Translanguaging describes the way that multilinguals move across their linguistic repertoires to enhance their communication. Beginning with investigations showing how those that engaged with this practice often did so creatively and for humorous intent, more recent studies of translanguaging have shown ways in which it can address disparity, including in the educational domain. In this paper, we explore how multilingual learners, in this case, Australian Aboriginal children who are learning Standard Australian English (SAE) as an additional language/dialect, engage in translanguaging practices to share cultural knowledge and understandings and to establish their Aboriginal identity. Multilingualism in Aboriginal Australia is widespread with many people speaking multiple languages. In this paper we begin by exploring the students' various linguistic repertoires and how they use translanguaging, sometimes playfully, to move fluidly between these languages as they engage interactively both inside and outside the classroom. Using a range of examples, we show the language facility of these children and the ease and confidence with which they move across languages. Hence, we suggest 'translanguaging' can contribute to learning by enabling Aboriginal students to take advantage of all their linguistic resources, allowing them to 'construct, manage, negotiate' and perform activities (Dovchin, 2021) in positive ways both within and outside the classroom. However, we also suggest translanguaging can be precarious for such students and very much dependent on teacher reactions to the students' language use. When accepted in a positive way, it can serve to promote learning within the requisite meaning-making process of schooling. As such we conclude that students should be encouraged to use all their language resources (i.e., translanguaging), according to audience, context and need, rather than basing education on the binary system codeswitching with 'home language' and 'school language' being artificially separated at the school gate. Whilst acknowledging the challenges this presents both for the learners and their teachers, we believe 'translanguaging' can serve to overcome the precarious learning situation of Aboriginal students – one in which they are seen as having 'no' language, or a language or dialect inappropriate school.
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