Advatages of using L1 in L2 Classroom.

                 The Advantages of Using L1 in L2 Classroom

Audiolingual method, the communicative approach, or task-based learning have advocated L2 only method. One reason of using this method is that the exposure to L2 outside the classroom is rather scarce. As Cook says that “the use of L1 is perceived to hinder the learning of L2 “ (as quoted in Zacharias 2000). On the contrary, many ELT professionals have suggested reexamining the English only approach in the L2 classroom. Prodromou reminds us that there is much potential for using L1 in language learning contexts rather than abusing it (as quoted in Juarez and Oxbrow 2008). Therefore, when not used excessively, L1 is beneficial in L2 classroom.

First of all, the use of L1 enhances relaxed classroom atmosphere. Both teacher and students are given the opportunity to use L1 in certain situations. In such a less threatening classroom, students’ anxiety can be minimized. Rivera finds that allowing students to use L1 makes them feel less intimidated (Auerbach 1993). In addition, students feel freer to express their ideas. Whenever they do not know a particular lexical item in L2, they can switch to the one in L1, for example “How do you say menerkam in English ?” Bolitho sees this phenomenon as a valuable humanistic element in the classroom (Atkinson 1987). When this happens, learning takes place.

In addition, L1 is useful in managing the class. Explaining grammar concept through L1 saves time. Piasecka states that for novice students, grammar explanation in L2 is useless because their language repertoire is limited (as quoted in Auerbach 1993). Atkinson advises teachers to use L1 “when a correlate structure does not exist in L1 such as a verb tense” (as quoted in Harbord 1992). Checking students’ comprehension and correcting errors can be conducted in L1, too. This strategy is believed to be very helpful to avoid misunderstanding (Harbord 1992). Giving instruction in L1 helps teachers keep the class moving at early levels. Harbord (1992) asserts that teacher can use L1 to simplify a complex activity. Moreover, a research done by Lameta-Tufuga reveals that students can fully understand the content of the written task through L1 (as quoted in Nation 2003). Eventually, these procedures help teachers to achieve the objective of the lesson.

Most important, permitting students to use L1 accelerates students’ L2 acquisition process. Students learn new vocabulary faster through L1. Laufer and Shmueli claim “studies comparing the effectiveness of various methods for learning always come up with the result that an L1 translation is the most effective” (as quoted in Nation 2001). If students are aware of similarities and differences between L1 and L2, they can avoid errors which could be derived from the transfer of their L1. Ferrer (2005) takes the view that the use of L1 enable students to “notice the gap between their inner grammars and the target language and ultimately, through constant hyphotesis testing, achieve higher levels of grammatical as well as communicative competence”. This awareness contributes to L2 acquisition process.

Even though many language teachers oppose the issue of L1 use in L2 classroom, literature provide evidence that L1 use in L2 classroom is advantageous if not overused. Due to friendly classroom atmosphere, students feel more comfortable so they are motivated to learn. The use of L1 makes it possible for teacher to manage the class more effectively. Through L1, students experience faster L2 acquisition process.

L1 IN L2 CLASSROOM.

The Use of Students' First Language (L1) in the Second Language (L2)

                                                     Classroom

The issue of the use of students' first language (L1) in the second language (L2) classroom has been debated for many years. Steven Krashen, with his Natural Approach to language acquisition, proposed that students learn their second language much in the same way that they learn their first, and that L2 is best learned through massive amounts of exposure to the language with limited time spent using L1 (Tang, 2002). However, in recent years, focus has been shifting towards inclusion of L1 in the language classroom.

Research has shown that the occasional use of L1 by both students and teachers increases both comprehension and learning of L2 (Cook, 2001; Tang, 2002; Wells, 1999).

Teacher use of L1

Teachers often use L1 in beginning and intermediate classes to:

• give instructions

• explain meanings of words

• explain complex ideas

• explain complex grammar points (Tang, 2002)

Many teachers find that the use of some L1 provides more time to practice L2

because understanding is achieved much more rapidly. The key with teacher use of L1 is that it be used for clarification purposes, after an attempt has been made to communicate ideas in L2 and students still appear to be confused. The idea is that L1 serves a "supportive and facilitating role in the classroom" (Tang, 2002), and not that it is the primary language of communication. L1 use also allows students to become more aware of the similarities and differences between cultures and linguistic structures, and thus may improve the accuracy of translations. Finding cognates and similarities between languages builds up "interlinked L1 and L2 knowledge in the students' minds" (Cook, 2001).

