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Cultural and Linguistic Communication
Cristina – Georgiana Voicu
OVERUSING MOTHER TONGUE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
Cristina – Georgiana VOICU
Assoc. Prof. PhD, Dept. of Communication, Public Relations and Journalism, “Apollonia” University of Iaşi, Romania
Corresponding author: voicucristina2004@yahoo.fr
Abstract the mother tongue equivalent can help learners
This article focuses on the students’ use of the mother understand how English works. If the use of the
tongue as well as the teachers’ use of the mother tongue mother tongue proves to be helpful in the class
during the English classes. A number ofdimensions are then both the teacher and the students will
addressed: students’ perspective on mother tongue use, benefit from this. However, the mother tongue
teachers’ perspective on mother tongue use, strategies for
encouraging use of the target language and relevant should be used only in certain situations. It is
implications for teaching methodology. The reliance on a good idea to agree a policy on its use together
similarities between the language being learnt and the with the students at the beginning of the school
mother tongue can be both a help and a hindrance, and year and decide when and why mother tongue
will often lead to correct ‘guesses’. It can help the learner will be used and by whom.
to get things right. I want to concentrate in this paper on
providing solutions which have to overcome the overuse When confronted with something new,
of the mother tongue. The conclusion calls for a balanced whether it is a different kind of music, or just
and flexible view of student use of the mother tongue. new information, it is a natural instinct to look
Keywords: mother tongue, communication, target
language. for similarities with things that are familiar, to
try and draw some comparison with what we
1. INTRODUCTION already know. Consciously or unconsciously, we
bring what we know to what we do not, making
For many years, teaching English it impossible to learn anything entirely from
crosslingually, i.e. using the students’ mother scratch. This is certainly no less true when we set
tongue (in monolingual classes) as a learning aid, about learning a foreign language. In many cases
was discredited in favour of an “English through teachers’ explanations are in the students’ mother
English” (intralingual approach). However, tongue, a bilingual dictionary is consulted in the
there seems to have been a recent swing of the early stages, and even in the classroom using the
pendulum towards a more flexible proposal most direct language-teaching methods, the
which still admits that the more English is used learner will still, of necessity, conduct an internal
in the classroom, the better but considers L1 as dialogue or rationalisation in his native tongue.
an important teaching/learning tool. A good It is not possible to learn a foreign language
example of this is Mario Rinvolucri who used to without relying to some extent on your mother
be an advocate of the Direct Method, but now tongue, and the impulse to look for similarities
thinks that the students’ mother tongue has an and to draw conclusions based on them is as
important role to play in foreign language strong here as in any other learning context. This
instruction. Thus, the foreign language teaching impulse will be stronger with the greater the
field is dynamic and the mother tongue can be a incidence of apparent similarities. And the
useful instrument in the communicative foreign apparent similarities that exist between many of
language classroom. For instance, where English the languages of the world are innumerable.
grammar is posing a conceptual difficulty, an They are also in the eye of the beholder, since our
illustration of a mother tongue equivalent can be individual perceptions of similarity are as
helpful. Take the ways in which English uses individual as we are. In this respect, the overuse
present tense simple, for example. Linking of the L1 in the L2 classroom might be prejudicial
examples of each use of the present tense with for the students’ learning process.
212 volume 2 • issue 3 July / September 2012 • pp. 212-218
OVERUSING MOTHER TONGUE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
There are, of course, many other influences at process should be minimized In fact a lot of
play when we learn a foreign language, but the teachers believe that theL1 use in EFL classes
influence that the mother tongue has on the must be discouraged because of many reasons:
language we produce when we use a foreign • Use of L1 may become a habit that both
language has become a very important area of learners and teachers may resort to whenever
study for people interested in second language a difficulty is encountred.
acquisition, language teaching, ELT publishing, • L1 may be sometimes misleading when
and language in general and is usually referred learning the target language. In spite of the
to as ‘Language Interference’, ‘Transfer’, or existence of universal governing language
‘Cross-linguistic influence’. It is suggested that sytems, languages differ more or less.
the language produced by foreign learners is so • When using L1 to teach EFL students, errors
unavoidably influenced, and even distorted, by may emerge due to the L1 transfer. Examples
the mother tongue of the learner that it should of errors range from vocabulary to grammar.
rather be termed an ‘Interlanguage’ since it will French learners for example may be misled
always be a blend of the foreign language and by the similarity between the French word
the mother tongue. The better the learner is at “actuellement” and the English word
overcoming language interference, the more “actually”. In spite of the similarity, the
dilute that blend will be. meaning of these vocabulary items differ.
