The L1 in L2 learning: teachers' beliefs and practices

Abstract

Opinions concerning the use of the L1 in L2 learning and teaching have differed markedly over the years. For much of the past century, it has generally been asserted by theorists and methodologists that the L1 has a largely negative influence on L2 learning and that its use should therefore be kept to an absolute minimum in L2 teaching. However, in recent years this position has been called into question, leading to the beginnings of a reassessment of previous orthodoxies. This book sets out to examine this controversial issue of the L1 in L2 teaching and learning from the perspective of the practitioner rather than the theorist. Focusing on the cases of four L2 teachers, all of whom share the same L1 as their students, this book investigates in depth the attitudes these four teachers hold towards the L1 in their L2 teaching, the extent to which their attitudes are reflected in their L1-related behaviours in class, and the factors they perceive as influences on their beliefs and behaviours. The book contributes to our understanding of teachers' perceptions of the L1 as a medium of instruction in L2 teaching and of their L1-related practices when faced with day-to-day classroom realities. It examines the potential implications of these enhanced understandings for teacher education.