Utilizing first language (L1) in teaching English: Examining the beliefs of English lecturers at Indonesian universities regarding the use of L1 in English language instruction

Abstract

Research on language education has traditionally focused on studying first language (L1) use in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, particularly concerning L1's positioning concerning the target language, English. On the one hand, proponents of monolingual education contend that L1 should never be used in the classroom since it can impede students' acquisition of a second language. Conversely, some have shown that L1 could serve as a readily available schema or point of reference to help with target language acquisition through positive transfer and other methods. Despite the fact that a great deal of research has been done on the subject, it frequently solely addresses the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing L1, ignoring the essential viewpoints of educators toward L1 use in the classroom. This study explicitly attempts to investigate English lecturers' beliefs on how they use L1 in the classroom. This qualitative case study featured three English lecturers at one public university in Aceh, Indonesia. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather information about the perspectives and practical applications of L1 in English classrooms held by instructors. The study's conclusions showed that, aside from direct instruction, all participants considered L1 helpful in learning English and played a significant role in their teaching process. The data analysis also revealed that the teachers were wary of some negative consequences that might result from using L1 too much.
Keywords: L1, first language, lecturers' belief, English Language Instruction