The term translanguaging has been used increasingly over the past
decade to describe multilingualism as a social and psychological
phenomenon and in relation to a range of pedagogical approaches for
multilingual education. However, the value of the term in general, and its relevance for
education in Africa in particular, is questioned. For some critics, the
breadth of meanings and applications associated with translanguaging
confuses and does not add to existing sociolinguistic concepts. Others caution
that the term overlooks decades of African scholarship and experience
around multilingualism and multilingual education. This chapter considers the potential of translanguaging for
pedagogical research and development in Rwanda, using data from a case
study of mathematics lessons in a rural, government secondary school.
The chapter begins with an overview of the language policy context of
Rwanda, before considering translanguaging as a theory of multilingualism
and as a pedagogical concept and reviewing some key critiques. Next, the
focus, design and context of the study, including ethical considerations for
North–South research are described. After this, an extract of a classroom
interaction and accompanying analysis is presented, along with
information about the school and classroom setting. This is followed by
a discussion, drawing on the teacher’s and students’ perspectives and the
translanguaging literature. The chapter concludes with reflections on the potential of translanguaging for pedagogical research and development in
Rwanda.