L1 USE IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS IN TURKEY

Abstract

It is not a coincidence that the debate concerning the use of first language (L1) in second/foreign language teaching has flourished in the aftermath of a deep interest in the role of focus on form in second/foreign language classrooms. The issues of L1 use and focus on form in second/foreign language classrooms are discussed as different issues in the literature. However, research on L1 use in language classrooms shows that one of the functions of L1 use is to explain linguistic features. This study aims at describing how exactly L1 is used in EFL classrooms to focus on form. Pre-observation interviews and classroom observations of three teachers of EFL show that the main function of teachers’ first language use in foreign language classrooms is to focus on form in order to ensure understanding. As a form of focus on form, teachers in general employ L1 as the last resort to focus on form explicitly. Furthermore, two of the three teachers state that explanations in L1 serve as a reassurance of what students already learned in the target language. Finally, the interviews and classroom instances of focus on form indicate that teachers’ use of L1 in language classrooms is an extension of their views on the utility of explicit focus on form in foreign language classrooms. 

Keywords

• L1 use
• foreign language classrooms
• focus on form

L1 Use In English As A Foreign Language Classrooms In Turkey[English]

Abstract

Yabancı dil sınıflarında ana dilin kullanılması tartışmasının, yabancı dil sınıflarında yabancı dil yapılarının vurgulanması çalışmalarının yaygınlaşmasının hemen akabinde ortaya çıkması bir tesadüf değildir. Yabancı dil sınıflarında anadilin kullanılması ve yabancı dil yapılarının vurgulanması konuları ayrı ayrı tartışılmaktadır. Ancak yabancı dil sınıflarında anadil kullanımını inceleyen çalışmalar, anadil kullanımının işlevlerinden birinin yabancı dil yapılarını açıklamak olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu çalışma anadilin yabancı dil sınıflarında tam olarak yabancı dil yapılarını vurgulamak için nasıl kullanıldığını tanımlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Üç yabancı dil öğretmeni ile yapılan röpörtaj ve sınıf içi gözlemler göstermektedir ki yabancı dil sınıflarında anadil kullanımının ana amacı, öğrencilerin anlamalarından temin etmek amacıyla yabancı dil yapılarını açıklamaktadır. Yapıları açıklama amaçlı olarak öğretmenler anadili son bir adım olarak yapıları açık olarak anlatmak için kullanmaktadırlar. Üç öğretmenden ikisine göre anadilde açıklama, öğrencilere İngilizce olarak öğrendikleri konularla ilgili de bir güven sağlama amacı taşıyabilmektedir. Son olarak, röportaj ve sınıf gözlemlerinde ortaya çıkmaktadır ki, anadilin yabancı dil sınıflarında kullanımı öğretmenlerin yabancı dil yapılarının sınıflarda vurgulanmasının faydasına inanıp inanmamaları ile ilgilidir.

Keywords

• Anadil kullanımı
• yabancı dil sınıfları
• dil yapılarının vurgulanması

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