UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF TRANSLANGUAGING IN L2 ACQUISITION: Applying Cummins’ CUP Model

The current research paper deals with the strategy of translanguaging using Jim Cummins’ Common Underlying Proficiency Model (1991). This research has made use of descriptive, explanatory designs to interpret the observations of a language class following the CUP Model (Cummins, 1991). Moreover, this research is qualitative in its approach, as it systematically answers the research questions. However, much focus has been paid to the monolingual education system in Pakistan, but the strategy of translanguaging has hardly attracted any wide range of research attention; so, the current research aims to fill up the research gap by highlighting the role of translanguaging in the acquisition of the second language. Finally, the research assignment has concluded rightly that translanguaging plays a very important role in acquiring the English language (L2) by drawing upon the learners’ ‘common underlying proficiency’ (Cummins, 1991).


Introduction
The roots of translanguaging lie in the Welsh bilingual education system (Lewis, Jones, & Baker, 2012). The Welsh bilingual educationist, Cen Williams, developed the concept of translanguaging in the 1980s (Lewis et al., 2012). Williams coined the Welsh term 'trwasieithu' which translates into its English equivalent 'translanguaging' (Conteh, 2019). Translanguaging was purposefully designed as a cross-curricular strategy for "the planned and systemic use of two languages for teaching and learning inside the same lesson (Conteh, 2019). These days, educationists have started realizing the pedagogic potential of translanguaging in ways that would also prove to be beneficial for other language practitioners (Le Wei, 2018). Furthermore, translanguaging is currently receiving much appraisal as it beneficially advocates learners' 'own language use' in classrooms (Hall & Cook, 2012).
As it assimilates multiple, linguistic competencies, translanguaging, conceptually speaking, resonates with Jim Cummins ' (2001) concept of Common Underlying Proficiency and language interdependence which usually emphasize the positive benefits of language transfer in learning (Conteh, 2019). Moreover, the researchers engaged in multi-lingual classrooms define 'translanguaging' as multi-lingual, oral interaction, and the use of different, written languages (Garcia, 2009). Similarly, Mertin's research work (2018) shows the potential of translanguaging in the development of both the first language and the second language. Much more interestingly, her research work in the contexts of Brussels and Johannesburg covers the classroom activities that involve translanguaging, such as using video clips in students' native languages and constructing translations collaboratively (Mertin, 2018). Thus, translanguaging plays a very vital role in the acquisition of the second language and the development of the first or native language.
The role that translanguaging plays in the development of multi-competence is highly effective; however, mostly, in Pakistan's context, the use of monolingualism is emphasized even at the gruesome cost of the native, local Pakistani languages. Especially, at the university level, the use of English (L2) is highly encouraged. Although this monolinguistic, instructional system may be beneficial over a short period, in the much longer-term it hardly yields any effective outcomes at all (Genesee, 2007). Since translanguaging induces the usage of the learners' native languages along with the second language, it proves to be much more helpful in developing and acquiring the concerned linguistic systems. Moreover, this strategy of teaching also brings forth national cohesion by favoring the national policies of bilingualism. So, my current research assignment in fact deals with the strategy of translanguaging and the way I employ it in my classroom. Furthermore, I have made systematic use of Jim Cummins' Common Underlying Proficiency Model (1991) to study the acquisitional progress of my students concerning the English language.
Jim Cummins' Common Underlying Proficiency Model (1991) famously known as the CUP model is a highly influential model that guides the researchers to assess the success of translanguaging as a teaching strategy in the acquisition of multiple languages. This model advocates the phenomenon that there is a strong correlation between bilingual learners' L1 and L2 literacy skills; this situational reality allows learners to develop themselves in both languages (Cummins, 1991). This correlational phenomenon is common to both the languages that are closely related and the languages that are not closely related to one another (Genesee, 2007). Moreover, the CUP model also stands for the fact, this has been proved through research in the American context, that ESL learners employ their native language skills to develop their reading skills in the second language, such as English (Fitzgerald, 1995). Besides, this model also stands by the irrefutable fact that the already learned native language allows or equips a learner to adopt a second language in a much more easier and comfortable way (Cummins, 1991). Similarly, I hypothetically suggest that the native languages of my students, such as Sindhi, Urdu, Saraiki, and Punjabi will help my students in the acquisition of the concerned second language, such as English.
So, in the current research assignment, I have discussed the strategy of translanguaging under Cummins ' CUP model (1991). Because my students belong to different ethnic groups and thus speak different, native languages, I encourage my students to participate or perform in my class using both L1 and L2 languages. The reading, discussion, presentation, speaking, writing, or some other activities are collaboratively taught and learned using both the learners' native language and the target language. Additionally, I, as a teacher, possess some superficial knowledge of all the concerned languages so that I may productively facilitate my students in the acquisition of the target English language by having recourse to the already learned languages.

