Chapter 22: Distinguishing Monolingual and Multi-lingual Classes 319
tongue, so you can say ‘I speak a language’ and ‘I speak a tongue’, but you
can’t say ‘I taste with my language’ so you have to pay attention.Literal translation from L1 to L2 is risky so point out any traps you are aware of.Apart from the practicality of the thing, when you are living abroad it is to
your advantage as a teacher to start learning the local language.
Using the students’ language
Although most EFL professionals are against the use of the students’ L1 in the
classroom, there are those who point out the advantages of its use in small
measure.For one thing, weaker students who have no option but to attend the class
at that level (there is no lower level to move to for instance) do not feel as
lost as when only English is in use. For true beginners L1 use might build
confidence especially if the teaching methods are just as new to them as the
language. In both cases there is a reasonable argument in favour of using the
L1 just to give instructions.Suppose you are struggling to convey the ins and outs of an activity in
English. Is it a wise use of time to persevere or should you allow another
student to whisper the explanation in L1 to someone who doesn’t get it so
that everyone can proceed?A more extended use of L1 is for grammar explanations. A bilingual teacher
might be able to switch to L1 for detailed comparisons of structure. There is
also the option of team teaching with one partner the native English speaker
and the other a native L1 speaker. In this way the native English speaker can
concentrate more on conversation and cover the grammar only lightly.Ultimately the aim of TEFL is not to erase the L1 but to help learners become
bilingual. In reality bilinguals switch from one language to another all the time
so you could reason that it should be allowable in class.The problem is, of course, that use of L1 reduces the use of English and that
as the teacher you may not understand what the students are saying. How do
you know if their translations are even correct? And anyway, it isn’t possible
to accurately translate every English phrase into L1. Sometimes students
have to just adopt an English speaking mindset to really get the point when
they learn the language.So it’s up to you to decide whether to allow L1 in the classroom. Perhaps you
need to take each situation as it comes.