The use of translation in an Integrated Plurilingual Approach to language learning: teacher strategies and best practices

In an Integrated Plurilingual Approach (IPA), translation is used as a natural plurilingual learning strategy to advance language learning and plurilingual communicative competence (PCC). The focus lies on exploring the use of translation in other learning contexts (TOLC), i.e., not directly related to professional translation training, by seeking relevant connections between Translator Training and Additional Language (AL) Learning. Here I will present partial conclusions from an ongoing study that explores: (1) teacher strategies; and (2) best practices for the combination English-Spanish-Catalan. Our pedagogical framework follows socio-constructivist premises and prioritizes transferrable skills and concept-based instruction. The use of translation did not prove detrimental to language learning, and it favoured the development of multi-competential knowledge and of cognitive, meta-cognitive and socio-affective learning strategies.