Amount Of L1 Research Articles

Teachers’ Beliefs and Purposes of L1 Use and Its Effects on Students’ Oral English Improvement in Selected Primary Schools

The concern of this descriptive survey research was to exploratory Teachers’ Beliefs and purposes of L1 use and Its Effects on Students’ Oral English Improvement in Selected Primary Schools. To collect the data, classroom observation and interview were used. The classroom observation data were collected through checklist and the results were counted and recorded as Afan Oromo (L1) and English utterances of teachers and then changed into frequency and percentages. Similarly, the interview was presented to eight teachers and the data were recorded, transcribed, and then thematically analyzed. The findings revealed that the participant EFL teachers have favorable beliefs about use of L1 in EFL classes. However, they used more L1utterances than English utterances. For example, they made 1152 utterances among which 564/1152=49% were L1 and 588/1152=51% were English utterances. That means participant teachers used almost the same amount of L1 and English which implies that teachers over used L1 which has a negative effect on students’ oral English improvement. Therefore, teachers are recommended to be good models for their students by practicing more TL than L1 to improve their students’ oral English.

The impact of older siblings on vocabulary learning in bilingual children

ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of older siblings’ L1/L2 use on the vocabulary and fast mapping skills in preschool-age children who learn Cantonese (L1) as a home language and start to learn English (L2) in preschool settings. Two groups of bilingual children participated in this study: (1) children whose older siblings used mostly L1 at home (‘Mostly L1’ group; n = 14) and (2) children whose older siblings used an equal amount of L1 and L2 at home (‘Equal L1/L2’ group; n = 13). Participants were tested using vocabulary measures and a fast mapping task. Results showed that there were no significant group differences in children’s vocabulary scores or in their fast mapping production scores in each language. However, when measured using a comprehension probe during the fast mapping task, the ‘Mostly L1’ group outperformed the ‘Equal L1/L2’ group in identifying the target novel words in L1, whereas there were no group differences in L2. The findings provide some preliminary evidence that older siblings who speak mostly L1 may contribute to their younger siblings’ L1 fast mapping skills.

Effects of home language input on the vocabulary knowledge of sequential bilingual children

The current study examined whether the vocabulary skills of sequential bilingual children who learned Cantonese as a home language (L1) and English as a second language (L2) were predicted by the amount of L1 and L2 used at home. Ninety-two preschool children who learned Cantonese as L1 were recruited from a Head Start program. The amounts of L1 and L2 used at home were measured using parent questionnaires. Mixed patterns of L1 and L2 use were found across family members and home activities. After controlling for time spent in preschool, regression analyses showed that the amount of L1 and L2 used by individual family members, with the exception of older siblings, was not significantly linked to children's vocabulary skills. In contrast, the language used during some home activities such as dinner and book reading significantly predicted children's vocabulary knowledge. Implications for family involvement in facilitating children's vocabulary development are discussed.

The Use and Functions of Mother Tongue in EFL Classes at the Language Center of South East European University in Tetovo-Macedonia

The use of mother tongue (L1) in foreign language classrooms at Language Center is obvious. In this paper, the use and functions of it in various classes have been analyzed and discussed. The purpose of the present study was to find out to what level the instructors use mother tongue in their classes. We attempted to find out whether their mother tongue use changes according to different variables, for which functions they use it, whether they are aware of the amount and the functions, whether the instructors are satisfied with the amount of L1 they use, and whether their students are satisfied with it, and whether this satisfaction differs according to the amount used by their instructors. The study was conducted in the Language Center of South East European University in Tetovo, Macedonia, and it was based on both qualitative and quantitative research designs. The participants were 20 English teachers working in the Language Center and their 167 students. The data were collected through classroom recordings, questionnaires that were administered both to the instructors and the students, and interviews were conducted with all of the teachers and randomly chosen 49 students. The data have revealed that mother tongue is an indivisible part of language teaching, and it actually has different functions like “building up relations”, “making the topic/meaning clear (by giving examples, explaining, making extra explanations, etc.)”, “explaining difficult concepts or ideas”, etc. It was also found out that both the instructors and the students were aware of the importance of using the target language as much as possible in the classes, however, they could not disagree with the need of mother tongue from time to time.

