Transcript Slide 1

CHALLENGES OF USING EMI
RE-EXAMINING L1 USE IN THE
CLASSROOM
STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES
Mouhamad Mouhanna
TESOL Sudan 26th Feb 2015
UAE University, UFP
[email protected]
QUICK QUIZ
1. Does your institution tolerate some L1 use in
your EFL teaching?
Y
N
QUICK QUIZ
2. In your classroom do you allow the use of L1 by
students?
Y
N
QUICK QUIZ
3. Should students’ opinions be reflected in
educational policy?
N
Y
QUICK QUIZ
4. In your opinion, does the English only EFL
Classroom really exist?
Y
N
INTRODUCTION
Despite recent studies illustrating the
value of limited L1 use in the classroom,
it is still discouraged by most EFL
institutions.
Based on a set of student data we will
explore the potential role of L1 in EFL
teaching.
DURING THIS SESSION WE PLAN TO:
1. Explore the prominent views regarding the use
of L1 in the literature.
2. Report on the findings of a small- scale research
project about university students’ perceptions
of the role of L1 in the EFL classroom
3. Investigate the rationale for discouraging L1 use
in EFL tertiary programs
LITERATURE REVIEW
RECENT STUDIES OPPOSED TO THE ENGLISH
ONLY POLICY HAVE BEEN BASED ON:
1.
2.
3.
Critical explorations of the English only axiom
Studies on cognitive and multilingual
functioning that demonstrate the collaborative
interaction between L1 and L2.
The role of L1 in L2 learning based on a
Vygotskian socio-cultural framework
1. CRITICAL EXPLORATIONS OF THE
ENGLISH ONLY AXIOM:

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Phillipson (1992) challenges the belief that ‘English is best
taught monolingually”, as a fallacy rooted in colonialism.
It facilitates the way for another fallacy namely “the ideal
teacher of English is a native English speaker”.
This fallacy helps to absolve NESTs from needing to learn
or learn about their students’ L1 (p.192), and subsequently
supports NESTs’ dominant status.
Disempowers the L1
‘The ethos of monolingualism implies the rejection of the
experiences of other languages, meaning the exclusion of the
child’s most intense existential experience” (p.189).

1. CRITICAL EXPLORATIONS OF THE
ENGLISH ONLY AXIOM:
Auerbach’s (1993) arguments follows a similar vein, and details U.S.
based studies where the L1 was effectively incorporated in ESL
learning.
EFL policy’s approach towards L1 is all or nothing, has ideological
roots, with limited backing from research
Her study, she asserts
‘It reduces anxiety and enhances the affective environment for
learning, takes into account sociocultural factors, facilitates
incorporation of learners’ life experiences, and allows for
learner- centered curriculum development. Most importantly it
allows for language to be used as a meaning- making tool and
for language learning to become a means of communicating ideas
rather than an end in itself’ (p.20).
2. STUDIES BASED ON COGNITION AND
MULTILINGUAL FUNCTIONING
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

Storch and Wigglesworth ‘s (2003) study demonstrates that
L1 provides ‘cognitive support’ during language analysis
and in the completion of cognitively demanding tasks. It
allows students to work at cognitively higher levels and
may be a normal psychological process’ (p.768).
Herman et al (1998) question whether language learners
should be expected to or are even capable of suppressing L1
during L2 retrieval tasks .
Scott and de la Fuente (2008) conclude that students not
permitted to use L1 during a grammar peer activity
displayed reduced and fragmented levels of interaction,
imposing difficult cognitive demands, which will “hinder the
use of class talk, and impede ‘natural’ learning strategies”.
3. THE ROLE OF L1 IN L2 LEARNING
BASED ON VYGOTSKIAN SOCIOCULTURAL FRAMEWORKS
Studies within a Vygotskian socio-cultural
framework highlight the scaffolding role that L1
plays in the production of L2 particularly in peer
work.
 In a study based on collaborative writing tasks
where students used L1, Anton and DiCamilla
(1998) found the L1 moved learners through their
zone of proximal development and played a
‘strategic cognitive role in scaffolding’ (p. 319).

