Translanguaging in GCC English-Medium Higher Education: A Scoping Review

Through the method of a ‘scoping review’, this chapter explores a growing body of research on translanguaging in English-medium higher education in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. With Arabic as the official language, and English as a lingua franca and common medium of instruction, translingual practice in GCC universities is the norm. However, complexities exist around language ideologies, attitudes, pedagogy, and assessment. With the ‘translingual turn’, Gulf scholars’ interest in researching translanguaging in EMI classrooms has increased. While there are systematic and scoping reviews of attitudes toward EMI and world Englishes in the region, a comprehensive overview of research specifically on translanguaging is notably missing. This chapter surveys research undertaken in the last decade (2013-2022) in terms of bibliographic characteristics, sub-areas examined, and contributions made to the understanding of translanguaging in EMI higher education. Gaps in the current research base are identified with key suggestions for future research directions.