L1 In L2 Classroom Research Articles

EFL INSTRUCTORS’ PERSPECTIVES OF L1 USE IN L2 CLASSROOM: A CASE STUDY AT BİNGÖL UNIVERSITY

Language experts, educators, and scholars have long debated using first language (L1) in foreign/second language (L2) classrooms. During the heydays of the Direct Method, also called the Natural Method, which was sequenced by the Audio-lingual method, language scholars and educators strongly rejected L1 use in L2 classrooms. These two methods were an objection to the Grammar Translation Method that allows and facilitates L1 use in L2 classrooms. However, whether L1 use should be welcomed or refrained in L2 classrooms remains an open question. Ten English as a foreign language (EFL) instructors participated in the research. The required data was gathered using a questionnaire, and SPSS 20 was used for analysis. Three of the participants were interviewed in a semi-structured manner to gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives and to strengthen the quantitative data. This study was carried out to understand EFL instructors’ perceptions of using L1 in L2 classrooms who teach both in preparatory classes and at the English language and literature department at Bingöl University, Türkiye. The analyses and interpretations of the data showed that L1 is mostly used for teaching L2 grammar and vocabulary. The study also showed that there are too many contributing factors to L1 use, such as building mutual intelligibility (comprehension), giving clear instructions, setting up a good rapport with students, reducing anxiety, integrating humour into L2 classes, and reprimanding and appraising students.

Advancing the communicative language teaching agenda: what place for translanguaging in task-based language teaching?

ABSTRACT Littlewood’s early stance on the use of students’ first language (L1) in the foreign language (L2) classroom was that maximum use of the target language (TL) enhances language acquisition. He suggested that this precept has been pervasive in every communicatively-oriented language teaching method and has also been widely accepted in official curricula in a range of contexts due to an understanding that TL use should be normative in classroom interactions. A strong rationale for advocating this ‘monolingual principle’ has been that, for many students, the L2 classroom provides the only opportunity to be exposed to the TL. Littlewood and Yu (2011. First language and target language in the foreign language classroom. Language Teaching 44, no. 1: 64–77) recognised, however, that teachers and students do make use of students’ L1 in L2 classrooms and suggested several ways in which teachers might do this legitimately. Furthermore, Littlewood (e.g. 2014. Communication-oriented language teaching: where are we now? Where do we go from here? Language Teaching 47, no. 3: 349–362) conceded that exclusive TL use has become subject to active questioning in recent years. The phenomenon of translanguaging takes arguments that support L1 use beyond Littlewood’s earlier suggestions. There are also implications for TBLT where extensive L2/TL use is the default position but where translanguaging practices are not necessarily at odds with the central task construct. This paper explores translanguaging in the contexts of TBLT and the monolingual principle.

Generative AI-assisted, evidence-informed use of L1 in L2 classrooms

Abstract Purposeful and strategic use of L1 can help with L2 learning. However, in many contexts, monolingual immersion approaches dominate, leading language teachers to refrain from using L1. It can also mean that teachers are not professionally prepared to implement evidence-informed uses of L1. In this article, we share the findings of an intervention study that aimed to raise preservice English language teachers’ awareness of purposeful L1 use while co-exploring ways generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (e.g. ChatGPT) can aid teachers’ knowledge development and strategic utilization of L1 in L2 classrooms. Data were collected from fifty-six preservice language teachers in Hong Kong through a pre- and post-intervention mixed-method survey and follow-up group interviews. The findings show that explicit instruction on the use of L1 in L2 classrooms can increase preservice teachers’ intention to use L1 as well as their knowledge about the evidence-informed use of L1 and the ways in which generative AI tools can assist their implementation of L1.

