‘We use it, but we hide it’: Translanguaging and teacher emotion in Pakistani English-only classrooms

This study investigates the translanguaging practices of English as a second language (ESL) teachers in urban and rural schools in Punjab, Pakistan, with a focus on the emotional, ideological, and institutional dimensions that shape classroom language use. Drawing on a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design, the study integrates 20 hours of naturalistic classroom observations and in-depth teacher interviews as primary sources, supplemented by survey responses from 82 teachers for triangulation. The findings reveal that translanguaging is a prevalent and pedagogically adaptive strategy, often used covertly in response to student confusion and emotional needs. However, teachers frequently experience guilt, anxiety, and professional insecurity due to unspoken English-only expectations, institutional surveillance, and fear of policy violations. Thematic analysis shows that translanguaging also functions as an identity practice, through which teachers negotiate authenticity, perform emotional labor, and engage in acts of micro-resistance. Despite the constraints, many educators articulate transformative visions for inclusive language policy and multilingual pedagogy. The study contributes to critical multilingualism by positioning translanguaging as both a pedagogical necessity and a site of emotional and ideological tension in postcolonial English-medium education.