1. THE USE OF L1 IN THE CLASSROOM
IATEFL Glasgow 22 March 2012

2. A teacher and learners using L1 in an English L2 language classroom.

3. Identity and emotions linked to L1
REFERENCE LANGUAGE
MOTHER
TONGUE L1
MILK TONGUE
LINGUA
MATERNA
NATIVE TONGUE
1ST ACQUIRED LANGUAGE
How many of you speak more than 1 language?
What is your mother tongue?

4. Language acquisition and NEW IDENTITY
New identities linked to new interlanguages

5. Language acquisition modifies pre-acquired langage(s) and creates new interlanguages
L1? --L2? L1?-- L3? L2?--L3? L1
Don’t think in your L1! Think in English!
Don’t translate word for word!

6. How do you use L1? Do you use L1? How do you use L1?
Other possible questions: How do you avoid using L1? Are you happy about how you use L1? How do your students use L1?

7. How we avoid students using L1

8. Direct method
Aims to mirror the NATURALISTIC method within an INSTRUCTED environment

9. Zoltan Dornyei Professor of Psycholinguistics Nottingham University
Hungarian Experiment
Zoltan Dornyei
Professor of Psycholinguistics
Nottingham University

10. Jo napot kivanok! Hello!
Dornyei Zoltan vagyok. I am Zoltan Dornyei.
Most Nottinghamben vagyok. I am in Nottingham now.
Hogy vannak? How are you?
Tudom hogy beszelnek angolul. I know you speak English.
Szomjas vagyok, mikor fogunk kavet inni?
I’m thirsty when are we going to drink coffee?
Koszonom szepen. Thank you very much.
Viszontlatasra! Goodbye!

11. L1 +
Translation
Grammar
L1 -
Direct
Audiolingual
CLT

12. Problems with sole use of direct method
Impossible to recreate authentic “immersion” situation seen in L1 acquisition.
Gesticulating no better than miming?
Demands a lot of physical effort from the teacher.
Not always learner centered.
Difficult to check student comprehension.
Students remain silent rather than use their L1.
L1 use seen as a failure.

13. How do your students use L1?
Classroom layout affects student interaction and language choice. Team work and peer-elected group leaders make students responsible for their actions.

14. ROWS
GROUPS

15. Constructive L1 use in class
Translation
Making comparisons

16. Instant vocabulary gratification
Using mini bilingual dictionaries.
Online dictionaries:
Linguee
Wordreference
IATE
Mobile phones, smartphones.
Laptops.

17. L1 specific translation issues
Not all verbal forms are translatable.
No present perfect in Arabic (cf. Sara AWAD, IATEFL VOICES Jan-Feb 2012).
No present continuous in French.
Spanish people will say «  is raining », French people will say «  I have 17 years old » or « I wash the car now » which are direct grammatical translations from their own languages.

18. Students’ reflections on their use of L1 in the classroom
Interview with Science Masters students
ESP classroom
Faculté des Sciences, Nantes.
Faculté des Sciences. Semester 1 Academic Year 2011_12. Physics and Chemistry Masters Students.

19. VIDEO
English class for Masters Physics and Chemistry students. They mostly want to be General Science teachers in Secondary French schools. Some want to become researchers.

20. Reflecting on my L1 and English
Prepare questions which your students can reflect on. How long have you been learning English? How many of your past teachers used L1 in English class? When do you use L1 in class? How do you think your teacher feels when you use L1?

21. VIDEO

22. Final points for reflection
A teacher’s positive awareness of his/her students’ L1 language and culture will have an influence on their L2 learner self.
Adaptability: The choice to use or limit L1 in the classroom will depend on your students’ needs.

24. Gloria Barnett-Powell
Special Thanks to:
Colin McKensie
Gloria Barnett-Powell
Zoltan Dornyei
Xavier Cartron
Douglas Carnall
Linda Donne

25. References

26. Awad, S. 2012. 'Absent inter-lingua grammatical equivalence
Awad, S 'Absent inter-lingua grammatical equivalence.' IATEFL VOICES 224: 4-5.
Byram, M. and P. Grundy (eds.) Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Castelloni, V La langue maternelle en classe de langue étrangère. Saint-Germain-du-Puy: CLE International.
Cole, S ‘ The use of L1 in communicative English classrooms’. The Language Teacher Online.(Retrieved 27 September 2011 from
Cook, V ‘Using the first language in the classroom’. Spreading the influence of Second Language Acquisition. (Retrieved 27 September 2011 from  
Cook,V. (ed.) Effects of the Second Language on the First. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Dornyei, Z The Psychology of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

27. References continued:
Dornyei, Z and E. Ushioda (eds.) Motivation, Language Identity, and the L2 Self. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Farrell, T.S.C 'Plenary: Reflective practice for language teachers' in Pattison, T. (ed.). IATEFL 2011 Brighton Conference Selections. Canterbury: IATEFL.
Feben, B 'Grammar mimes: can we work on grammar without pens or paper? ' in Pattison, T. (ed.). IATEFL 2011 Brighton Conference Selections. Canterbury: IATEFL.
Feuillet, J Apprentissage précose d'une langue étrangère et bilinguisme. Nantes: CRINI.
Hannam, S 'ELT under the microscope.' IATEFL VOICES 223: 15.
Krause, C. A The Direct Method in Modern Languages. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.
Thornbury, S and Meddings, L Teaching Unplugged, Dogme ELT. Surrey: DELTA Publishing .
References continued: