Exploring the Usage of Afaan Oromoo (L1) in English as a Foreign Language Classroom: The Case of Primary Schools, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Although there have been various claims and counter-claims about the use of L1 in EFL learning, much still remains to be known about what is going on in English classrooms, particularly in primary schools. The current study attempted to shed light on L1 usage in EFL primary school classrooms. The purpose of this paper is to determine why, how, and the extent of L1 in EFL classroom. A descriptive qualitative research, which embraced in-depth interviews and classroom observations, was utilized in the study. The participants were three EFL teachers chosen through purposive sampling. Twelve English language classes were audio-recorded. The data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The findings reported that Afaan Oromoo was a helpful teaching-learning tool, particularly in clarifying grammatical items and explaining word meanings. The participants not only just welcomed students' L1 in English classes, but they also adopted it as the default language to be used without seeking to utilize any other strategy for English learning and teaching. Therefore, the study advised EFL teachers to develop principles for the judicious and deliberate use of L1 in English classes to improve students' English learning capacities.