Abstract
This presentation will give an overview of my master’s dissertation titled: The Role of the L1 at an Eikaiwa: Preferences of Adult Learners and Instructors.
Students who seek instruction at eikaiwa (English conversation) schools in Japan seem to be looking for an authentic L2 experience. However, the concept of “authenticity” in the L2 classroom may vary among individuals. Does the use of Japanese (the L1) by students or instructors inhibit learners from having an “authentic” experience? With recent literature highlighting the pedagogical benefits of L1 use in L2 learning e.g., translanguaging and code-switching, I sought to explore instructor and learner opinions of its use. Instructors and adult learners at an eikaiwa were asked their opinions on English-only policies and if they thought the L1 was beneficial in class. I also sought to determine if there was a proficiency effect (Carson and Kashihara, 2012) among different levels of students.
In addition to discussing L1 use in the classroom, this presentation will explore the eikaiwa context and the lack of research, and stigma surrounding it. Throughout the presentation, I will provide discussion topics for participants to reflect on their own beliefs about L1 use in the classroom.
Angela R. Wolf holds a Master of Arts in TESOL (University of Birmingham), a Bachelor of Science in TV/Digital Film, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (SUNY Fredonia). Her research interests include L1 use in the L2 classroom, gender, the L2 self, CLIL, and learner motivation. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Aichi University.