1.1
Theoretical Framework Jim Cummins has given a Common Underlying Proficiency model which is also known as 'one balloon theory' (Cummins, 1991). Cummins argues that while acquiring L1, a child learns skills and meta-linguistic knowledge on which the same child draws upon when he or she attempts to acquire a second language (Cummins, 1991). Speaking clearly, bilinguals or multilingual transfer their first language skills and experiences when they attempt to learn or acquire a second language. Moreover, these skills and metalinguistic experiences formulate Common Underlying Proficiency which Cummins calls a CUP model (Cummins, 1991). This model provides the base for the development of both L1 and L2 (Cummins, 1991). Furthermore, it also follows that the expansion of CUP in one language will have a beneficial impact on another language (Cummins, 1991). So, this theory also serves to explain that the expansion of the CUP always makes it much easier to learn or acquire additional languages.
Thus, I have made use of the CUP model to study the acquisition of second language through translanguaging in the context of Sindh, a province in Pakistan.

1.2
Sindhi Speakers In this research assignment, some of my participants are Sindhi speakers. Since, most of the Sindhi speakers possess some linguistic competence in Urdu, Punjabi, and Saraiki languages, they usually exhibit good performance when it comes to acquiring the second language. Furthermore, the integrated system of the concerned languages helps Sindhi learners in enhancing their competence of linguistic variety. So, I allow my Sindhi speaking students to make use of their existing multilinguistic competence to acquire the concerned languages, and thereby I encourage these learners to employ their linguistic skills in learning English.

1.3
Urdu Speakers Similarly, my Urdu speaking students are also allowed to involve themselves in acquiring the English language by relying upon their Urdu, linguistic competence. So, the students having an Urdu background will rely upon both L1 and L2 systems to acquire the target language in a much better way.

1.4
Punjabi Speakers Much like Sindhi, and Urdu speakers, Punjabi speakers also get a chance in my class to acquire the target language by having recourse to their multi-linguistic system. These learners usually have a good understanding of the Urdu language as well. So, this has also helped develop their second language skills.

1.5
Saraiki Speakers The Saraiki students of mine also enjoy the privilege of knowing or understanding Sindhi, Urdu, and Punjabi languages. So, this integrated system also helps them in acquiring the target language.
In this way, all the above participants are allowed to engage themselves in the ongoing process of translanguaging which allows the students to move from one language to another language quite comfortably in an integrated, linguistic system. This continued mechanism of translanguaging develops the common underlying proficiency of my students who beneficially employ the common proficiency in the acquisition of the second language. Hence, translanguaging plays a very significant role in developing the multi-lingual competence of students as suggested by Cummins in his CUP model (1991).

1.6
Problem Statement In the acquisition of the second language, the learners are unfortunately restricted to the use of L2. This restriction imposed by the monolingual systems of language acquisition is highly problematic when it comes to acquiring a language. So, the SLA researchers have started recognizing the importance of translanguaging as it helps much in developing the common underlying proficiency among learners. Moreover, this strategy by relying upon the shared repertoires of learners is making the acquisition of the second language much more easier and effective (Canagarajah, 2020). Similarly, the current research work has taken into consideration the strategy of translanguaging concerning Cummins ' CUP model (1991).

1.7
Significance of Study The importance of the current research work lies in the fact that this will contribute not only to the field of SLA but also to the field of pedagogy. Much more importantly, this research work will also challenge the commonly held misconception in Pakistan that the monolinguistic system in which the only L2 is used is a highly effective technique for teaching and acquiring a second language. In this regard, the current research in light of Cummins' model (1991) has proved the factual truth that translanguaging develops common proficiency among learners which enables the learners to acquire the target language in a much more comfortably effective manner.

