguaging Study in a Private University in Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/abacodijournal.2025.14Keywords:
Javanese, Teachers' attitudes, Translanguaging, Indonesian EFLAbstract
Realizing the potential of employing translanguaging in improving English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, scholars have done more studies on translanguaging in different EFL contexts in Indonesia. Most of the studies reported that regional languages are used in translanguaging, yet no particular research has been done on the use of regional languages. The current study aims to reveal teachers’ views on using the most spoken regional language in Indonesia, Javanese, in teaching English and to describe how the teachers use Javanese in their classes. Therefore, four English teachers from a private university in Central Java, Indonesia, were interviewed, and their classes were observed. The study found that all of the teachers have a positive attitude toward using Javanese, and they expressed three reasons for using the regional language: getting students ‘attention, building rapport with students, and expressing specific meaning. The study also found that the teachers' use of Javanese was limited to only serving interpersonal functions, marking relationships, social closeness, identity, and cultural values, not ideational or textual functions, which are more related to the delivery of the lessons. This finding suggests that Javanese as a source of language learning has not been used to its maximum potential
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