Professional Practices For English Language Teaching

Week 5: Managing the lesson

5.6 Using L1 – or not – when teaching

Would you consider using your learners’ L1 when doing any of the following?
Advantages of using L1 Disadvantages of using L1
Putting learners into groups Quick Not a disadvantage, but you can often do this in L2 using
gesture and very simple language

Explaining a grammar point
Giving instructions
It can make complex ideas easier for learners to Learners don’t “think in English”
understand
You might be led into a long explanation or discussion,
You can make links to similarities or differences in their which could be confusing
own language
L2 explanations and a couple of examples are often
Learners could feel freer to ask questions clearer and more simple
Efficient Learners don’t learn useful language of giving
instructions

Demonstration is sometimes the best way to give clear

Getting students to pay
attention and listen
Can be a ‘shock’ tactic, grabs attention
instructions so in this case it would be better to use the
L2.
Not a disadvantage, but you could use just one word in
L2 as your signal for learners to stop and listen, or a non-
verbal methods, like clapping your hands.

© British Council 2015

 Professional Practices For English Language Teaching

Teaching vocabulary Translation is quicker than an L2 explanation You can’t translate everything! Some words don’t exist in
other languages
You can make links to similarities or differences in their
own language Learners might rely too heavily on translation

Learners could feel freer to ask questions Vocabulary is sometimes better introduced in context so
it would be more natural to use L2 in these cases.

Of course, the above points are based on a monolingual class. In a class with a variety of L1s, the teacher should probably avoid using the L1 of only
some of the learners, so as not to exclude other learners who don’t understand.

© British Council 2015