Flourishing Creativity & Literacy - A‘Judicious’Use of L1 in TL Classroom - Socio-political, Psychological and Functional Dimensions

Oct 15, 2026

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The study argues that the human brain does not contain separate compartments that prevent two languages from interacting. Classroom practice is presented as strongly supportive of using L1 to scaffold target language (TL) learning. The paper challenges the maximal input hypothesis and draws on work in psychology, code-switching, bilingualism, and Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT), including reference to the Canadian French Immersion Programme.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

1. Introduction

1.1 Me as a Second Language Learner

Advances in Language and Literary Studies ISSN: 2203-4714 Vol. 6 No. 5; October 2015 Australian International Academic Centre, Australia Flourishing Creativity & Literacy A‘Judicious’Use of L1 in TL Classroom: Socio-political, Psychological and Functional Dimensions Muhammad Afzal Awan ELI, King Abdulaziz University PO box 8200, Jeddah 21589 Saudi Arabia [E-mail: maawan19@yahoo.ca](E-mail: maawan19@yahoo.ca) Muhammad Aslam Sipra (Corresponding Author) JCC, King Abdulaziz University PO Box 80283, Jeddah 21589 Saudi Arabia [E-mail: makhan6@kau.edu.sa](E-mail: makhan6@kau.edu.sa) Doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.5p. 16 URL: [http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.5p.16](http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.5p.16) Received: 25/04/2015 Accepted: 07/07/2015 Abstract In the present study, the authors deliberate that there are no separate boxes in human brain to restrict two different languages to interact with each other. The practice on ground is strongly in favour of allowing L1 to support target language (TL) . The paper contests the status quo of maximal input hypothesis and documents enough research in the field of human psychology, code-switching, bilingualism and Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT) . The Canadian French Immersion Programme has also been referred to, in the article. The real life teaching and learning experiences have been shared and are connected to the latest theory and research, and it is concluded that this issue has serious sociopolitical and academic dimensions. The study postulates that the extent of L1 to be used is highly context-dependent. A‘judicious ’use of L1 should, however, be practiced in target language (TL) class without malign. Keywords: Judicious use, L1, code-switching, socio-political, psychological, functional dimensions 1. Introduction It is not new for the teachers of second and foreign languages to listen to policy statements every now and then to ban L1 as something unholy from their L2 classrooms. Macaro (2009) expresses the similar experience when she had completed some sixteen years of language teaching in 1997. She recollects that she was shocked to hear the policy statements from up to downwards because she had certainly been using small, justified quantities of first language in the classroom. About her own learning experience, she holds that she had used her first language (Italian) to assist her in learning her second language (English) without any apparent damaging effects. We also want to share a few personal experiences, which, of course, are not our personal whims but very common concerns, almost every second language learner or teacher comes across. We would later try to connect our personal experiences to the theories and practices in the second language education and finally recommend‘a judicious ’use of L1 in the target language (TL) classroom for its obvious psychological, socio-political and functional benefits. In this context, one of the authors shares his personal experiences as a language learner and as a language teacher. The detailed account is given in the next part of the study. 1.1 Me as a Second Language Learner One of the authors narrates that he was born and brought up in Pakistan where he was exposed to Punjabi at home beside some Arabic reading as part of essential religious education, got primary schooling in Urdu which was a kind of foreign language because there was no support available beyond the classroom. He was exposed to English at 6th Grade, at the age of 10 or 11. Again, he was taught English as a foreign language until he finished his high school and went to University where English was solely used as a medium of instruction and that of examinations, however, none of his teachers was a native speaker of English to restrict L1 in his learning experience as such. However, there was a little application of language learnt in the classroom. By the time he went to University, he was almost habitual of lear

FAQs

What core argument does the paper make about L1 and TL interaction in the brain?

The authors argue there are no separate brain “boxes” that prevent two languages from interacting with each other, so L1 can support TL learning.

How does the paper position its view against the maximal input hypothesis?

It contests the maximal input hypothesis and instead supports allowing L1 to provide functional, psychological, and socio-political benefits in TL classrooms.

Why is the use of L1 described as context-dependent?

The study states that the extent of L1 use depends on the teaching and learning context, but it should be practiced judiciously in TL classes.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk