Teaching First Language Speakers to Communicate Across Linguistic Difference: Addressing Attitudes, Comprehension, and Strategies

Abstract

While most research in applied linguistics has focused on second language (L2) speakers and their language capabilities, the success of interaction between such speakers and first language (L1) speakers also relies on the positive attitudes and communication skills of the L1 speakers. However, some research has suggested that many L1 speakers lack these things. We therefore review three possible approaches to instructing L1 speakers to improve their communication with speakers of other varieties. First, theories from social psychology, specifically contact theory and perspective-taking, have led to interventions that have improved L1 speakers’ attitudes toward L2 speech. Secondly, both implicit and explicit instructions may improve L1 speakers’ comprehension of unfamiliar accents, at least for brief utterances. Finally, research on English as a lingua franca has suggested a number of successful communicative strategies that we recommend investigating for their possible efficacy for L1 speaker use and ultimately for L1-speaker training. We propose an agenda for future research ultimately bridging these three areas to create comprehensive pedagogies for improving L1 speakers’ performance in communication across linguistic difference.