Debate:Use of L1 in the classroom
The use of L1 in the classroom is one of many ongoing debates among language teachers, and indeed, students. Obviously in the case of classes with students from different countries, it would be unnacceptable for a teacher to show some sort of preference to certain students just because he/she happens to speak their language. But in classes where all the students - and the teacher - speak the same language, both teachers and students may find themselves asking questions or giving explanations in the common language. It may simply be the result of a spontaneous situation, the reality of the context or a specific strategy of the teacher.
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Pros
Among the arguments used by those who support use of L1 is that it helps save valuable time, especially when giving explanations, it reduces student stress by lowering the affective filter and generally makes the language learning process more effective and efficient.
Cons
Those who disapprove of classroom use of L1 claim that students should be exposed to as much target language as possible at all times, because it reproduces situations in which students have to cope with language beyond their actual linguistic abilities.
Your opinion
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- Just to set the ball rolling, and not strictly classroom use of L1, but illustrative, nevertheless. Hot off my teacher training course, oh so many years ago, I dogmatically applied the no-L1 line - even to the extent of insisting on use of English in the lift before or after class, or when I happened to meet a student at the bank, in the street, etc. At first, many students accept it as a challenge and try to rise to the occasion and/or humour the teacher. But on a Friday evening, after class, going down in the lift, a "normal" human being likes to make some sort of off-the-cuff, spontaneous comment to another human being who speaks the same language. Not responding in kind may, with certain students, create a negative reaction which may affect the teacher-student relationship, and thus the learning process.--Technopat 10:25, 17 September 2009 (UTC)
- While it is certainly true that it is best to get students talking, listening and in thinking English at the earliest possible stage, the idea that the teacher should always communicate in English seems to have become a matter of faith rather than logic for some. In my experience, if you are teaching adults, after a long explanation when they finally get the idea they will frequently search their minds for the nearest similar word in their native language. I speak Spanish reasonably well and when I'm talking in or listening in Spanish I think in Spanish - but if some new technical word comes up I will think, "Ah, so that's how you say X in Spanish."
- Sometimes, after an explanation a student will say in English "Ah, so that would be the same as Spanish "Y". Usually that are right but sometimes they are not. I can either say "Actually, it's more like Spanish 'Z'" or I can spend a lot more time trying to get there in English.
- The route I take depends on the class and the student. Sometimes I'll translate the word and sometimes I won't.
- With children I think it's a bit different. If you let on that you speak their language they may fail to see the point in communicating with you in English.--Bob M 09:35, 18 September 2009 (UTC)
- Agreed. I've also found it gives the students even greater confidence in the teacher if they discover s/he has a good command of their language - not only the everyday language (and different registers), but also technical terms, cultural aspects and idiomatic expressions, etc. Obviously this only applies to classes where all the students share a common language. Interesting point abt kids. I have never taught - an' will never teach - the little blighters, but I can see how they'd apply their logical conclusion to their actual situation. --Technopat 10:01, 18 September 2009 (UTC)