1.8
Research Objective The current research work attempts to find out the role of translanguaging in the development of second language acquisition by employing Cummins' CUP model in the context of my classroom.

1.9
Research Question The current research assignment has addressed the following question: How does translanguaging rely upon common underlying proficiency in helping to acquire the second language in the context of my classroom?

Segment Breakdown
The current research assignment has been divided into five segments. The first segment contains the introductory chapter, while the second segment deals with the literature review. Similarly, the third one explains the research methodology. Moreover, the analysis and application of translanguaging from Cummins' point of view have been carried out in the fourth segment. Finally, the fifth segment comprises the conclusion of the current research work.

2
Literature Review The strategy of translanguaging has paved the way for the emergence of the heteroglossic ideology of language (Bailey, 2007). This point of view also replaces the monoglossic ideology of language (Garcia, 2009). Building upon the heteroglossic ideology of language, Jeff MacSwan (2017) cogently argues that bilinguals in fact possess a richly diverse grammar. Moreover, the rich diversity of grammar irrefutably stands by the heteroglossic reality of language. The bilinguals' diverseness of grammar allows MacSwan to develop a multi-lingual perspective on translanguaging (2017). MacSwan means to imply that translanguaging actually relies upon a Bilingual's repertoire and thus serves as a successful strategy in acquiring a second language. Similarly, Cummins (1991) approaches the bilingual's diverse, grammatical repertoire in a much more systematic way. He treats it as a 'common underlying proficiency'; besides, the strategy of translanguaging draws upon the bilingual's shared proficiency and thereby it helps the bilingual or multilingual learners in acquiring a second language in a much more efficient manner (Cummins, 1991).
Apart from relying upon the bilinguals' or the multi-linguals' shared proficiency, translanguaging has, also, recourse to the integrated model of bilingualism or multilingualism (MacSwan, 2017). In the integrated model of bilingualism or multilingualism, languages retain their both discrete status and shared position (MacSwan, 2017). So, the discrete variety and the shared similarity allow learners to engage in an ongoing process of translanguaging that simultaneously enhances the learners' proficiency in the concerned languages. Much more importantly, this process also contributes to the development of the common proficiency that underlies the entire integrated, linguistic system (Cummins, 1991). Additionally, the mechanism of translanguaging brings forth the ability among bilingual or multilingual learners to transfer literacy, problem-solving, abstract thinking, and content developing across the integrated system of languages the learners have developed (Conteh, 2019). In summary, the integration of various languages brings forth the mechanism of translanguaging that always aims to establish educational justice by encouraging both L1 and L2.
Translanguaging not only serves as a learning mechanism but it also works as a multi-lingual, teaching strategy (McCracken, n.d.). As a teaching strategy, it helps the bilinguals or the multilingual to transfer their L1 skills to the acquisition of L2 (Cummins, 1991). Similarly, translanguaging can also open up a teaching space to multiple languages (McCracken, n.d.). Furthermore, this teaching strategy also maximizes the communicative potential of learners (Garcia, 2009). Speaking much more precisely, this technique, in fact, also maximizes the learners' potential of acquiring a second language. The approach enables the bilingual, or the multilingual learners to extend their L1 'cognitive academic proficiency' to the acquisition of L2 (Cummins, 1991). Similarly, it also gathers the pace of neuronal activity among bilinguals or multilingual (Marian and Shook, 2012). By enhancing the pace of neuronal activity, translanguaging makes it much easier for the bilinguals or the multilingual to acquire or extend their existing knowledge to the acquisition of a new language which Cummins (1991) technically calls 'the transfer of skills' within a domain of common underlying proficiency (Martin and Shook, 2012).
In addition to having a manipulative recourse to transferring of cognitive skills, translanguaging is a dual process that works through the varieties of the same language and the varieties of the different languages (Garcia, Sylvan, and Witt, 2011). Similarly, Garcia (2009) has made a cogently emphatic point by suggesting clearly that the fluid, flexible practices of translanguaging are quite helpful in developing a learner's ability to acquire a language or learn any other topic of significant importance. Precisely speaking, Garcia is suggesting that translanguaging plays a very significant role in the acquisition of the second language (Garcia, 2009). This argumentation clarifies the fact that translanguaging, unlike other traditional dual language program models, assimilates different, linguistic practices that improve the underlying proficiency possessed by a bilingual or a multilingual. Moreover, it also enhances the learners' scope of practising different versions of the same language and the different languages that the learners are exposed to in a class room setting. Briefly, the mechanism of translanguaging is a trans-phenomenon that transfers a learner's skills from one dialect to another dialect or one language to another language; besides, this process occurs in both written form and the spoken form.