HOW MUCH L1 IS TOO MUCH?
Although the literature supports L1 use, it does
not support its random use (Wilkins 1974,
Atkinson 1987, Mai-ling 1996, Scott De la Fuente
2008)
Mai-ling (1996) highlights that teachers need to
ensure that there is critical reflection around the
‘sensible’ use of L1 in the EFL classroom
Atkinson (1987) supports a productive use of L1
(5%)
RE-EXAMINING L1 USE IN THE
CLASSROOM
STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES
RATIONALE
L1 is considered by some teachers as a hindrance,
while others view it as a beneficial tool in EFL
teaching. Students’ perceptions regarding this
pedagogical question however, is often overlooked.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS


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What are students thoughts about the use of L1 in the
classroom?
What were students’ previous experiences in the high
schools?
Do the opinions of students at the different English
levels vary?
What is the policy regarding the use of L1 in the
classroom and what is their rationale?
METHODOLOGY



A Quantitative and Qualitative (mixed method)
study based mainly on survey findings.
A survey for students was designed with Likert 5
point questions.
Interview with the Head of a tertiary English
foundation program
PARTICIPANTS
Survey respondents were 124 new students from
Beginner Level (40) Intermediate Level (46)
Advanced Level (38). All the students were female
 The Head Of the English Program in a tertiary
institution

DATA ANALYSIS



SPSS Basic Descriptive Statistics (means etc.).
Independent Samples T-Test to Identify Areas of
Interest and trends
Trends/ patterns to be explored in depth through
the open ended questions
RELIABILITY TEST

SPSS determined.

Cronbach's Alpha =0.612.

Reliability Test valid.

Survey answered Valid and not at random
Statistical
Results
SURVEY QUESTIONS




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
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

Do you think the use of Arabic in the classroom helps you
learn English?
‫هل تعتقد أن استخدام اللغة العربية في الصف يساعدك على تعلم اللغة اإلنجليزية؟‬.1
Strongly Agree Agree
‫أوافق بشدة‬
‫أوافق‬
No Opinion
Disagree
‫ال رأي لي‬
‫أوافق‬
StronglyDisagree
‫أرفض بشدة‬
Do you think the use of Arabic in the classroom helps you
learn English better?
‫ هل تعتقد أن استخدام اللغة العربية في الصف يساعدك على تعلم اللغة اإلنجليزية‬.11
‫بصورة أفضل؟‬
Strongly Agree
Agree
No Opinion Disagree
)‫نعم (بالتأكيد‬
‫نعم‬
‫ال رأي لي‬
‫ال‬
Strongly Disagree
)‫ال (بالتأكيد‬
RELIABILITY TEST
Levels
q1
q11
2.05
1.73
3.13
2.60
3.03
2.71
Mean
level 1
Mean
level 2
Mean
level 3
Statistical Results
Do you think the use of Arabic in the classroom helps you learn
English?
‫هل تعتقد أن استخدام اللغة العربية في الصف يساعدك على تعلم اللغة اإلنجليزية؟‬.1
Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion
‫أوافدق بشددة‬
‫أوافدق‬
‫ال رأي لدي‬
Disagree
‫أوافدق‬
Strongly Disagree
‫أرفض بشددة‬
There was a significant difference between the Level 1 (n=2.05)and
Level 2 (n=3.13)
And also a significant difference between level 1(n=2.05) and level 3
(n=3.03)
STATISTICAL RESULTS

Do you like your teacher to use Arabic in class?
‫هل تحب أن يستخدم مدرسك اللغة العربية في الصف؟‬.2

Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree

‫أوافق بشدة‬

‫أوافق‬
 No
‫ال رأي لي‬
‫أوافق‬
‫أرفض بشدة‬
significant differences between the 3 levels
however means increase with level.
 Level
1 (n= 2.38)
 Level 2 (n=2.93)
 Level 3 (n=3.11)
‫?‪DO YOU THINK ARABIC SHOULD BE USED BY THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM‬‬
‫‪ .7‬هلللللللللللللل تعتقلللللللللللللد أن اللغلللللللللللللة العربيلللللللللللللة يجلللللللللللللب يسلللللللللللللتخدم ا ال ل لللللللللللللة فلللللللللللللي صللللللللللللل اللغلللللللللللللة اإلنجليزيلللللللللللللة؟‬
‫‪DISAGREE‬‬
‫‪STRONGLY‬‬
‫أرفض بشدة‬
‫‪DISAGREE‬‬
‫أوافق‬
‫‪NO OPINION‬‬
‫ال أوافق‬
‫‪AGREE‬‬
‫ال رأي لي‬
‫‪STRONGLY AGREE‬‬
‫أوافق‬
‫أوافق بشدة‬
‫)‪There was a significant difference between Level 1 (n=2.30)and 2 (n=3.61‬‬
‫)‪also between level 1(n=2.30) and level 3 (n=3.29‬‬
‫‪no sig difference between level 2 and level 3‬‬
‫‪‬‬
‫‪‬‬
‫‪‬‬
WHAT PERCENTAGE
OF THE TIME DO YOU THINK ARABIC SHOULD
BE USED IN THE ENGLISH CLASS? CHOOSE ONE.
‫ ما النس ة المئوية التي تعتقد أنه يجب استخدام اللغة العربية في ا في أثناء ص‬.8
‫اللغة اإلنجليزية؟‬
%0
%5
%10
%20
)‫ أو أكثر‬%50(

The lower level learners prefer more Arabic in the
classroom
Level 1 n=3.67
Level 2 n=3.07
Level 3 n= 2.79
WAS ARABIC USED IN THE
CLASSROOM WHEN YOU WERE IN
HIGH SCHOOL?
Out of 124 students:
 13 students answered No 10%
 111 answered Yes 90%
QUALITATIVE
RESULTS FROM
STUDENTS
SAMPLE RESPONSES: LEVEL 1 STUDENTS
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE USE OF ARABIC
IN YOUR ENGLISH CLASSES IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
AND YOUR UNIVERSITY CLASSES?
‫نظرا ألن في المرحلة الثانوية المعلمة عربية و لكن في الجامعة المعلم‬
.‫إنجليزي مختلفون في الحروف و السرعة‬
 In high school teacher is Arabic, and in
University the teacher is English they differ
in their letters and speed.

‫عندما كانت المعلمة تشرح لنا قواعد اللغة اإلنجليزية باللغة العربية كنا‬
.‫نفهم ما تقول أما اآلن فصم بكي عمي فهم ال يسمعون‬
 When the teacher used to explain English
grammar through the Arabic language we
were able to understand but now we are
‘Deaf, dumb and blind.’

SAMPLE RESPONSES: LEVEL 2 STUDENTS
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE USE OF ARABIC
IN YOUR ENGLISH CLASSES IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
AND YOUR UNIVERSITY CLASSES?
 .‫المدرسة‬
‫ألن اإلنجليزية مطلوبة في الجامعة أكثر من‬
 English is required more in the university
than the school .
‫في المرحلة الثانوية كانت تشرح باللغة اإلنجليزية بعد ذلك تعيد الشرح‬
.‫و تستخدم بعض الكلمات العربية حتى نتمكن من الفهم الجيد‬
 At the secondary level, the teacher explained
in English, then re-explained by translating
some of the words into Arabic, so that we
would gain a better understanding.

SAMPLE RESPONSES: LEVEL 3 STUDENTS
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE USE OF ARABIC
IN YOUR ENGLISH CLASSES IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
AND YOUR UNIVERSITY CLASSES?

“There is the same because our teacher in the high
school always used English only in the class because
that was helpful for the student to overcome the
challenges of talking in English”.
‫ يجب على المعلم أن يستخدم اللغة‬،‫إن كنا نفهم اإلنجليزي باللغة اإلنجليزية‬
.‫اإلنجليزية‬
 If we are to understand the English language, the
teacher must use English.

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN THE TEACHER USES
ARABIC IN THE ESL CLASSROOM?
LEVEL 1 RESPONDENTS
‫أشعر بالراحة و أحس بأني في بالدي حيث يمكنني الحديث باللغة العربية‬
.‫بطالقة‬
 “I feel comfortable in my country where I can
speak Arabic”.

 .‫بدقة‬
‫بسهولة وصف ما أريد الحديث عنه و فهم ما يطلبه المدرس‬
 “Easily describe what I want to talk about and
understand what the teacher requests”.

“When I speak Arabic with my English teacher
sometime I feel comfortable and confident because
I sure my sentence is good and I sure my sir not
comment for my sentence”.
HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN THE TEACHER USES
ARABIC IN THE ESL CLASSROOM?
LEVEL 2 RESPONDENTS

“I can feel sometimes comfit win I speak English
but not always I come her to learn not Arabic and
I want to improve my language so I have to speak
English but sometimes I like to speak to
understand or to fun”.
.‫أشعر بأن المعلومات تتبنى بسرعة و تكون سهلة كثير‬
 I take that information quickly and easily.

