Enhancing the research-praxis nexus: Critical moments implementing translanguaging pedagogies in English language education at an Austrian middle school

Abstract

This article presents a case study of an English teacher at a linguistically diverse urban middle school in Vienna, tracing a sustained teacher–researcher collaboration within the Udele project. Using the critical moments paradigm, the study identifies transformative instances that challenged assumptions, shifted perspectives and informed the implementation of translanguaging in English language education. Drawing on a rich dataset, including interviews, email and text exchanges, classroom observations and fieldnotes, it examines how multilingualism was actively leveraged as a resource, leading to innovative and context-sensitive teaching practices. By tracing how these moments evolved within the Udele project, the study shows how sustained collaboration can strengthen the link between research and practice, offering actionable insights for evidence-based, translanguaging-informed pedagogies. It responds to persistent concerns about the disconnect between research and classroom realities, demonstrating how collaborative, practice-oriented inquiry can help bridge this gap. The findings highlight the potential of such approaches to address systemic challenges in teacher education, including teacher shortages, limited training and perceived divides between theory and practice. More broadly, the study shows how localized shifts in pedagogy can inform teacher education in resource-constrained, culturally and linguistically diverse contexts, offering practical strategies for more effective research–practice integration.