Classroom

The issue of the use of students ' first language (L1) in the second language (L2) classroom has been debated for many years. Steven Krashen, with his Natural Approach to language acquisition, proposed that students learn their second language much in the same way that they learn their first, and that L2 is best learned through massive amounts of exposure to the language with limited time spent using L1 (Tang, 2002). However, in recent years, focus has been shifting towards inclusion of L1 in the language classroom. Research has shown that the occasional use of L1 by both students and teachers increases both comprehension and learning of L2 (Cook, 2001; Tang, 2002; Wells, 1999). Teacher use of L1 Teachers often use L1 in beginning and intermediate classes to: • give instructions • explain meanings of words • explain complex ideas • explain complex grammar points (Tang, 2002) Many teachers find that the use of some L1 provides more time to practice L