In developing both the forms of different languages, translanguaging allows learners to make use of cognitive, linguistic, and social resources at their disposal and thereby rendering academic content and linguistic acquisition much more relevant and accessible (García & Lin, 2017). Interestingly, this availability of different resources builds up the 'common underlying proficiency' that paves the way for translanguaging to engage the learners in an ongoing process of transferring their skills from one dialect to another dialect of the same language or from one language to another language (Cummins, 1991). So, it suggests clearly that the constant process of transferring skills within the domain of an integrated system of languages through translanguaging enhances the learners' capacity of dealing with languages. Moreover, the process also equips the learners to shuffle across the linguistic variety at ease and thus making the acquisitional process of the second language much easier. Besides, it also increases the learners' familiarity with languages that also entails the easier acquisition of heritage language and second language.
Along with simultaneously developing their heritage language, translanguaging also helps the emergent bilinguals or the emergent multilingual to continue developing their second language acquisition (Pacheco & Miller, 2015). It enables learners to shuttle along with the languages and experiences constantly. Moreover, it also facilitates learners to understand educational topics in their ways. Much more importantly, translanguaging is also helpful in bringing about educational parity among the learners who are always subject to disparity caused by the dispersion of skills. In this way, translanguaging is supportive of a much more inclusive system of education. Besides, translanguaging pedagogies facilitate students in accessing background knowledge (Sayer, 2012) which (Cummins, 1991) prefers to call 'common underlying proficiency'.
This facilitation through translanguaging occurs in two different scenarios (Hornberger and Link, 2013). The first scenario involves the informal setting in which bilinguals or multilingual make use of all the languages at their disposal; the learners naturally move from one language to another language considering the context of language use (Hornberger & Link, 2013). The second scenario is much more formal because it mostly works within a classroom; in this context, two or more languages are systematically trans-used in a class to develop the concerned learners' understanding (Hornberger & Link, 2013). This research workplaces the concept of translanguaging at the threshold of the modern classroom. Thus, the two scenarios of translanguaging, as discussed by Hornberger and Link (2013), manifest the working mechanisms of translanguaging in our society.
In the formal setting, translanguaging works as a dialogical pedagogy to develop the proficiency of multilingual (Canagarajah, 2011). Based on a classroom ethnography, this research studies the mechanism of translanguaging in the development of essay writing strategies in the context of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, this research is highly influential in revealing the sublime fact that translanguaging is an effective strategy that might be beneficially employed to help learners in acquiring the writing skills in the second language (English) by creating a dialogical situation for heritage languages. Besides, the research work also indicates the fact that translanguaging is an influential mechanism that entails the procedure of achieving learning goals easily.
The dialogical pedagogy of translanguaging always relies upon a bilingual speaker or a multilingual speaker's integrated language system; moreover, the strategy of translanguaging views bilinguals' or multilinguals' languages as a single interconnected system (Velasco & García, 2014). Translanguaging environments also facilitate learners to reflect on their everyday practices both in their homes and in their communities (Velasco & García, 2014). Furthermore, the reflective aspect of translanguaging always relies upon the transfer of attitudes, experiences, skills, ideas, and proficiencies from the first language to the second language within an integrated domain of common underlying proficiency (Cummins, 1991). Garcia and Velasco's research contributively establishes the irrefutable fact that translanguaging is a process that always draws upon a variety of experiences and linguistic systems to achieve learning goals in a much more influential method. In a nutshell, their research is interestingly revealing, because it relates translanguaging with 'common underlying proficiency' of learners.
The above review of the relevant literature precisely highlights the fact that translanguaging abundantly helps in achieving learning goals by relying upon the bilinguals' or the multilingual' common underlying proficiency. Moreover, it also facilitates the acquisition of the second language in an efficient way. Unfortunately, in Pakistan mostly the monolingual systems of education are encouraged which allow only the use of a second language in a traditional classroom. The commonly held misconception behind supporting the monolingual systems of education is that the use of mother tongue impedes the acquisitional progress of the second language, however, recent research has convincingly revealed that the use of multiple language resources through translanguaging enables learners to achieve the second language in a much more comfortable way. Although the importance of translanguaging in facilitating learning is hardly questionable at all, still in Pakistan there are few instances of translanguaging educational strategies being used or researched; so, the current research assignment has systematically attempted to fill up the gap by researching the strategy of translanguaging, especially, the role it plays in the acquisition of the second language in the context of my classroom; moreover, I have employed Jim Cummins' Common Underlying Proficiency model (1991) to describe the mechanisms of translanguaging that help learners to transfer their L1 skills to the acquisition of L2. Thus, this research has successfully filled up the research gap.