The use of L1 in L2 Learning in the Indonesian EFL Context

The issue of L1 usage in L2 classes is still open. Historically, using simply the target language was the most effective method for learning L2. However, some research indicates that incorporating L1 into L2 sessions can also help to improve language learning. The goal of this study is to ascertain the attitudes and beliefs of teachers and students towards the use of a second language in the classroom and to determine the extent to which students' beliefs regarding the use of a second language are related to one another. linguistic versatility Utilizing L1 effectively is also assessed. Participants in this study were 115 students and 30 English teachers (n = 30). A questionnaire was used to obtain the data. According to the study's findings, teachers and students are generally in favor of using L1 in L2 classrooms, depending on the context or goal. This study partially supports the viability of a bilingual or co-taught method in L2 classes.

L1 As a Tool For Reducing the Affective Filter

The utilization of the first language (L1) as an instructional tool in second language (L2) classrooms has sparked an intense debate in the realm of language education. This essay aims to delve further into the multifaceted discourse surrounding the use of L1 in L2 classrooms, particularly within the context of adult English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) teaching. To provide comprehensive insights into the implementation of L1 in L2 classrooms, the essay draws upon examples from the authors’ pedagogical experiences, encompassing roughly 33 hours of ESL instruction within an agency affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania, United States. Furthermore, this essay employs relevant theories from the three primary fields of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), which include second language development, language use, and language pedagogy. By synthesizing these theories and exemplars, this essay aims to shed light on the intricate nuances of utilizing L1 as an instructional tool in L2 classrooms, and ultimately to inform and enhance pedagogical practices in the field of ESL/EFL instruction.

Using L1 in L2 Classroom

Nowadays, People are paying more attention to second-language teaching, and more in-depth research has been done on teaching methods. There has also been controversy over whether students’ first language can be used in second-language classrooms. Therefore, this paper will analyze this issue in the context of education, the two-sided debate on this issue in previous research, my personal experience, and the implications.

Students' attitudes towards teacher's use of Vietnamese in EFL classrooms at Vietnam National University Hanoi, International School

The role of L1 in L2 classrooms has without any doubt been the hot topic of debates and discussions. In particular, some linguists and educators do not support the use of L1 in teaching L2, whereas others emphasize the importance of L1 in L2 classes. Although studies have been done on both teachers’ and students’ attitudes toward L1 use in the L2 classroom, it still remains the question of when and how L1 can become an effective supporting tool for L2. The goal of this research is to present the results on the functionality of L1 (Vietnamese language) in L2 (EFL) classrooms under students’ perspectives. A survey questionnaire was designed to deliver to participants for the study: 126 students at the intermediate level of the General English program at Vietnam National University Hanoi, International School (VNU-IS). The study's findings indicated that the VNU-IS student participants were satisfied with their teacher’s use of L1. L1 usage was also discovered to be preferred for the following purposes: language functionality, managerial functionality, effective functionality, and social functionality. Among them, language functionality is most favored by VNU-IS students. The results also revealed that Vietnamese should be considered as a backup rather than a barrier for Vietnamese teachers.

L1 Use among L2 Teachers: Vıews Vs Practıce

Although the Grammar Translation Method (GTM) had been shunned in second language teaching, the stigma of using the first language (L1) while teaching the second language (L2) has been continuously debated by L2 scholars and teachers. Regarding the use of L1 in the L2 classrooms, monolingual approach and bilingual approach both has contrastive stands on this issue. While the advocators of the monolingual approach strongly reject the use of L1 in L2 classrooms, there is no strong evidence to prove that it could affect L2 learning. The proponents of bilingual principal believed that the utilisation of L1 is inevitable when the teachers and learners share the same L1. This research study aims to examine the use of L1 (BM) by L2 (English) teachers during the teaching process. Keywords: L1, L2, Grammar Translation Method (GTM).

