Translanguaging in EMI/CLIL Classrooms: Hong Kong’s Innovative Insights

This workshop introduces two groundbreaking theoretical contributions—the Translanguaging Self Hypothesis and Brain-Body-Technology Trio Framework—that offer new paradigms for understanding multilingual cognition in restrictive policy environments. The session begins by deconstructing monolingual assumptions through the lens of dynamic identity formation and the neurobiological realities of the translanguaging self. We then present empirical evidence from Hong Kong's EMI/CLIL contexts, where educators have developed three innovative pedagogical responses that empirically validate the Trio Framework's predictions: (1) strategic assessment modifications, (2) technology-mediated language scaffolding, and (3) student-centered translanguaging approaches.
Participants will engage in structured analysis of these case studies, examining how cognitive principles manifest in classroom practice. Through guided application exercises, attendees will develop context-specific implementations that honor both theoretical integrity and local institutional constraints. The workshop concludes by providing a research-based advocacy toolkit, featuring cognitive science arguments, policy negotiation templates, and implementation blueprints.