Classroom Translanguaging in Nigerian Higher Education: English–Nigerian Pidgin Alternation at Benue State Polytechnic

Abstract

This study examines reported English–Nigerian Pidgin alternation in tertiary classroom discourse at Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Nigeria. It focuses on how often participants encounter such alternation, the functions they attribute to it, perceived educational implications, and attitudes toward its place in formal instruction. The source study describes a descriptive questionnaire survey supplemented by classroom observations and semi-structured interviews across Mass Communication, Business Administration, Public Administration, Computer Science, and Science Laboratory Technology. Of 250 questionnaires reportedly administered to a target sample of 220 students and 30 lecturers, 236 were usable (94.4%). The reported frequency distribution indicates occasional alternation (44.1%), frequent alternation (34.7%), and very frequent alternation (13.1%). Respondents most often identified clarification of concepts (83.9%), encouragement of participation (78.0%), and maintenance of attention (72.5%) as communicative functions. Perceived benefits included improved comprehension (85.2%), more interactive learning (81.8%), and greater classroom participation (79.2%). At the same time, 68.2% expressed concern that excessive use might weaken formal English proficiency. These findings document participants’ accounts and perceptions, not experimentally measured learning gains. The paper argues for context-sensitive use of multilingual resources alongside sustained attention to formal academic English, while recognizing the limits of a single-institution descriptive study.