Methodology/Materials
The current research design is descriptive and explanatory in its form, content, analysis, and approach. It both describes and explains the role of trans-languaging in the development of second language skills using the Cummins CUP model. Moreover, the current research design is based upon an observed reality in the context of my class.
This research is qualitative in its approach because it has answered the research question using thematic analysis based upon Cummins' CUP model. Besides, the class-based observations of translanguaging have been analyzed based upon my reflections using Cummins' CUP model. I transcribed my reflections and developed inferences thereof using translanguaging lens and Cummins' CUP Model.

Results and Findings
In this section, I have analyzed the use of translanguaging in enhancing my students' second language competence; moreover, I have also interpreted the mechanisms of translanguaging under Cummins' One Balloon Theory or CUP Model.

4.1
Understanding the Role of Translanguaging in the Acquisition of L2 Essay Writing Skills: Employing Cummins' CUP Model As there is ethnic variety in my class, I purposively rely upon the strategy of translanguaging. Since my students speak either Sindhi, Urdu, Punjabi, or Saraiki language, using translanguaging to acquire a second language is quite helpful. I usually start my lecture, in this case, of course, on the strategies of essay writing, in English. Once I am done with the explanation and the description of writing strategies, I, in an overhead way, invite my students to participate in the discussion by drawing upon their already learned writing strategies in their native languages. Afterward, I often notice that some students are more willing to respond to the class discussion, while most students show little will of participation. So, this dispersion of skills builds up suitable circumstances for the employment of translanguaging as a learning strategy.
In employing the technique of translanguaging, I make groups of students whose mother tongue is the same. Similarly, Sindhi speakers make a group, and so do the other students make groups with those students whose mother tongue is the same. So, I ask the groups to discuss the topic I have lectured on in their mother tongues. Interestingly, I always notice that all of the students actively participate in the groups and discuss the concerned topic in their native languages. The use of their mother tongues allows the students to achieve conceptual clarity through translanguaging. Later on, when I assess their understanding of the concerned topic, I surprisingly come to know the fact that translanguaging is an effective way of acquiring L2 writing skills. Furthermore, the students actually transfer through translanguaging their L1 knowledge to the L2 concepts (Cummins, 1991). Translanguaging integrates the skills of L1 with the concepts of L2 and thereby it constructs what Cummins has revealingly preferred to call 'common underlying proficiency' (Cummins, 1991). In short, translanguaging enables learners to transfer their L1 skills to the understanding and thus acquisition of L2 within a domain of 'common underlying proficiency' (Cummins, 1991).
Apart from allowing the students to exploit their L1 concepts in understanding and acquiring L2 skills, translanguaging also develops the acquisitional potential of learners. What I mean to imply is that for those students who usually struggle in acquiring L2 skills, their learning potential might be beneficially enhanced by allowing the students to understand the complexity of L2 through the simplicity of their L1. So, translanguaging simplifies the acquisitional process through the extension of L1 skills to L2 skills. Moreover, it also develops the common underlying essay writing proficiency of my students. Additionally, translanguaging keeps entailing the expansion of 'common underlying proficiency' and thereby making the acquisition of L2 much easier (Cummins, 1991). Thus, learners in my class are allowed to employ translanguaging to make learning much easier and thus the ease of acquisition rapidly enhances the essay writing potential of my students.
I have been using the strategy of translanguaging to help my students acquire the L2 by drawing upon their common underlying proficiency for a very long period; besides, this experience has proved abundantly beneficial for my students in enhancing their essay writing skills in an unprecedented way.

