Abstract
Pedagogical translanguaging allows learners to draw on multiple languages during writing, but evidence from Saudi higher education remains limited. This study examined final English writing-assignment scores and student perceptions following a structured Arabic–English writing sequence in a preparatory-year English course at an English-medium instruction (EMI) college. A mixed methods design combined a posttest-only comparison with an embedded qualitative component. The sample comprised 34 Saudi female students ages 19–20, with 17 students in each instructional group. The translanguaging group drafted a reflective report in Arabic, received structural feedback, and then produced and revised an English version; the control group followed the English-only writing sequence. Final English reports were evaluated using an institutional rubric, and the translanguaging group answered two open-ended questions. Mean final assignment scores were higher in the translanguaging group (M = 89.12, SD = 3.219) than in the control group (M = 75.29, SD = 6.926), a difference of 13.83 score units (reported independent-samples t = 7.463, p < .001). Responses described perceived benefits in organizing ideas and accessing vocabulary, alongside limited or negative appraisals. The findings support further investigation of bilingual drafting and feedback in preparatory English courses. Because no pretest was administered and the intervention included additional drafting and feedback, the observed difference cannot be attributed specifically to translanguaging or interpreted as an established gain in general writing proficiency.