Translanguaging in a Japanese as a second language classroom in Japan: pedagogical and emotional support through English as a multilingua franca

This study examines how English as a Multilingua Franca (EMF) and translanguaging practices support linguistically diverse learners in a Japanese as a Second Language (JSL) classroom within a partial English-immersion secondary school in Japan. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, including classroom observations and a semi-structured interview, the study explores how a JSL teacher navigates linguistic diversity through flexible, context-sensitive pedagogical practices mediated by EMF. Analysis of classroom interaction identified both inter-sentential and intra-sentential translanguaging in teacher–student exchanges, serving three principal functions: addressee specification, clarification and reiteration. The findings show that EMF-mediated translanguaging enhanced student engagement while providing affective support for learners marginalised by monolingual ideologies. The study argues that EMF-mediated translanguaging functioned not only as a pedagogical strategy but also as an inclusive orientation to multilingual classroom practice where teachers and students did not share a common first language. By illustrating how EMF facilitates equitable participation and meaning-making, the study contributes to current understandings of the relationship between English and translanguaging in multilingual educational settings and highlights implications for teacher education and curriculum development in increasingly diverse English-immersion contexts in Japan.