It is important for teachers to understand the The French “actuellement” means “now” or
errors their students make and to target their “at the moment” while “actually” in English
lessons to each student’s individual needs. For means “really”. The Arab learners may also
the persons who come into contact with non- encounter difficulties related to the syntactic
native speakers of English, whether in the course structures of sentences. In Arabic, the sentence
of business or simply when travelling, awareness structure is V-S-O while English sentences
of the kinds of mistakes that learners make and are built following the S-V-O structure.
why they make them will help towards mutual • The use of L1 in EFL classes hinders the
understanding. provision of enough comprehensible input, a
A glance at the long and complex development prerequisite for aquiring any language.
of the English language as we know it today and
at the many linguistic and cultural incursions The support for the monolingual approach to
made into it over the centuries, coupled with its teaching can be summarized as follows:
apparent eagerness to welcome words from 1. The learning of an L2 should model the
other languages into its lexicon, goes some way learning of an L1 (through maximizing the
towards explaining the vast number of traps exposure to L2).
awaiting the English learner. And when we 2. Successful learning involves the separation
consider the variety of different learners with and distinction of L1 and L2.
different mother tongues, together with the 3. Students should be shown the importance of
variety of other forces at work in the language the L2 through its continual use.
learning process, the task of defining, let alone However, the monolingual approach is not
analyzing, learner’s interlanguage becomes a without its criticisms. One of them is that
huge challenge. exposure to language leads to learning; excluding
2. APPROACHES TO THE USE OF L1 students’ L1 for the sake of maximizing students’
IN L2 CONTEXT. THE MONOLINGUAL exposure to L2 is not necessarily productive. In
APPROACH addition, Auerbach criticizes these tough
exposures to the target language by calling them
It has been argued that learners aquire foreign “all-or-nothing views”, and adds: “acquiring a
languages following basically the same path they second language is to some extent contingent on
aquire their mother tongue. According to him, the societally determined value attributed to the
the use of the mother tongue in the learning L1, which can be either reinforced or challenged
inside the classroom” [1].
International Journal of Communication Research 213
Cristina – Georgiana Voicu
3. THE BILINGUAL APPROACH must be considered “as a means to an end”. The
target language must be used where possible
The monolingual approach has been criticised and L1 when necessary. Here are some examples
by many teachers who find that the use of L1 in of appropriate use of L1 in EFL classes.
EFL classes is beneficial at various levels. EFL • Beginners
teachers working with monolingual students at The mother tongue can be probably more
lower levels of English proficiency find beneficial to beginners. As they progress in
prohibition of the mother tongue to be practically their learning the target language will take the
impossible. So instead of looking at the students’ lead.
native language and cultural background as • L1 can be time-saving.
inferior or a source of errors, they must be used Instead of going through long explanations in
as a tool to maximize foreign language the target language, it is sometimes easier and
learning. The mother tongue represents a more efficient to give a translation of a
powerful resource that can be used in a number vocabulary item or an explanation of a
of ways to enhance learning but it must always grammar point. Imagine a teacher who wants
be used in a principled way. Sheelagh Deller and to teach the word “car” to French students
Mario Rinvolucri’s book [2] Using the Mother and starts by phrasing the explanation as
Tongue, which provides practical L1 activities, follows “a car is a road vehicle with an engine,
shows that judicious use of L1 can maximize four wheels, and seats for a small number of
language learning. people” while a simple translation of the
The evidence suggests that some EFL teachers word (or perhaps the use of visual aids) would
strongly believe that they should never use even be enough.
