The use of L1 by Jordanian EFL teachers in their English classes : (a case study)‎

Abstract EN

This study aims at investigating the use of L1 (Arabic) by Jordanian EFL teachers in their English classes.

A checklist that included 10 items was used to compute the frequencies of L1 usage in the EFL classes in Jordan.

These items represent common areas where L1 is usually used in an EFL class.

This instrument was implemented in 20 lessons presented by a sample of 20 male and female teachers in the region who were selected randomly from a population of 93 teachers, which is the overall number of English teachers in the South Ghour, a small town in the South of Jordan.

The results of the study have shown that, on average, L1 was used in about (52.8%) of the situations in the classes selected when compared to L2 which was used in (46.4%) of the situations.

This use of L1 significantly differed between the males and the females, in favor of the males who used more L1 in their classes.

This amount of L1 in the EFL the average classes was, in fact, more than it is usually recommended in a communicative class which suggests that the use of L1, though inevitable, should be reduced to the minimum to maintain effective learning of the target language.

The study, therefore, recommends that EFL teachers should reduce the amount of L1 used in their EFL classes and have more training on using English as a medium of instruction or 'teaching English through English.