Abstract
The underlying study aims to investigate and analyze the actual reasons, attitudes, and purposes behind the use of the mother tongue (Arabic) in teaching English-as-a-second language to Arab students attending English courses as a university compulsory requirement for the study of English language and literature at Jordanian private and government-aided universities. To achieve this goal, the researcher analyzed data he collected from classroom observation at three different private universities. In addition, the writer analyzes results of responses to questionnaires distributed to 120 students and 12 teachers learning and teaching English at three universities – 40 students and 4 teachers from each university.The results obtained show that almost all the respondents expressed the need for the use of Arabic in the English classroom because, according to them, it helps students understand the meaning of new or difficult words, explain complex syntactic rules, and save time. The study also shows that not allowing students to use their mother tongue will result in prohibiting them to have some opportunities to learn English better.
Highlights
The question whether teachers should use the mother tongue of their students in a second language classroom is still unanswered and even controversial
The classroom observation aimed to find out the percentage of classroom time each of the three teachers spent using the students’ mother tongue (Arabic), and on what occasion Arabic was used
The present study shows that the use of the mother tongue in foreign language classrooms can help in the teaching and learning process
Summary
The question whether teachers should use the mother tongue (the first language) of their students in a second language classroom is still unanswered and even controversial. For some researchers like Carless (2001) the use of the first language is common and a natural act in second/foreign language teaching, and it seems to make a positive contribution to the learning process. Brown (1980) and Ringworm (1987) have considered the positive and negative transfer of the mother tongue among the main principles of English-as-a-second language teaching and learning. Opponents of the use of the mother tongue in a second language classroom have expressed the view that teachers should teach English through the medium of English. The writer has the same feeling Lu had (1985) in that the findings may be generalized to other situations than Arab ones
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