EFL Teachers’ Opinions on the Use of L1 in L2 Classrooms: Role of Experience and Context

The use of native language (L1) in foreign language classrooms (L2) has been studied from various perspectives, and it is important to investigate teachers’ opinions about the use of L1 to better understand their practice. This study investigates the role of experience on the attitudes of language teachers towards the use of L1 in L2 classes. The participants of this research were pre-service and in-service teachers, and research questions aimed to reveal the language teaching areas that they agreed and/or disagreed with the use of L1 in. The role of experience was clearly seen in the results of both quantitative and qualitative analyses in that the pre-service and in-service teachers differed significantly in their views about some areas where they use L1. While pre-service teachers showed a tendency to support English only, experienced teachers were more moderate towards the use of L1 in all their practices. Discussion of findings revealed that both experience and the L2 teaching and learning context were influential on teachers’ practices and beliefs. The study will provide insights into pre-service and in-service teachers’ attitudes in different educational settings and implications for pre- and in-service teacher education programs.

L1 Use in English Courses 'a Facilitating Tool or a Language Barrier' in L2 Teaching/Learning at Graduation Level

The purpose of the current study was to explore either L1 use in L2 courses teaching/learning is a facilitating tool or a language barrier. This research design was qualitative in nature. The outcomes of the present study directed that the teachers and learners of both genders disclosed exceedingly positive views and perceptions regarding the use of L1 in L2 classroom. The majority of the respondents preferred using L1 in certain situations for specific reasons such as while learning about grammar and its usage in the L2 classroom, discussing course policies, attendance, and other administrative information, explaining some difficult concepts, to give directions about exams and in introducing the aim of the lesson, to discuss tests, quizzes, and other assignments appropriately. Similarly, they were highly motivated to use L1 while teaching and comprehending summaries and short questions, letter writing and paraphrasing the text of L2 courses. However, most of the learners and their teachers revealed a lot of mutual understanding on various points and situations.

Use of L1 in the Iranian EFL Classroom

By reviewing the literature on the development of English language teaching methods in the last three decades, it is obvious that the idea of using the first language (L1) in the second language (L2) classroom has always been controversial. The history of language pedagogy and the role of the first language in foreign language learning generate debates in English as a foreign language. The teaching of English as a foreign language is growing every day in Iran, and as a result, the need for informing the best policy is getting more urgent. The principal intent of the current study, that investigates the use of L1 in the English classroom, is to determine teachers, students and policymakers’ beliefs and attitudes towards the use of L1 in L2 classroom. The L1, in this case, is Farsi language and all the participants are native speakers of Farsi. One hundred and fifty students of the English Language Department at the elementary level at Tehran Institute of Technology are the participants of the study. They are all female and in their late teens or early twenties. The students and the teachers were surveyed by questionnaires and the researcher observed 10 classes and interviewed 3 teachers and 3 policymakers. The information gathered from the questionnaire was submitted to SPSS for analyzing the data, and the information gathered from the interview. Class observation check-list was used to triangulate the findings of the questionnaire. The results of this study indicate that teachers and students have different attitudes towards using L1 in the EFL classes. While students have a positive attitude, teachers have a negative attitude. The main reason mentioned by students for not being against the limited use of Farsi in their English class is that they believe using Farsi even in a limited sense can help them to understand difficult concepts. However, teachers believe in an English-only policy to be more exposed to the English language. Another finding of this study is that the functions of using Farsi by students or teachers in EFL classroom are: for explaining difficult parts, for managing the classroom, for explaining exam instructions, for explaining the two language differences, for checking comprehension, for seeking help from others, for joking with others, for making students relaxed and for presenting the meaning of new words. Given these findings, to match the student’s and teachers’/policymakers’ ideas about using L1 at the elementary level, an EFL teaching methodology that considers the use of Farsi, even in a limited way, is suggested.

Examining Indonesian EFL Teacher Educators’ Views on Utilising L1 in L2 Classrooms

The research observed the role of the first language (L1) use in the second language (L2) classrooms in various Englishlanguage teaching (ELT) contexts. Among the many roles that L1 use played in L2 classrooms, which had been recognized, some drawbacks interfered due to unbalanced uses of both L1 and L2. To complement insightful findings presented in the existing literature on this L1 use topic, the research aims to explore L1 uses in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) L2 classrooms in a teacher training program in Indonesia. Applying a qualitative research approach, the research collected data from three English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher educators teaching an English speaking subject in an Indonesian university using a semi-structured interview protocol and a classroom observation fieldnote. Results show that all the participants share the same views on L1 in their L2 classrooms that its use is tolerated and mainly related to cognitive and pedagogical aspects. The research suggests that formal training seeking to arouse awareness on the role that L1 can play in L2 classroom is of necessity in the context of the EFL teacher training program in order to foster learners’ optimal L2 output.

