English language teachers’ implementation of collaborative translanguaging

Employing a phenomenological lens, this study investigated the lived experiences of teachers engaging in collaborative bilingual instruction, specifically focusing on their practices within a co-teaching framework. Through in-depth interviews and reflective analysis, the study aimed to shed light on how language and content teachers collaborated, the challenges they experienced, and explore professional development opportunities as informed by translanguaging pedagogies. In this regard, phenomenology is a powerful methodological tool as it allowed us to capture and capitalize on the participating teachers’ lived experiences in implementing bilingual instruction as they were engaged in co-teaching. Our findings illustrate the complexities of collaborative teaching practices in bilingual settings; thus, offering insights into how teachers adapt, grow, and (re)define their professional identities. The findings also contribute to a conceptualisation of bilingual instruction in an EFL context with a particular focus on the importance of collaborative efforts of teachers to utilize translanguaging pedagogies in their teaching. The study concludes with implications for both practice and research. •Recalibrated collaborative task design and sustained negotiation in bilingual classrooms support translanguaging pedagogies.•Bilingual teachers address insturctional and interactional challenges through deeper collaboration.•Multidimensional collaboration helps bilingual teachers develop shared expertise and collaboration.•Co-constructed translanguaging-driven syllabi promote interdisciplinary collaboration among teachers.•Ongoing reflection and collaboration ensure curricular adaptation and foster a culture of continuous teacher development.