using L1 in L2 classroom?

[reem]

hi everyone,

i am a secondry school teacher. currenly i am working on an essay for my efl programme. as we all know that the clt asserted the use of the target language inside the classroom and minimized to great extent the use of the L1 and considered english as the only way to communicate in the classroom....

my question here is how using the L1 can be beneficial to the students and to what extent can we use the L1 in the classrooms?

"real life experiences on the benefits of using L1 would be appreciated.."

[MattMaleham]

hey reem
I'm not even a teacher yet, I'm still at uni studying to be secondary teacher in Australia, but we are learning a whole lot about that sort of thing at uni at the moment, but I am not familiar with much about L1 and L2 stuff. What country do you teach in? I'm trying to learn as much as possible about teaching and how to overcome problems that may arise, and I guess the best way is probably to understand what problems other teachers face and then see what their solutions were or to at least go and look through books or articles and see what can be done to help in certain situations. I'd love to look through some books or ask around about your situation, can you give me a bit more detail regarding your situation? How long have you been teaching for?

[reem]

hi,

thanks MattMaleham for your participation ..... well, sure i read lots of articles about using the L1 in classroom and when not to use it ....

im teaching high school where all the students share the same mother toung which is arabic including me ..... sometimes students may get adavantage of this and demand at some point of using arabic to explain grammar or anything that they find difficult to grasp......

i've been teaching now for 4 years ... and through out this time i noticed the tendency from students to use arabic in doing nearly every single task given to them ..... well i think that this may has to do with students learning style .. ... or due to lack of confidence in themselves ....

i dont really use arabic inside classroom unless its really important .....
do u know nay one who encounter such thiings during classtime ...

thanks in advance

[meimeiji]

I read some interesting material in a book called Second Language Acquisition by Rod Ellis; Oxford University Press, 1997; Oxford Introductions to Language Study. There's also some pretty good research studies that have been done, if you have access to a reference library.

I only allow L1 between 2 students if one of them doesn't understand a concept. My students equate conversing in L1 during class as being rude to the class and me.

[schetin]

Hi all,

In practice, L2 without association with L1 is an advantage only for emigrants. If the country you belong to wants to get rid of its citizens, or is a slave of an English speaking country, or else is getting tired of its own culture - only then the above mentioned association is a pain in the neck.

It's a matter of politics.

[JeremyTaylor]

Many people send their children to an English speaking country to learn English. While there, they study in classrooms where there may be 10 different nationalities and the teacher can only use English. Would their learning be more efefctive if they were divided into language groups and have a teacher that spoke their L1? I don't think so. I've been teaching for 19 years and don't use the L1 in the classroom. I know some teachers do it to be kind to their students, to help them. But it is like a drug - the more they get, the more they will want - and the more addicted they will become.
Jeremy

[schetin]

Hi Jeremy,

Many people send their children to an English speaking country to learn English. While there, they study in classrooms where there may be 10 different nationalities and the teacher can only use English.

You are missing the point. Many doesn't mean everybody; moreover, try to imagine real many in your country. Besides, you are speaking of students under most favourable conditions, and in these you can never tell whose success is to your credit. Extensive exposure to L2 does influence the process of learning and motivation, but can't speak in favour of a teacher's skills.

Would their learning be more effective if they were divided into language groups and have a teacher that spoke their L1? I don't think so.

In your circumstances using L2 only is inevitable, but is it really advantageous. I know a lot of students who have learnt English with native speakers and their knowledge of English is rather poor - but self-assurance, the latter being not an advantage at all, since it hinders further progress.

I've been teaching for 19 years and don't use the L1 in the classroom. I know some teachers do it to be kind to their students, to help them. But it is like a drug - the more they get, the more they will want - and the more addicted they will become.

Exactly! That's where experience speaks out. It's a teacher's duty to keep students under control and to time and measure whatever is being done in class. It really is like a drug for freshers (a headache as well) but is overcome with time and experience by those who stay in business.

Happy New Year,

Slava

[JeremyTaylor]

Hi Slava,
I'm not sure if you agree with or not from your post! The fact that many children go to an English speaking country and improve quickly tells me that for those teachers in a non-English speaking environment, it is up to them to recreate that English-only environment in the classroom. I have the greatest respect for other languages but, like an enthusiastic puppy, it will only distract the student from acquiring the new language.
Jeremy
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jeremytaylor/

[samsiahk]

Well, I used to teach English in a college that uses English as the medium of instruction. the students' mother tongue, meaning the language they are most comfortable with and they use daily is Malay. I used to think that their unwillingness to use English when communicating was because their weak command of the language until someone pointed out that this could be due to the identity problem -we both know Malay, why should we use English? yes, I prohibited L1 in my class, and I found that the students were more willing to try to use English. Doing discussion is a bit problematic though as the weaker ones tended to depend more on the better speakers, but at least they tried. And I do believe that one learns the language by speaking it, using it!