Reading Ibu Susu in translation: affective and decolonial approaches to environmental learning in multilingual English classrooms

This article reports on a qualitative classroom study exploring how an Indonesian climate fiction novel, Ibu Susu by Rio Johan, was taught in translation within multilingual educational settings. As the novel has not been officially translated into English, bilingual excerpts prepared by the research team were used to support student engagement across Indonesian and English. The study examines how translation functioned pedagogically as students negotiated ecological meaning, metaphor, and affect across languages. Drawing on data from 87 student reflective journals, six focus-group discussions, and five teacher reflective memos collected during a four-week university English education module, the article analyses how students responded emotionally and linguistically to the text’s environmental themes. Findings indicate that working with bilingual excerpts encouraged students to articulate locally grounded ecological perspectives while developing English expression. The study also highlights how translation and discussion activities shaped students’ awareness of linguistic choice, cultural resonance, and environmental responsibility. By situating literary study within multilingual classroom practice, the article contributes to conversations about the teaching of English through contemporary fiction, the pedagogical role of translation, and the integration of environmental themes in English education.