4.2
The Use of One Way Translanguaging as a Scaffolding Device to Acquire L2 Tenses I allow my students to make use of a one-way translanguaging as a scaffolding device to acquire L2 skills. In this instructional strategy, I control my guidance constantly given to my students. While teaching tenses of the L2 to my students, I consciously concern myself with facilitating my students to acquire the skills of the L2 under the umbrella of constant guidance. To make my instructional material more clear I trans-use English, Urdu, Sindhi, Saraiki, and Punjabi languages. Moreover, I also allow my students to engage themselves in the process of translanguaging by collaboratively translating the L2 instructional material into L1. Similarly, translanguaging also allows my students to transfer their L1 tense knowledge to the acquisition of L2 tenses under my constant guidance. Thus, the scaffolded instruction through translanguaging topples down the barriers between the L1 and the L2 and thereby constructing what Cummins calls 'common underlying proficiency' (Cummins, 1991).
Since the concept of tense is the same across English and my students' mother languages, I always find it much easier to guide the process of translanguaging; my students, under my guidance, can easily transfer the knowledge of their L1 tense to the understanding and acquisition of an L2 without any implication of setbacks. Additionally, a well-guided process of translanguaging conquers all the barriers lying between L1 and L2 and hence enabling my learners to smoothly transfer the knowledge of tenses to L2. Much more importantly, this transferring process through translanguaging paves the way for the integrated system of languages which Cummins vividly describes as 'common underlying proficiency' (Cummins, 1991).
Speaking much more clearly, my scaffolded instructions involve the mechanism of translanguaging; besides, this translanguaging process characteristically involves the trans-use of English and my students' mother languages that I can employ conversationally while teaching tense to my students. Similarly, I also allow my students to undertake the process of translanguaging. In this regard, I ask my students to create tense-specific sentences in an L2 and afterward, I ask the students to translate the constructed sentences into their mother languages by taking the conditions of tenses into their consideration. So, this tense-specific 'common underlying proficiency' (Cummins, 1991) allows my students to comfortably move from the L1 to the L2 and vice versa.
In other words, as Cummins (1991) said, the tense specific 'common underlying proficiency' induces the comfortable process of acquiring an L2 on my students' part. Moreover, this common proficiency also enables my learners to exploit their L1 skills for the acquisition of the L2. So, once students have learned the concept of tense in their languages, it makes it much easier for them to understand and acquire the L2.

4.3
The Acquisition of English (L2) Vocabulary through Translanguaging I mostly use translanguaging to help my multilingual students to promote their cross-lingual transfer; this cross-lingual transfer supports my students at every stage of English (L2) acquisition. When students are successfully able to link a new English word and the familiar L1 equivalent of that word, the students become significantly able to retain and retrieve the meaning of the concerned vocabulary item. This ability to create links between L1 and L2 words within a domain of common underlying proficiency also pushes up the acquisitional progress of students. Similarly, the relation of equivalence also creates the common ground for a learner's proficiency that has been labeled as 'common underlying proficiency' by Cummins (1991).
Relying upon the above-stated facts, I usually provide my students with a list of L2 vocabulary items, and I ask my students to find the equivalents of the words in their mother tongue using a dictionary or any other easily available source. Although learning new vocabulary items in isolation creates problems for my students who consequently find it hard to retain, utilize and memorize the vocabulary items in isolation, but once they are allowed to link the English words to the equivalent words in their mother language, the students always tend to retain and access the former in a much easier way. Furthermore, 'the cross-lingual commonality' equips my students with the potential of the meaning-making process through the mechanism of transferal translanguaging. Hence, my students excel at acquiring the L2 vocabulary items with the help of common proficiency developed through translanguaging.
Speaking much more practically, for instance, I introduce a vocabulary item from the L2, such as the noun 'village' in my class. Afterward, I ask my multilingual students to explain its meaning using the L2. I mostly find that few students try to explain the meaning of the word clearly, however, they might have gone through its definition in a standard English to English dictionary. But when I ask the students to explain the meaning of the vocabulary item in their language, they interestingly come up with relevant meanings in their native languages. Additionally, I write all the explanations provided by my students in their mother tongues on the board. In this way, the variety of linguistic practices also enhances the learning capacity of my learners, because this strategy of translanguaging lets my students look at the meaning of the English word through the lenses of the different languages. So, this opportunity of translanguaging which allows learners' to transfer their understanding of the concerned word from L1 to L2 successfully renders the L2 vocabulary acquisition. Moreover, this transfer through translanguaging takes place on the ground of 'common underlying proficiency' of the multilingual learners.
So, the mechanism of translanguaging induces the links between L1 and L2 vocabulary. The vocabulary links also become an integrated part of my students' 'common underlying proficiency' (Cummins, 1991) which places L2 at my students' comfortable disposal.