Translanguaging as an Instructional Strategy in Adult ESL Classroom

The use of the first language (L1) in adult second (L2/SL) or foreign language (FL) classrooms has always been a bone of contention over the past few decades. Many are in favor of L1 use terming it as constructive and facilitating for language learning while some disapprove that practice and identify it as a hindrance to the teaching and learning of a language. Of late, the concept of translanguaging has added a new dimension to this long-standing debate of using L1 in teaching/learning L2 since it basically insists on viewing languages as a single unitary system as opposed to the traditional linguistic perception of L1 versus L2. However, there have only been a very few studies on translanguaging with particular emphasis and attention given to ESL/EFL adults at the college/university level. This research study thus attempts to shed light on the theoretical underpinnings of this L1-L2 dichotomy and discuss how translanguaging differs from the customary notion of using L1 in the adult L2 classroom. This study uses a qualitative research method that exclusively uses the relevant secondary references/works available on the topic. The results demonstrated that both translanguaging and the notion of L1use in the L2 classroom are pedagogically similar as both allow the use of L1 in L2 classrooms at varying degrees though theoretically, they are different.

Reconnoitering the Impact of Motivation on Teachers and Students to Use L1 in L2 Classroom

The purpose of the current study was to explore the impact of motivation on teachers and students to use L1 in the L2 classroom. To find out an obvious understanding of this subject matter, the study focused on the 156 teachers and the 577 students who were teaching and learning English at graduation level in different public sector colleges and universities of the Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Two questionnaires were used for data collection. The data were analyzed through SPSS (statistical package for social sciences). Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), T-Test and Cronbach's alpha. The results of the study indicated that the learners and the teachers showed highly positive perceptions regarding the use of L1 in the L2 classroom. The majority of the respondents preferred using L1 in certain situations for specific reasons such as while learning about grammar and its usage in the L2 classroom, discussing course policies, attendance, and other administrative information, explaining some difficult concepts, to give directions about exams and in introducing the aim of the lesson, to discuss tests, quizzes, and other assignments appropriately at BS level

EFL Teachers’ Use of Learners’ L1 in Cycle Two Schools in Oman

The current study aims to examine Omani English language teachers’ use of their learners’ L1 in L2 classrooms. The study takes as to design a mix of qualitative case study and grounded theory research. The participant sample consists of three Omani English male teachers from Cycle Two Schools in Al Dahira Governorate in Oman. Data is collected through interviews and classroom observations. Qualitative content analysis is employed to analyze observations; while Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory is used to analyze the interview data.
 The findings of the study reveal that the teachers’ use of learners’ L1 in the observed classes is significantly high as it is found that the teachers’ average use of L1 is 28% of their classroom discourse. However, at the same time, it is found that the teachers have demonstrated a high degree of understanding of the disadvantages of overusing L1; of the optimal amount of L1; and of the different avoidance strategies that minimize the use of L1 in L2 classrooms. Hence, the study concludes that the teachers’ shift to L1 is shaped by the challenges they face in their classrooms rather than by their understanding. These challenges are found to be a lack of teaching materials, time constraints, a lack of teaching experience, class size, the learners’ low level of proficiency in English, the teachers’ lack of training, the types of activities used, and the heavy syllabus.