Student use of L1

Students often use L1 when doing pair work to construct solutions to linguistic tasks and evaluate written language. The use of L1 allows them to work within their Zone of Proximal Development, as proposed by Vygotsky (Wells, 1999). By working in pairs and using L1 intermittently with L2, students may be cognitively processing at a higher level with regard to linguistic tasks than if they were limited only to communicating in the language they are trying to learn. L1 vocabulary allows learners to use language which they may not yet possess in L2 in order to process ideas and reach higher levels of understanding. This applies both to social talk between partners and private talk intended for the learner alone. Social talk, as the name implies, is talk between peers for the purpose of conversing. Private talk is when learners talk themselves through a learning process. For example, in private talk, they might utter a non-standard L2 phrase and then self-correct: “No, wait, …(L2 phrase corrected).” Private talk can also be used to deconstruct grammar in real-time as the speaker is using it, such as: “I like the milk…the milk? No, I like milk.” However, it is important to point out that students who use L1 for communicative purposes in the classroom must also be expected to use L2 in the classroom to practice its use.

Students use L1 while speaking in order to:

• ask each other clarifying questions

• express frustrations concerning their lack of understanding • clarify meaning of words in L2

• find new words in L2 which correspond to already known words in L1

• use language to process complex concepts

• build shared meaning while evaluating written tasks through shared discussion

L1 use in written tasks is especially valuable because it helps to clarify and build meaning. It allows learners to repeatedly evaluate and clarify communication with regard to choice of content and register appropriate to the task (Wells, 1999). This re-evaluation is often done orally, in conversation with a peer or teacher or in private talk. Collaborative dialogue allows learners to build linguistic understanding concerning a number of language tasks. As Cook stated in her article "Using the First Language in the Classroom" (2001), "L1 provides scaffolding for the students to help each other."

L1 with respect to cultural and linguistic identity

Student attitude toward learning L2 greatly impacts their learning experience as well as the quantity and purpose of their L1 use in the classroom. Students who are forced to learn a language they do not identify with or find to be relevant will be more likely to overuse L1 to stay within their area of comfort. Many students find the exclusion of their mother tongue to be degrading to that tongue (Tang, 2002). On the other hand, if students feel that their home language is a valuable part of the language learning process, they are less likely to feel resentful about learning a second language.

Conclusion

The use of L1 in the L2 classroom by both teachers and students can be beneficial in the language learning process and may even be necessary for increased comprehension and acceptance of the new language by the language learners. This use of L1 is for clarifying purposes and should not be the primary mode of communication either by the students or teacher(s) in the L2 classroom. Once an appropriate balance is achieved, the use of L1 will enhance an L2 classroom.

Is ENGLISH hard to learn??

GIST; Braj kachru's circle

KACHRU'S THREE CONCENTRIC CIRCLE:

  VARIATIONS OF   NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE ENGLISH

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603), about five to seven million people out of the world’s 500 million population spoke English. Today, there are more non-native speakers than native speakers, and English has become a linguistic apparatus, a global medium with local messages and identities. It is also widely spoken by less than two billion people worldwide.

English has deeply penetrated in 60 countries and this resulted to native and non-native varieties. The development of new varieties, also called “new Englishes” or “world Englishes,” is connected with historical, sociolinguistic, and political and educational contexts. New Englishes have their own context of usage and function, and they have also affected “old Englishes” or native varieties of English .         
In his seminar  papers and miscellaneous writings, Braj Kachru discussed the spread of English around the world in terms of three concentric circles: the Inner Circle, the Outer Circle, and the Expanding Circle. The concentric circles represent different ways where English has been acquired and is currently used .

The concentric circles fight for equal recognition of all English varieties no matter how they are classified and no matter where they are found in the world . In Kachru’s words, “the concepts of the three concentric circles helps us in understanding the pluralism and the institutionalization of English across cultures and languages” .

According to Kachru, the inner circle refers to traditional historical and sociolinguistic origins of English where it is used as a first or native language—Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States—with about 400 million speakers, almost 70 percent of which are from the United States.

On the other hand, the outer circle includes countries colonized by Britain and the United States where English is spoken as a second language and plays an important historical and governmental role in multilingual settings like India, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, Zambia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Bangladesh, South Africa, the Philippines, among other countries in the world, with more than 400 million speakers.

Not colonized by Britain and the United States, countries in the Expanding Circle did not institutionalize English as an official language but recognized the importance of English as a foreign language. These countries includes Israel, Japan, China, Egypt, Korea, Nepal, Russia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Western Europe, Caribbean countries, and the South African continent with more than one billion speaker.

 The term “new Englishes” is used for “diaspora varieties” that have evolved from the Outer Circle. In historical and sociolinguistic sense, these varieties, although not relatively new, are called “new Englishes” because it is only recently that they were linguistically, and literature wise, recognized and institutionalized, although they have a long history of acculturation in historical, sociolinguistic, and political and educational contexts different from the Englishes of the Inner Circle .

LP ENGLISH CLASS TIPS

Differentiation

Hello Everyone!

For those of you who follow my blog, I teach a multi-age class. This means that some of my kiddos are working at a class 1 level, and others are reading at a grade 4 level - and everywhere in between.. how it's possible to teach so many different needs at once without neglecting anyone. 

The answer is : Differentiation.

 
Here is one of the most simple examples that illustrate to you that, one activity can be differentiated to suit many.


