The role of using first language (L1) and translation in young learners classes - Essay Example

Majority of teachers, counting up to 72% of them opined that bilingual education should be started at the elementary school level. One of the opinions in relation with this research question reads “I think young learners are able to learn more than one language at the same time faster than adults, therefore teaching English should be started in the elementary school and even before”. On contrary, 27% of the respondents were of the opinion that Bilingual education should begin at the middle-school level rather than the elementary-school level.

A statement in support of this opinion as made by one of the participant teacher reads “If the learners of the second language started learning it in very early age they will forget their first language (Arabic)”. The response from 81 % of the respondents suggested they were in support of English as the only language to be should be spoken in the class. One of the citable arguments made by one of the teachers in favor of this argument states; “Only English should be used in EFL classes for the sake of the students, nowadays English is becoming a very important language in all aspects of our lives like to find a good job, to communicate with others and even in the schools and universities everything is going to be in English”.

18% of the teachers were in opposition to the lone usage of English in classes. They pointed out several drawbacks on only using English in the classes. One of the teachers opines ““We don’t need to learn or speak English; we speak Arabic all the time (home, school, with friends and family) so learning English should not be our main concern”. As far as the opinion on the need of translation was concerned, 72% of the total sample population were not in favor of students being encouraged to translate back and forth from the TL to Native Language, and vice versa.

One of the respondents in favor of this argument states “Translation