Translingualism in EFL 

Is the devil as bad as it is portrayed?

 The widespread belief in current EFL teaching is that using any language other than the target one in the classroom is to be avoided by all means. The "ecology" of the Target Language, in other words, is a highly valued asset in EFL classrooms. The main reason for such a radical view is the somewhat over-exaggerated fear of the negative interference from the native tongue.
   The article "Translanguaging in the Bilingual Classroom", however, tries to splash some more color on the white and black canvas of monolingual classrooms. Bilingual teaching , defined as "the use of two or more languages in instruction" might have its own benefits, the article states.
   Keeping the Universal Grammar in mind, the article views the availability of different languages in the classroom as a resource rather than a foe, a resource that

• promotes better participation
• makes meaning and transforms information
• makes social, cultural and linguistic links for classroom participants 

  Student code-switching, in other words, might actually be valuable in case of a careful and judicious use.
This is a comforting thought, I have to admit.
  Let me tell you what has recently happened with one of my EFL groups. I was talking about the English proverb "Every dog has its day", when one of my Russian-speaking students instantly came up with the Russian equivalent of the proverb.
 "I am sorry, people'', she said," I'd say the Russian version but I don't want to pay 300 drams'' (In my classroom each non-English word is worth 50 drams).
  With this article fresh in my mind, I violated the rule I have established myself and authorized the student to break the precious ecological environment of the English language (the black language of Mordor uttered in Elvish lands from Lord of the Rings comes to mind:)).
  The answer came quick;
   "И на нашей улице бидет праздник"
  What happened? No thunder broke from the sky. The students appreciated the help of the familiar language and I was glad to see that they learnt the proverb painlessly and quickly.
  And may the God of English forgive my little misbehavior.