Use Malay (L1) instead of English (L2) in English Lessons?

The debate on the use of L1 in L2 lessons has been going on since forever. Different scholars come out with different theories and hypotheses yet no one theory or hypothesis has become the most significant. After all, it all depends on the teaching context.

The use of L1 has always been a contentious issue. Teachers have choices whether to:

1. ban L1;
2. minimise L1; or
3. maximise L2.

Again, it all depends on the context the teachers are in. It is best to also mention that even so, teachers who resort to the L1, despite their best intentions, often feel guilty for straying from L2 path (Cook, 2001).

However now, let's not talk about teacher's use of L1. 

Let's look at student's use of L1 in L2 lessons. 

Should we ban the use of L1 among students in L2 lessons? If not, why are there a lot of suggestions given to cut or limit the use of L1 in L2 lessons?

I remember when I once made it a rule that students should only talk to me in English (L2) and I would pretend not to listen when they used L1 (Malay). The lesson went smooth as there was no question asked and the best was, there was no noise at all. Students did their tasks as assigned but when I got the tasks back, it was different from what I'd asked them to do especially when it came to homework. Don't get me wrong, I always, always, check my student's understanding of the assigned tasks by posting questions for affirmation yet that still happened.

They did not post questions, they did not respond, they did not comment, they did not complain, not because they respected me but because I was very firm with only L2 rules. I wanted to create an L2-rich environment that I had gone against the Affective Filter Hypothesis (one of Krashen's famous hypotheses). It is through the only L2 rules that I had accidentally created a threatening learning environment which is not good for student's language acquisition.

"... affective factors [motivation, attitude, anxiety, and self confidence] in language learning that are like a filter which filtrates the amount of input in leaners' brains. People with high affective filter will lower their intake whereas people with low affective filter allow more input into their language acquisition device ... people acquire second language only if they obtain comprehensible inpput and if their affective filters are low enough to allow the input in ..." (Du, 2009)

The aim of L2 lessons is to improve or to help students acquire L2. Besides that the instructions should be in English (L2), students should also be given ample opportunities for L2 practice and production - this is why only L2 rules are imposed in lessons. However, when being lenient with the aim to create a less-threatening and positive learning environment, students have the tendency to opt for L1 and McLoughlin (2015) in ELT-Connect shares 6 reasons to why students speak L1 in class.

1. That's what they know;
2. The level is too low;
3. They need a break;
4. They want a translation from their peers;
5. They check they have understood task instructions; and
6. They get over-excited.

Kids during a group discussion

Based on the video, McLoughlin is right. The 6 reasons above were the why's the kids opted for L1 instead of trying to use L2. There were attempts to use L2 but there would still be L1 interferences as students would either try code-switching or code-mixing.

Thus, I conclude that the use of L1 among students within classroom activities in English lessons is OKAY. 

I am in support with Cook (2001) who then quotes Brooks and Donato (1994, p.268) that "L1 provides scaffolding for the students to help each other ... (and) that (it) facilitates L2 production and allows the learners both to initiate and sustain verbal interaction with one another."

As mentioned on my Facebook Page, enforcing on only L2 during group discussions would refrain students from taking part especially students with lower competency. Teachers, as suggested, might want to assign them roles accordingly to their abilities but having to do the same tasks in almost all activities could be very dull and tedious. 

Next time when your students of lowest proficiency group are having a group discussion, just let them use L1. At least, when they will all participate in the discussion hence have the understanding of what the discussion is about so that they could then contribute to the discussion. 

However, from time to time, it is best to keep reminding students,

"if you want to communicate in the target language (English) you need to practice,"

Cook, V. (2001). Using the first language in the classroom. Retrieved on March 4th, 2018 from http://www.viviancook.uk/Writings/Papers/L1inClass.htm.

Du, X. (2009). The affective filter in second language teaching. Asian Social Science; 5(8), pp 162 - 165.

McLoughlin, A. (2015). L1 in the L2 classroom - for or against. Retrieved on March 4th, 2018 fromhttp://elt-connect.com/l1-in-the-l2-classroom/