ATTITUDES OF TEACHERS TOWARDS L1 USE IN ENGLISH CLASSROOM IN THE CONTEXTS OF TURKEY AND KYRGYZSTAN

Year 2019, Issue: 80, 57 - 71, 26.12.2019

Begimai Akulova

Abstract

In an attempt to achieve perfect English language proficiency, all learners face the same issue: the inevitable use of their L1 in an English classroom. Various studies have identified different attitudes and reasons for teachers’ and students’ L1 use in English classroom. The aim of this paper is to identify teachers’ attitude towards L1 use and reveal the reason for their particular attitude through the use of the open-ended questionnaires. Teachers’ attitude was distinguished in terms of teachers’ and students’ L1 use. Apart from that teachers’ questionnaires attempted to identify activities that are best carried out through L1 and TL. As this study comprises teachers from universities of Turkey and Kyrgyzstan the difference between their attitudes has been also investigated. Qualitative data obtained from the questionnaires was collected, coded and analyzed with the help of the NVivo12 software program. The research findings revealed that overall attitude of teachers towards their own use of L1 is positive. However substantial difference has been observed between the attitudes of Turkish and Kyrgyz teachers. Results obtained from teachers’ survey revealed that majority of teachers from Turkish context tend to have positive attitude with regard to teachers’ L1 employment than their Kyrgyz colleagues. Moreover no considerable difference has been observed in terms of the teachers’ attitude towards students’ L1 use. Similarly no substantial difference has been observed between the attitudes of Turkish and Kyrgyz teachers towards students’ use of L1. Finally, activities best carried out through L1 and TL based on the teachers’ view have been listed and discussed. Research findings also revealed that teachers and students employed L1 mainly for pedagogical reasons. Results also suggest that limited and judicious use of L1 can be served as a facilitating tool to improve TL proficiency.

Keywords

Attitudes, L1 (Turkish and Kyrgyz), TL (English), Reasons Advantages, Disadvantages.

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