Indigenous Voices in English Classrooms: A Translanguaging Approach to Language Learning Among PVTG Communities

NAGESWARA RAO KONDA

Indigenous Voices in English Classrooms: A Translanguaging Approach to Language Learning Among PVTG Communities

Author(s)	Dr. NAGESWARA RAO KONDA
Country	India
Abstract	This paper examines the impact of translanguaging pedagogical strategies on English language learning among the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) in India. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study compares the effects of implementing indigenous languages in addition to English on enhancing language acquisition while preserving cultural identity, based on 180 students from three PVTG communities: Chenchu, Katkari, and Saharia, distributed across Telangana, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. The intervention group (n = 90) was involved in a translanguaging-based English curriculum that promoted the strategic use of native languages, while the control group (n = 90) was taught using conventional English only. Outcomes show that translanguaging strategies resulted in substantial increases in English proficiency scores (M = 74.3 vs. M = 58.7), confidence when communicating in English (d = 2.14), and the preservation of cultural identity (r = 0.78). Qualitative results indicate that students in the intervention group have developed improved metalinguistic awareness, increased classroom engagement, and closer associations between traditional knowledge and English academic content. The research is part of the decolonising language pedagogy movement, as it demonstrates that indigenous linguistic resources can serve as a scaffold in English acquisition, rather than acting as barriers. The results have implications for educational policymakers working with marginalised indigenous populations, suggesting that translanguaging strategies can be applied simultaneously to meet English proficiency objectives while preserving the linguistic and cultural diversity of the community, which is key to its sustainability.
Keywords	Translanguaging, indigenous education, English language learning, PVTG communities, multilingual pedagogy, decolonising education, cultural preservation, metalinguistic awareness.
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 1, January-February 2025
Published On	2025-02-07

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Indigenous Voices in English Classrooms: A Translanguaging Approach to Language Learning Among PVTG Communities

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