Abstract
Within the field of TESOL, opinions often differ about the role of learners' first language (L1) in second language learning. When teachers are aware of their students' L1, this awareness can increase their understanding of second language acquisition processes and issues. It can also provide teachers with insights into learners' backgrounds and cultures that may influence their approach to studying English and attitudes towards multilingualism. Specifically, the chapter proposes that the notion of teacher language awareness (TLA) should be expanded to include awareness of students' language backgrounds. TLA is regarded as an important component of the knowledge base of a language teacher. Two questionnaires are provided to assist teachers with the elicitation of information about students' L1: (1) a language-focused set of questions to allow comparison between a learner's L1 and English and (2) a sociolinguistic-oriented questionnaire that explores issues related to status and use.
TopConcept
Why Does L1 Matter?
Much has been written in our field about the connection between language and thought. Nowadays, most scholars subscribe to a weak form of the Whorfian hypothesis, which states that language influences (rather than controls) thought. For example, Hunt & Agnoli (1991) point out that recent models of cognition indicate ways in which thought can be influenced by cultural variations in the lexical, syntactical, semantic and pragmatic aspects of language and offer the following conclusion: “In many ways the language people speak is a guide to the language in which they think.” (p.377). For example, research by Boroditsky (1991) provides interesting insights into the way speakers of English and Mandarin perceive time, with English speakers thinking of time horizontally and Mandarin speakers vertically. It is concluded that L1 can play an important role in shaping habitual thought. The features of a learner’s L1 are likely to influence their acquisition of a second language. In classrooms where all of the students speak the same L1 and their L2 teacher is also a speaker of the L1, the teacher is generally aware of L1 influences upon students’ L2. These may affect learners’ control of grammar, syntax, vocabulary, pronunciation, register and pragmatics. However, in multilingual classrooms, teachers seldom have a sufficient knowledge of their students’ languages to allow them to identify all their influences upon L2 acquisition. So, how much should an ESL teacher know about other languages? It is obviously not practical or reasonable to expect teachers to have studied many other languages. However, it is proposed that our notion of Teacher Language Awareness (TLA) should be expanded to include familiarity with the main respects in which languages can differ from one another, both structurally and functionally. It is proposed that a learner’s L1 profile will refer to the language itself and relevant sociocultural factors, such as the status of the language in the learner’s country and the learner’s experience of acquiring it.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Teacher Language Awareness: Teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about language in general and the language they teach.
Language Awareness: Explicit knowledge about language.
Medium of Instruction: A language used in teaching. It may or not be an official language of the country.
Code-Switching: Code switching occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages (or dialects or varieties of the languages) within the same conversation.
Metalinguistic Awareness: The ability to reflect consciously on the nature of language and its structure.
Dialect: A form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group.
Minority Language: A language that is spoken by a minority of the population of a country.
Writing system: A type of visual representation of language, based on a script and a set of rules regulating its use.
Official Language: A language that is given special legal status within a country, typically the language used within the government, e.g., parliament, courts of law, administration, etc.
Language Policy: Language policy is associated with language regulation and refers to what governments, organizations and institutions do to determine how languages are used.
Metalanguage: Words or expressions that are used to describe or refer to language.