The Effectiveness of Using L1 in Second Language Classrooms: A Controversial Issue

This paper aims to uncover the hidden debate about the efficacy and inefficacy of using mother tongue in second language classroom. Teaching English as a second language is not an easy task to be undertaken. There are many approaches that postulate the optimal strategy for better teaching. As such, numerous researchers in the fields of language teaching and learning hold a belief that the use of L1 in L2 classrooms helps to facilitate learning. However, a significant number of researchers contend that the use of L1 in L2 classroom hinders learning and deprives learners from the exposure to the second language. As such, this paper tries to shed light on both views and to give evidence that using L1 in L2 classroom has a negative impact on L2 learners.

Judicious Use of L1: A Sociocultural Investigation of Teachers’ Use of L1 in L2 Classrooms

This study is a sociocultural investigation of the reasons why teachers use L1 in L2 classes through different classroom “modes” (Walsh, 2011). So far, a few studies regarding L1 have focused on L1 use in different classroom contexts, and none have used Walsh’s model of classroom modes. To this end, the present study used Walsh’s model which quarters the classroom context along with the Conversation Analysis techniques, to meticulously examine the classroom interactions. The classes were chosen from three different teachers in Mazandaran, Iran. A total of 6 sessions were recorded and transcribed. Results suggest that teachers use L1 mostly for managing purposes: drawing students’ attention, and making sure they have comprehended what they are supposed to do, and educational purposes: explaining difficult grammar and vocabulary, and eliciting desired structures or utterances. These findings might help teachers use L1 more efficiently and judiciously, instead of avoiding it when and where it might benefit the learners, as well as minimizing it in their classes as much as possible.

Loss and Gain: Revisiting the Roles of the First Language in Novice Adult Second Language Learning Classrooms

In order to further understand the roles of first language (L1) in second language (L2) classrooms and explore new potential pedagogical insights for second or foreign language teaching, this article presents an empirical study that explores the attitudes of foreign and second language teachers and students on the use of L1 in L2 classrooms. A small group of L2 teachers and L2 novice students from a public university in Alaska participated in a combined qualitative and quantitative study ( survey, individual interviews, and a focus group interview) given by the researchers in 2013. The study shows that the majority of the participants hold a very positive outlook on using L1 in their l2 learning process and they believe that the use of L1 can help build a meaningful connection between their L1 and L2 that it can promote L2 students’ understanding on L2 grammar, culture, and syntax (especially at the beginning level). Participants all agreed that L1 use can help L2 teachers to make instructions and assignments easier for L2 students to understand. The findings support previous studies on positive effects of L1 on L2 learning classroom. The study concludes that the use of L1 in L2 classrooms can be treated as a naturally occurring phenomenon at various levels and for a variety of teaching and learning purposes and that it should not be avoided but be monitored for its conducive effects in L2 classrooms.

THE ROLE OF FIRST LANGUAGE IN EFL CLASSROOM

This paper gives an overview of some of basic arguments of the use of L1 in L2 classroom, either against or in favor of it, and will particularly review the use of L1 in classroom of EFL adult learners in Indonesia. Despite to opponent arguments of L1 use, there are a number of proponent arguments from ESL/EFL professionals of its use. They argue that L1 use is beneficial for both teacher and student if it isused appropriately at appropriate times. The use of L1 in classroom is particularly helpful for teacher when helping engender security, conveying meaning of words, checking for comprehension, and or explaining grammatical rules.

The use of first language in developing ideas in second language writing according to Siti Hamin Stapa and Abdul Hameed Abdul Majid

The role of the student’s native language (L1) in second language (L2) instruction has changed over time in significance and scope. It has also been a matter of contention among teachers. While some teachers believe that L1 plays a facilitative role in L2 learning and confidently translate their belief into classroom action, others stand contrary to this view and practice. And, a third group of teachers remain ambivalent about the role of L1 in L2 classrooms, perhaps because they feel that the research is not conclusive yet, or the peculiar characteristics of their contexts do not allow them to advocate a particular thought. This article reviews the work of Stapa and Abdul Hameed, which focuses on the use of first language in developing ideas in second language writing. The review begins with a brief introduction and then moves on to analyzing the research design adopted and the arguments forwarded by these researchers. Key words: First language/L1, second language/L2, native language, target language.