LANGUAGE PEDAGOGY IN MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS: BALANCING POLICY MANDATES AND LEARNER NEEDS

Abstract

This study investigates the pedagogical practices adopted by teachers in three rural multilingual classrooms in Punjab, Pakistan, where policy mandates favor Urdu and English as the sole mediums of instruction. Using a quantitative multiple case study approach, data were collected through classroom observations and teacher’s teaching observation. The findings reveal a dominant reliance on Punjabi during instruction, with widespread use of translanguaging, code-switching, and peer translation to support student comprehension and engagement. Despite lacking formal training in multilingual pedagogy, teachers consistently exercised agency to bridge the gap between restrictive top-down language policies and the linguistic realities of their classrooms. Students demonstrated significantly higher engagement and performance when local languages were integrated into instruction and assessments. The study also highlights variation in policy enforcement across schools, with some administrators showing flexibility in recognizing local language practices. These results underscore the urgent need for context-responsive language-in-education policies that recognize the value of linguistic diversity, empower teachers as policy actors, and promote educational equity in under-resourced rural settings. This research contributes to the broader discourse on inclusive multilingual education by emphasizing the need to align policy frameworks with ground realities, especially in linguistically complex societies.