Target Language Use in Foreign Language Classrooms: Practices and Perceptions of Two Native Speaker Teachers in New Zealand

Abstract

This paper investigates the code-switching behaviour of two native speaker teachers teaching their mother tongue -French and Korean, respectively -to predominantly English monolingual students in New Zealand secondary schools. A close analysis of these teachers' classroom discourse and their perceptions about classroom language use reveals a range of factors which, in spite of their proficiency, constrain their use of the target language (TL) for teaching purposes. While the individual teachers' attitude toward TL use appeared to be the main determinant of their differing degrees of TL use for instruction, there were also institutional and societal factors which influenced the way they constructed their bilingual identities and manifested in different patterns of language choice. These factors included the status of the TL within the educational system, and the pervasive presence of English as the convenient vehicle for message conveyance in the wider context. Implications are drawn for teacher training and language policy.

Own-language use in language teaching and learning

“…Turnbull (2001) identifies similar levels of variation in the amount of new language spoken by school French teachers in Canada (from 9% to 89% of classroom activities conducted in French). Similarly, Edstrom (2006), focusing on her own practices as a teacher of Spanish in a US university over the course of a semester, found 'extreme fluctuations' in own-language use, ranging from 7% to 70% of her talk for individual lessons, or, taken as monthly average, from 17% during one month's classes to 42% of her speech in another (see also Turnbull 2001 andKim &Elder 2008 for similar evidence of variation in and relatively high levels of own-language use). Cai (2011), in her study of English teaching in a Chinese university, documented classes in which up to 80% of teaching was in Chinese, despite teachers' self reports of much lower quantities.…”

“…According to Rolin-Ianziti & Varshney (2008), teachers might use the learners' own language for medium-oriented goals, such as explaining vocabulary items or teaching grammar (see, for example, Polio & Duff 1994;Castellotti 1997;Kim & Elder 2008) and framework goals, such as giving procedural instructions and assigning homework (e.g. Polio & Duff 1994;Macaro 2001).…”

“…Polio & Duff 1994;Macaro 2001). Littlewood & Yu (2011) similarly draw upon Kim & Elder's (2008) distinction between 'core goals' (teaching the target language), 'framework goals' (managing the classroom situation) and 'social goals' (expressing personal concern and sympathy) to explore a number of ways in which teachers strategically employ learners' own languages in class. Citing a number of illustrative works, they focus upon the role of the learner's own language during the presentation, practice and production of new language, such as Dodson's (1967Dodson's ( /1972) and Butzkamm's (2003) 'bilingual sandwich' technique, Butzkamm's (2001) 'mirror translation' exercises and Duff's (1989) and Deller & Rinvolucri's (2002) bilingual learning materials.…”

Reframing teaching knowledge in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): A European perspective

“…Various factors influence TL use (Bateman, 2008;Haamberg et al, 2008;Hall & Cook, 2012Kim & Elder, 2008). For instance, experienced FL teachers mention personal (e.g.…”

Investigating the Role for a Language Coach in an English as a Second Language Literacy Class

“…This often occurred when a student appeared to be confused either by their lack of response or puzzled facial expression. Kim and Elder (2008) found that teachers reported a similar reaction of switching to student's L1 when students' reactions showed that they were confused. Similarly, Littlewood and Yu (2011) speak of using the L1 in planned and strategic ways to achieve language-learning goals.…”