An investigation of teachers’ use of Amharic language in English language classrooms

This study investigated teachers’ use of mother tongue in EFL classrooms in Benishangul Gumuz region, Asosa Zone junior schools during actual classroom instruction of first and second semesters in 2014 academic year. The investigation focused on the functions of Amharic language and its amount in target language classroom. Subsequently, it looked at teachers’ knowledge of L1 use in L2 and if they had guidelines of how mother tongue (Amharic) could be well treated in EFL classes. To select target population for the study, cluster and simple random sampling techniques were used. Stratified sampling technique was also employed in order to select target population proportionally from clustered woredas. To answer the research questions qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Classroom observations, interviews and questionnaire were used to collect data. Observations were accompanied by tape recording and recorded data were transcribed and analyzed to investigate the functions of Amharic during lessons, the amount of L1 use and the distribution of L1 use within teachers and across lessons. It was found that the amount and functions of L1 used were varied between teachers, and the overall proportion of L1 talk was higher than that of found in previous studies. Some teachers consistently used high L1 within the lesson. Data obtained through interview confirmed that the variability was attributed to teachers’ personal feeling about L1 in L2 use. Most of the teachers used Amharic for specific functions such as translation and maintaining discipline. Questionnaire was also used as a complement of qualitative data that aimed at gathering data on teachers’ knowledge of the pedagogical values of L1. The findings showed that there was disparity between all teachers (beginner-higher led teachers) in responding to items and ANOVA confirmed that there was no significant difference between groups of teachers on the current trained of L1 in EFL classroom. Finally, it was found that most of the teachers had no clear guidelines of how to handle Amharic in EFL classes. Finally, teachers’ commitment in maximizing target language input appeared to be indispensable in English language teaching. Educational experts and teacher trainers are also needed to intrude on the problem of maximal amount of mother tongue in target language classroom.

The Use and Functions of Mother Tongue in EFL Classes

The use of mother tongue (L1) in foreign language classrooms is inevitable. In this paper, the use and functions of it in various classes have been analyzed and discussed. The purpose of the present study was to find out to what extent the instructors in the School of Foreign Languages at Pamukkale University use mother tongue in their classes. We attempted to find out whether their mother tongue use changes according to different variables, for which functions they use it, whether they are aware of the amount and the functions, whether the instructors are satisfied with the amount of L1 they use, and whether their students are satisfied with it, and whether this satisfaction differs according to the amount used by their instructors. The study was conducted in the School of Foreign Languages at Pamukkale University, and it was based on both qualitative and quantitative research designs. The participants were 20 English instructors working in the School of Foreign Languages and their 286 students. The data were collected through classroom recordings, questionnaires that were administered both to the instructors and the students, and interviews were conducted with all of the instructors and randomly chosen 39 students. Our data have revealed that mother tongue is an inseparable part of language teaching, and it actually has different functions like “rapport building purposes”, “making the topic/meaning clear (by giving examples, explaining, making extra explanations, etc.)”, “explaining difficult concepts or ideas”, etc. It was also found out that both the instructors and the students were aware of the importance of using the target language as much as possible in the classes, however, they could not deny the need of mother tongue from time to time.

Acoustic correlates of bilingualism: Relating phonetic production to language experience and attitudes

Researchers tend to quantify degree of bilingualism according to age-related factors such as age of acquisition (Flege, et al. 1999, Yeni-Komshian, et al. 2000). However, previous research suggests that bilinguals may also show different degrees of accent and patterns of phonetic interaction between their first language (L1) and second language (L2) as a result of factors such as the quantity and quality of L2 input (Flege & Liu, 2001), amount of L1 vs. L2 use (Flege, et al. 1999), and attitude toward each language (Moyer, 2007). The goal of this study is to identify gradient properties of speech production that can be related to gradient language experience and attitudes in a bilingual population that is relatively homogeneous in terms of age-related factors. Native Cantonese-English bilinguals living in Hong Kong produced near homophones in both languages under conditions emphasizing one language or the other on different days. Acoustic phonetic variables related to phonological inventory differences between the two languages, including lexical tone/stress, syllable length, nasality, fricative manner and voicing, release of stop, voice onset time, and vowel quality and length, will be quantified and compared to results from a detailed survey of individual speakers’ experience and attitudes toward the two languages.

