The Effect of L1 Use in an L2 Classroom

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“ We acquire language when we understand messages, when we understand what people tell us and when we understand what we read”, Stephen Krashen.

Starting from this quote, we can tell that if second language learners receive an input which they don’t understand, they won’t be able to acquire the language. That’s why knowing when and how to use L1 is a critical issue which needs to be considered in each and every teaching step the L2 teacher takes.

The teachers’ beliefs also play a radical role in this issue. It makes a huge difference whether the teacher believes that her students don’t have any base regarding learning L2 or if she thinks that she can build on what they already know in their native language. The second belief facilitates the learning process, saves a lot of the teachers’ energy and engages learners.

However, if teachers aren’t guided with principles about when to use L1 in the class, the benefits of using it turn into obstacles and stand in the way of learning English effectively.

Additionally, even if the teacher banned L1 use in her classroom, she/he can’t stop learners from

thinking in their native language. That’s why guiding this thinking and being aware of how to use

it effectively will get the teacher’s goals met and the students’ needs satisfied.



This illustration  pictures what goes in the students’ minds when they don’t understand what

the teacher says and which in one way or another blocks their thinking and demotivates them to

learn L2.

To sum up, L1 can help in L2 learning, give students a sense of comfort, facilitate the teachers’ job and encourage learners to learn the second language only when teachers are aware of when and how to use it. What a successful teacher can always do is being eclectic in choosing what best suits the learners’ development in their own learning. Regarding this issue, what best suits students is communicating through L2 and what will lead them to communicate fluently and accurately using the second language is building on L1 and not totally depending on it.
Reference: Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom book, written by: Tricia Hedge








Comments

  1. Jalal DahsounMarch 19, 2018 at 4:22 AM

    That is totally true, teachers should not think that they are doing wrong while using L1 in their classes as long as they are doing it in the right way and at the right time in order to fill the gap between the languages.

    ReplyDelete

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