Article+Reflecion+on+Using+L1+in+the+l2+Classroom

 //By C. William Schweers, Jr.//  It is an article that explains the research results that a professor who teaches English as a foreign language to monolingual Spanish-speaking classes in Puerto Rico conducted about L1 using in second or foreign language classrooms. According to his research results, L1 should be used to some degree in L2 classrooms. He found that in English classes in a Puerto Rican university, Spanish should be used to some degree. Students feel there are clear cases where Spanish will facilitate their comprehension of what is happening in class. A majority also agree that the use of Spanish helps them to learn English.  A high percentage (88.7%) of the student participants in this study felt that Spanish should be used in their English classes. All of the teachers reported using Spanish to some degree. Approximately 99 percent of the students responded that they like their teachers to use only English in the classroom. Very noticeable is the 86 percent of students who would like Spanish used to explain difficult concepts. Only 22 percent of teachers saw this as an appropriate use. Students also responded notably higher than teachers on the following uses for Spanish: to help students feel more comfortable and confident, to check comprehension, and to define new vocabulary items. Neither students nor teachers saw a use for the L1 in testing.  A notable percentage of students would like Spanish to be used in English class either between 10 and 39 percent of the time. A sizeable number of students like the use of Spanish because it helps them when they feel lost. About 87 percent of students feel Spanish facilitates their learning of English between "a little" and "a lot," and about 57 percent think it helps from "fairly much" to "a lot."  After conducted that research, he experimented more Spanish in his English classes in that semester and gradually reduced the amount of Spanish he was using and added more English. He proved that a second language can be learned through raising awareness to the similarities and differences between the L1 and the L2, and that the prudent use of L2 in the English classroom affirms the value of our students’ L1 is their primary means of communication and cultural expression. Finally, he has found that using Spanish has led to positive attitudes toward the process of learning English and better yet, encourage students to learn more English.  I agree with the professor about his findings of L1 use in L2 classrooms. As it will not have a meaning to use just L2 in a foreign language classroom like in an elementary level, I believe the importance of L1 use. L1 use is especially important while checking comprehension. Also, it is important to explain a structure for the first time; L1 should often be used, of course according to the level. The professor did not mention about the level of students and I think it is an important factor to decide to use L1. If we are teaching in an advanced level classroom, we do not need to use L1 in any case and actually we should not use. Moreover, its applicability is changeable according to different learner profiles. In Turkey, we can apply L1 use in classrooms and, in fact, most of the teachers use it already. And it should more often be used in a class for young learners rather than adults.
 * USING L1 IN THE L2 CLASSROOM **

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