4.4
Developing L2 Speaking Skills through Translanguaging Translanguaging also plays a very vital role in equipping learners to acquire second language speaking skills. Similarly, I always make use of translanguaging in my class to enable my multilingual students to acquire the speaking skills of the English language by drawing upon the 'common underlying proficiency' through the tactical use of translanguaging. To achieve the instructional goals, I randomly pick my students across different ethnic groups and encourage the students to sing their favorite song in their mother tongue. Interestingly, almost all the students are always willing to participate in this activity. When students sing songs in their mother languages, I, afterward, ask their fellows to translate the songs successively sung in their mother languages to translate into the English language. At that moment, students willingly come forward with some brilliant pieces of translation by employing the strategy of translating. In this way, my students utilize their mother tongue skills to speak the English language and their by unconsciously acquire it.
Much like making my students sing songs in their respective, mother tongues, I usually tell interesting short stories to my students in the English language. After telling an attention-grabbing story, I invite my multilingual students to discuss the concerning story in their mother tongue with their fellows. So, Sindhi students will form a group and would discuss that story in the Sindh language with their group members; simultaneously, the students from other linguistic groups will also discuss the known story with their common language group members. Afterward, I would invite the students to come successively to the dais and present the story in the English language. The importance of the transferal translanguaging process lies in the fact that it allows my students to develop common proficiency in speaking skills. Moreover, this common underlying proficiency (Cummins, 1991) of speaking skills makes my students habitual of exploiting the diversity of skills to acquire the L2 (English language). Thus, they can employ a vast, lingual repertoire to convert in the second language.
Apart from making use of translanguaging in telling stories, I also beneficially employ it in a general classroom discussion of a topic. In this case, I would ask my students to come up with their interesting topics and we would choose only one thereof to discuss in the class. Consequently, I will start discussing the topic employing both the English language and mother tongues of my students.
The most interesting fact is that my students are somehow able to understand and use one another's mother tongues. So, this process of translanguaging hardly creates any problems at all. Afterward, I provide my students with an opportunity of discussing the same topic in their mother tongues with their class fellows. In this way, students tend to bring a variety of understanding and experience to class while discussing it in their mother tongues. Once they have completed this session, they are asked to transfer their understanding acquired through their mother tongues to the discussion of the same topic in the English language. So, the flow of understanding now moves towards the second language, and thereby employing the mechanism of translanguaging students also embark upon the acquisition of the second language. Moreover, this flow of understanding also topples down all the barriers between L1 and L2. Thus, in the resulting common underlying proficiency (Cummins, 1991), my students can deftly deal with both their mother tongues and the second language.
Speaking conclusively, the strategy of translanguaging helps students in acquiring the L2 speaking skills by relying upon what Cummins rightly calls 'common underlying proficiency' (Cummins, 1991).

Conclusion
The current research justifiably concludes that translanguaging helps students in acquiring the second language by drawing upon the common underlying proficiency as discussed by Cummins (1991). Moreover, this research assignment also highlights the commonly ignored fact that translanguaging is an effective strategy in achieving instructional goals. Similarly, the current research work also stresses the need to adopt the mechanisms of translanguaging in Pakistan where monolingual systems are encouraged at the cost of long-term educational gains. Drawing upon Cummins ' CUP model (1991), this research effort constructs the truth that translanguaging allows learners to transfer their acquired, lingual skills while acquiring additional languages. In its aims and ambitions, the current research is subject to critical assessment, and much like every research work, it attempts to make no claims of absolute perfection. Finally, this research article is based upon my personal, teaching experiences that have made it possible for me to reveal that translanguaging, by drawing upon a common underlying proficiency model (Cummins, 1991), plays a very vital role in the acquisition of a second language.