Journal on English as a Foreign Language (JEFL)
Vol 16 No 2 (2026): Issued in September 2026

Translanguaging practices in legal English vocabulary learning: A qualitative study of student perceptions and practices in a Vietnamese ESP classroom

Nguyen Van Huynh Chieu (National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan)
Huynh Gia Huy (Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Duong Tran Ngoc Thach (Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Nguyen Thi Huynh Mi (Ho Chi Minh University of Technology and Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)



Article Info

Publish Date
03 Sep 2026

Abstract

Legal English is often challenging for EFL learners due to its specialised terminology and distinct linguistic features (Nhac, 2021). While translanguaging is increasingly discussed as a pedagogical resource in EFL contexts, little is known about how learners engage with it in legal English vocabulary learning in Vietnam. Addressing this gap, this study investigates students’ perceptions and reported classroom practices in learning legal English vocabulary. Adopting a qualitative case study design, data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected Legal English students at a Vietnamese university. The interviews were conducted in Vietnamese and analysed thematically. Results indicated that participants generally viewed translanguaging as a useful scaffold for enhancing conceptual understanding and supporting vocabulary retention. However, some expressed concerns about potential over-reliance on the first language. In practice, students reported using translanguaging strategically for collaborative meaning-making, clarifying complex legal concepts, and checking lexical accuracy before producing English output. Overall, the study highlights translanguaging as a facilitating but cautiously negotiated resource in legal English vocabulary learning. The findings contribute to ESP and translanguaging research by offering insights into learner agency and classroom language practices in a specialized Vietnamese context, with implications for more flexible multilingual pedagogy.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

http://e-journal.iain-palangkaraya.ac.id/index.php

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Journal on English as a Foreign Language (JEFL) is an open access academic, scholarly peer-reviewed journal and follows a double blind review policy. The Journal is scheduled for publication biannually, in March and September, with the first issue to appear in March 2011. This Journal has been ...