Perceptions of the Lecturers on the Use of Translanguaging in Teaching English for the University Students

The ideology that the First Language (L1) of an individual improves the competence in a foreign or a Second Language (L2) gave rise to various bilingual pedagogies. Translanguaging (TRL) is the latest concept that was coined to the field as a result. The concept, TRL involves of switching between languages and it always revolves around a systematic use of two or more languages in language teaching pedagogy. Perceptions of lecturers engaged in teaching English language to the first year students of the Buddhist and Pali University were examined with reference to the purpose of application of TRL in English Language teaching. The investigation aimed to figure out the purpose behind the use of TRL. The participants of the study were seven lecturers who work in the capacity of permanent and visiting lecturers attached to the Department of English Language Teaching in Buddhist and Pali University in Sri Lanka. The results showed that the lecturers’ perceptions of the use of TRL were positive in most of the occasions where they use L1 as a TRL technique but they seem to be reluctant to allow the students to use L1 in the form of TRL technique.