| This
article presents the results of a study on intermediate high school learners’
mother language use and their attitudes towards the only-English use in foreign
language learning in Turkey. The participants of the study are 30 students who
attend to different state high schools in the North-western region of Turkey.
The study aims to investigate (a) learners’ amount of Turkish language use
among specific interlocutors, (b) learners’ amount of Turkish language use in
specific contexts, (c) learners’ attitudes towards only target language use,
and (d) learners’ attitudes towards only target language use in specific
contexts. The main data collection instrument is a questionnaire, while a
semi-structured interview is conducted to supplement the primary form of data.
According to the results of the questionnaire, the learners state that teachers
should speak only in English in almost all circumstances, as the learners hold
the belief that the maximum exposure to the foreign language is important. However, they also state that the mother
tongue should be used during English language instruction when necessary. Such
a necessity for the use of mother tongue is felt by learners during grammar
explanations and instructions about the details of tests or assignments.
Moreover, the results of the semi-structured interviews show that the use of
mother tongue is associated with the identity issue from a critical perspective
as well as a facilitator of the L2 learning process. Further interpretations
about students’ needs to shift to Turkish are also offered. |