Switching languages helps migrant women cope with hard emotions
In short: A qualitative study of Mongolian background women learning English in Australia looked at how they mixed languages, gestures and other resources outside the classroom. The researchers found this translanguaging helped the women create a safe space for managing difficult emotions, but it also revealed that many were struggling with depression, which was associated with lower academic focus and slower English learning.
The findings suggest that switching between languages outside class is tied to how these migrant women process emotional strain, information the authors say matters for TESOL teaching.
The study drew on translanguaging data from this specific group of women, so the patterns may not extend to other immigrant communities, and as a qualitative study it points to an association rather than a cause between emotional distress and language learning.
Why it matters: Mixing languages can be an emotional lifeline for migrant learners, but it can also surface depression that gets in the way of learning English.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Dovchin (2021). Translanguaging, Emotionality, and English as a Second Language Immigrants: Mongolian Background Women in Australia. TESOL Quarterly.
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