First, I would like to show this paper. Then I explain...

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Everyone in the class gets the same sheet (or sometimes they can choose their own animal from the set). 

Here are the tasks, from easiest to hardest.

class 1 or (E.S.L.)

*TRACE -  Slide the  pictures under blank paper (or journal). The thick black lines will be easily seen. Students should trace the picture to make their own copy, and color it. 

For young or physically challenged students, this will be the entire job.

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class 2. Beginning Grade 1 

*LABEL – 

Use the words in the word bank box to label the parts of the picture. 

Write the word and draw line to join them. This practices reading, writing, and deductive reasoning. (If this is too advanced, they can simply draw a line from the words list to the pictures).

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Class 2. Grade 2

*READ – Read the sentences below the picture, and if able, copy them onto the matching sheets. 

Focus on neatness, letter formation, capitalization, no random capitals, punctuation. 

This is simply a copying job, with attention to detail and decoding.

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class 2. End of Grade 2

*EXPAND – For each simple sentence, expand it into a more descriptive sentence.

Example: The sheep sat. à The wooly white sheep sat lazily in the tall green grass all afternoon. Provide examples and discuss as a class. 

Students love coming up with interesting details to add! 

Give them prompts of “What do they do?” (verbs) “When?”, “Where does it happen?” and “How does it look?” or “What kind? What color?” (adjectives)

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class 3. Beginning Grade 1

Complete all of the previous activities and add…

*CREATE –Creative writing! 

Once all three sentences are expanded, they will naturally make the beginning of a story.

Write the word “Suddenly…” as a bridge to the rest of the story.

Add an exciting action to the story, and then finish writing it.

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class 4. Grade 1 &Beyond

With older students, there are many things to do. 

Edit, peer edit, and develop the story with as much complexity as is necessary. Add new vocabulary , revise for more descriptive language, and add length as needed. 

For heigher grades, write another version in a different tense, voice, or genre/format. Turn it into a script, television show, or movie. Switch from the perspective of the zebra to the perspective of the lion. This step can be as long as is appropriate for student’s ability level, and the possibilities are endless..

Once you walk  through all of these steps, you can identify  where the child is on that spectrum, and you can assist in their  education because you know the next possible steps.
 

It has worked well for me... I hope it can help you!

COLOUR IDIOMS

Speech on Gandhi Jayanti

OCT.2ND 2013
Dear students and teachers,
First of all wish you all A HAPPY GANDHI JAYANTI.
I think there is a question in most of your minds about the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti. It is likely to be :
Is Gandhiji relevant today? 

1893, a 24-year-old Indian lawyer arrived in Durban to take part in a lawsuit in Transvaal. He booked a first-class train ticket to Johannesburg – and was ordered out of the train because of his colour. He spent a cold night in the non–European waiting - room at Pietermaritzburg railway station. The lawyer’s name was Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi. This experience was the beginnning of the making of the Mahatma. The rebel in Gandhi didn't leave it there but questioned this inhuman injustice. Had it happened to any of us, we would have just taken it for granted or tried to forget it as a bitter experience.

He founded TOLSTOY FARM and taught people the initial lessons in self-reliance, vocational education and many more. When he came to India, while addressing a meeting he said, "India is not a few officers in Delhi but millions of villages." Those from the gathering who got up to leave came back listening to a voice from the heart. They found their true leader. My dear children, Gandhiji had understood the pulse and spirit of India. He had read the Indian's mind clearly. He could contain millions of atmas within him and that is why he has been called the MAHATMA.

A lawyer who could have led a luxurious life gave his time and life for the millions of poor people of India. He was the voice incarnate against injustice. I tell you, children, it is not very easy to be a living Gandhi or have a living Gandhi among us. He would whip you up from your slumber, he would not compromise with injustice. He was a man with great common sense and astounding social intelligence. Any violence stretched to its extreme would end in non-violence. Knowing this well he said like Christ in his Sermon on the Mount in New Testament, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". Eye for an eye is an attitude. If you hurt me i will hurt you back. In the present days when almost every day our metros bring news of blasts and bloodshed and our nation is getting known for violence, we miss a Gandhiji. It is here his values have great significance. It has become a fashion among some of us to criticize Gandhiji and if you ask them about his life or the nation's history they know nothing. He may have committed a few mistakes . Who doesn't? He was a human being, dont forget that. Why do you expect a Gandhiji to set right all your problems? He was here just telling you to wake up and fight against injustice. If you think he was here to solve all your problems and carry all your burdens, then you are thouroughly mistaken. He was teaching us self-reliance and bravery. Non-violence is not for the coward but for those with profound mettle of the spirit. That is why one man could shake the British Empire. Even Godse had paid all respects to him before he shot him. My dear children, don't keep waiting for Mahatmas. Become one. A woman activist fighting to bring justice to the oppressed women are no less Gandhi.
He used to say, "I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and non-violence are as old as the Himalayas".
THANK YOU.

 

GANDHI JAYANTHI 2013