a single word from the mother tongue in the • Comparison
classroom. These teachers are followers of the A comparison of English and the mother
so-called ‘Monolingual Approach’, and others tongue can be a very enriching experience. In
who are somehow skeptical about the use of L1 fact, discovering the similarities and
or use it wisely in their classes are the proponents differences of both languages can enhance
of the ‘Bilingual approach’. In addition to these acquisition. This comparison can be done at
two approaches, Nation [3] introduces another different levels:
approach called a ‘Balanced Approach’. He ¦ Vocabulary
believes teachers need to show respect for – Exploring the nuances of vocabulary
learners’ L1 and need to avoid doing things that items in both languages
make L1 seem inferior to English. – Building bilingual (or even multilingual)
During its history, the bilingual approach semantic maps
gained support and validation from many
scholars and research findings. Auerbach believes ¦ Grammar
that “when the native language is used, practi- – A commparison between L1 grammar
tioners, researchers, and learners consistently and L2 grammar yields interesting results.
report positive results” [1]. In fact there has been – This comparison will highlight the
a gradual move over the years away from the differences between the two languages.
“English only” dogma that has long been a part Teachers and learners may build on these
of the British and American ELT movement. differences to avoid negative transfer.
4. JUDICIOUS USE OF L1 IN FOREIGN – The comparison also shows the
LANGUAGE LEARNING silmilarities which will undoubtedly boost
the internalization of L2 grammar.
• Culture
Using L1 is not the problem. The problem is Language is a vehicle for cultural aspects. If
when and how to use it. Before answering this teachers ban the use of the mother tongue, this
question, it should be borne in mind that L1 use underlies an ideological conception of L1
214 volume 2 • issue 3 July / September 2012 • pp. 212-218
OVERUSING MOTHER TONGUE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
culture as being inferior. Alternatively, understand what lies behind the methods the
cultural differences and similarities can be teacher is using. This can only be done at this
highlighted to help learners accept and tolerate level through their native language.
differences while at the same time preserve • Errors
their culural uniqueness. This can be done The discussion of some recurring errors can
through various activities where L1 plays an be a helpful activity for the students. It is true
important role. that a lot of errors are caused by L1 transfer.
¦ Proverbs French students, for example, say “I’m agree”
Students may be given a set of proverbs in instead of “I agree” which is an error due to
the target language and be asked to find the L1 transfer (in French “Je suis d’accord”.) A
corresponding ones in their mother tongue discussion in L1 of such errors will help
if they exist. If not they try to translate the students overcome these problems.
proverbs into their language.
¦ Idiomatic Expressions 5. ROLE OF L1 IN TEACHING
Again, finding the corresponding idioms or METHODOLOGY
a translation of target language idioms
might be very helpful to detect cultural EFL teachers manage the process of language
differences or similarities instruction in their classrooms by exploring the
¦ Songs students’ L1. Here, the aim is to first categorize
The translation of lyrics from the students’ different language teaching methods and then
favouorite songs can be a pleasant discuss the role and the use of L1 in each of them
experience. briefly. A common classification of methods is:
¦ Jokes traditional, alternative and current communi-
Funny EFL activities can be built on jokes. cative methods. In the field of English language
Students may translate and tell or act jokes teaching the traditional methods of teaching a
to create an environment where there is no language are: Grammar Translation Method,
stress. Direct Method, and Audiolingual method.
• Classroom management Examples of alternative methods are: Silent Way,
Management of conduct and discipline is Suggestopedia, Total Physical Response, and
sometimes hard to be done in the target Community Language Learning. Furthermore,
language. For instance, if a serious problem communicative approaches are Communicative
emerges in the classroom, will the teacher Language Teaching and Natural Approach. The
really insist on an English-only policy when grammar translation method known as “GTM”
coping with it? is the method in which nearly all phases of the
• Grammar lesson employ the use of students’ L1 and
L1 can be of great help when teaching translation techniques. As Celce-Murcia [4]
grammar. Translation exercises for example believes, in GTM there is little use of the target
may be the perfect practice when there is a language and instruction is given in the native
grammar point that is causing trouble to language of the students. In addition, the process
students. of evaluation occurres when students can
translate the readings to the first language and
• Instructions if they knew enough to translate especially
Many failures in tests are due to learners lack selected and prepared exercises from the first to
of understanding of instructions. L1 can be the second language [5]. Applying translation
used to redress this issue, helping students to was excessive when GTM was a common method
understand what is exactly asked from them. in teaching English. A sudden and immediate
• Rationale removal of L1 from the classroom happened at
Students need to understand the rationale the time of ‘Reform Movement’, when reformers
behind activities or methods. They should believed that translation should be avoided,
International Journal of Communication Research 215
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