Examining Secondary School Teachers’ Beliefs and Purposes about the Use of L1 in Foreign Language Classes

Abstract

The present study reports on an investigation of secondary school teachers’ purposes of the first language (L1) use in foreign language (L2) classes and reflects on teaching practices implemented in secondary schools in Turkey. The study also aims to explore the teachers’ beliefs about the use of L1 in L2 teaching. The study utilized ethnography and employed classroom observations, field notes, and interviews. 19 secondary school teachers of English were included in the study. The findings of the study revealed that teachers’ L1 use served the following functions: instructional functions, building up rapport, maintaining discipline, and intellectual functions. The findings also indicated that the reasons behind the teachers’ L1 use in their classrooms were based on students’ affective and cognitive needs.