Elimination of Angiostrongylus costaricensis larvae in feces from experimentally infected Swiss mice: circadian rhythm and correlation with survival

Angiostrongylus costaricensis is a nematode which harbors mesentery arteries of rodents. In these animals, a circadian rhythm of elimination of first-stage larvae (L1) and a relation between the amount of L1 in feces and survival are unknown. We assessed fecal elimination of A. costaricensis L1 from experimentally infected Swiss mice and tried to correlate L1 elimination with survival. Thirteen Swiss mice were infected by gavage with ten A. costaricensis L3 larvae obtained from Phyllocaulis slugs. Feces were weighed at 7 A.M: . and 7 P.M: . starting from the 24th day post-infection until animal death. Feces sediment was examined in microscope for L1 counting. The mice were dead after a period ranging 19-61 days post-infection. Compared to diurnal samples, both feces' weight (2.3 ± 0.7 vs. 1.8 ± 0.5 g; P < 0.0001) and L1 total count [median 1,950 vs. 1,250; P = 0.015] were higher in feces eliminated at night. No difference was observed between diurnal and nocturnal elimination when counting L1 by gram of feces (725 vs. 650 L1/g; P = 0.821). A significant correlation was observed between survival and total number of L1 in feces (r = 0.84; P = 0.0007). This study suggests that mice experimentally infected with A. costaricensis eliminate more L1 at night due to higher fecal volume at this period. The correlation between number of L1 in feces and survival suggests a phenomenon of tolerance to A. costaricensis infection in mice with longer survival.

Learners’ use of first language (Arabic) in pair work in an EFL class

One of the concerns foreign language teachers may have about using small group (and pair) work is that students will use their shared first language (L1) instead of the target language. This study investigated the effect of learner proficiency pairing and task type on the amount of L1 used by learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in pair work and the functions that the L1 served. Learners in this study ( n = 15 pairs) formed three proficiency groupings based on the teacher’s assessment of their second language proficiency: high—high (H—H), high—low (H—L), and low—low (L—L). All pairs completed three tasks — jigsaw, composition and text-editing — and their talk was audio-recorded. The transcribed pair talk was analysed for the quantity of L1 used (L1 words and L1 turns), and the functions the L1 served. The study found that overall, there was a modest use of L1 in pair work activity and that task type had a greater impact on the amount of L1 used than proficiency pairing. L1 was mainly used for the purpose of task management and to facilitate deliberations over vocabulary. When used for task management, L1 tended to reflect the kind of relationship the learners formed. When used for vocabulary deliberations, L1 was used not only to provide explanations to peers but also for private speech.

Developmental study of the cell adhesion molecule L1.

Cell adhesion molecules are involved in several morphogenetic events during development. A spatiotemporal regulation of the expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM has previously been demonstrated. In this study, we describe developmental changes in the rat brain in the expression of another neural cell adhesion molecule, L1. The amount of L1 varies with age showing a peak value in early post-natal life. L1 is synthesized as a polypeptide with a relative molecular weight (Mr) of 200,000 in explant cultures of rat forebrain from embryonic day 17 to post-natal day 15, but L1 synthesis decreases relative to total protein synthesis during the same period. L1 sulphation does not appear to change developmentally whereas the degree of phosphorylation seems to decrease. At the plasma membrane L1 is present as three polypeptides with Mr 200,000, 140,000 and 80,000. The latter is phosphorylated like the 200,000 Mr polypeptide. Furthermore, L1 exists in a soluble form which consists of 170,000, 140,000 and 80,000 Mr polypeptides. During development a slight decrease in Mr of the 200,000 and 140,000 Mr polypeptides is observed, possibly due to changes in glycosylation. To conclude, L1 expression is temporally regulated and its function may thus, like NCAM, be developmentally modified by some of these changes.

Histochemical analysis of the origin and composition of fatty yolk in the silk moth Philosamia ricini (Lepidoptera)

In Philosamia ricini fatty yolk is derived from Golgi (Lipid) bodies. Golgi bodies and Golgi vesicles which are also called as lipids of first and second categories (L1 and L2) occur in the nurse cells, follicle cells as well as in the oocyte. Considerable amount of L1 and L2 infiltrate into the oocyte, accumulate and form abundant precursors for the synthesis of L3 bodies or Fatty yolk. Histochemically, L1 bodies are of saturated phospholipid nature; L2 bodies are crescentic and have phospholipid sheath and triglyceride core of masked lipids; and L3 bodies are unsaturated triglycerides.