Title: L1 Use in the L2 Classroom: A University Instructor’s Perceptions of His Language Choices
Stream: Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Presentation Type: Virtual Presentation
Authors:
Miki Harwood, Dokkyo University, Japan
Abstract:
First language (L1) use in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms has been studied for several decades. Scholars have studied classroom L1 use from different perspectives, for example, the functions of teachers’ L1 use (Sert, 2005; Forman, 2012; 2016) and its pedagogical effects (Lee & Macaro, 2013; Lee & Levine, 2020). Although English-only policies have been questioned in many countries, in Japan the Ministry of Education recommends that English should be taught through English. As Hawkins (2015) notes, this has led to a belief in Japan that L1 use should be minimized or avoided in EFL classrooms. Although research regarding the quantity and functions of classroom L1 use has gained more attention, there are few studies that have investigated teachers’ perspectives on their own L1 use (e.g., Polio & Duff, 1994; Hobbs et al., 2009). This presentation reports findings from a qualitative study which explores how and why a university instructor used students' L1 in his classroom. The presentation focuses on one participant, an English-speaking EFL instructor in a Japanese university. Data from semi-structured interviews, stimulated recall interviews, and classroom observations are analyzed using a phenomenological approach. The presenter reports on how the instructor used the students’ L1 and his understanding of his own language choice and use. The findings show that the instructor’s L1 use is often for sociopragmatic purposes, and that it is multifaced and dynamic as he responds to the communication needs of his students while managing his classes.
Virtual Presentation
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