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN THE TEACHER USES
ARABIC IN THE ESL CLASSROOM?
LEVEL 3 RESPONDENTS
.‫أشعر بأنني لن أتعلم اإلنجليزية إذا تحدثت بالعربية في حصص اللغة اإلنجليزية‬
 I feel that I will not learn English if the teacher speaks
Arabic.

‫أشعر و كأنني في حصة اللغة العربية و أستخدمها للغة العربية في حصص اللغة‬
‫اإلنجليزية ال تساعدنا على تعلم اللغة اإلنجليزية‬
 ِI feel like I am in an Arabic class and to use Arabic
will not help us to learn English

EFL PROGRAM’S POLICY
Is there a place for L1 in the EFL classroom?
INSTITUTION POLICY


“Well in general the institution prefers the teachers or
expects teachers to exclusively use English only in the
classroom”.
“A few years ago they had to make it policy that teachers
use English only in the class”.
(Head of English Program)
RATIONALE FOR THE INSTITUTION’S
POLICY
 “It
stems from the history of this place. Students
in the public school system spent a few years
struggling with English and the vast majority of
the teachers come from the Middle East. The
teachers’ inadequate training and the main
problem is that they use a lot of Arabic in the
classroom.”
 “The
teachers understand they shouldn’t use it
and students can complain about the use of
Arabic”.
(Head of English Program)
RATIONALE FOR THE INSTITUTION’S
POLICY
“The university made that decision thinking that
the use of L1 in the classroom is bad because of
the frustration with the experience in the
primary and secondary school. This frustration
has resulted in them making such decisions
that can be extreme without thinking about the
pedagogic implications so it’s not the linguist
or applied linguist who has decreed this but it’s
the local administration who believe that
Arabic is the problem.”
Head of English Program)
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS



Level 1 students indicated a higher level of support for
L1 (mean: 2.05) use compared to Level 3 students
(mean: 3.03).
Reports of experiences with learning English at the
secondary school level indicate that teachers relied
heavily on the use of L1 in their ESL teaching.
Most students saw potential benefits for their own use
of L1 in their learning, with level one students (2.3)
demonstrating more support for this than level three
students (3.29).
PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE
STUDY
The finding that lower level students who were
more likely to support L1 use as a scaffolding
tool, indicated that students identified this as an
important part of effective learning.
Rather than being only an administration policy,
students’ opinions regarding this pedagogical tool
should also be taken into account in a
collaborative decision making process. Teachers
should encourage discussion around the role of
L1 in EFL learning.
DO YOU THINK THE USE OF L1 CAN
HELP STUDENTS?

“If used effectively yes but one can teach
English without the use of Arabic”
(Head of English Program)
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
“How often Arabic
classroom?”
should
be
used
“Rarely about 5% of the time”
(Head of English Program)
in
the
SOME USEFUL REFERENCES

Anton, M. & DiCamilla, F. (1998). Socio-cognitive Functions of the L1
Collaborative Interaction in the L2 Classroom. Canadian Modern Language
Review, 54, 314-342.

Atkinson, D. (1987). The mother tongue in the classroom: A neglected resource?
ETL Journal, 41, 4, pp. 241-247.

Auerbach, E. (1993). Reexamining English only in the ESL classroom. TESOL
Quarterly, vol. 27, 9- 32.


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Schweers, C.W. (1999). Using L1 in the L2 classroom. English Teaching Forum,
37, 2, p. 6-13. Retrieved February 2008, from
http://exchanges.state.gov./forum/vols/vol37/no2/p6.htm
Storch, N. & Wigglesworth, G. (2003). Is there a role for the use of L1 in an L2
setting? TESOL Quarterly, 37, 4, 760-769.
Scott, V. and De La Fuente, M. (2008). What’s the Problem? L2 Learners’ Use of
the L1 During Consciousness- Raising, Form focused Tasks. In The Modern
Language Journal, 92, 1, 100-113.
Storch, N. & Wigglesworth, G. (2003). Is there a role for the use of L1 in an L2
setting? TESOL Quarterly, 37, 4, 760-769.