Learners' use of first language (Arabic) in pair work in an EFL class

Abstract

One of the concerns foreign language teachers may have about using small group (and pair) work is that students will use their shared first language (L1) instead of the target language. This study investigated the effect of learner proficiency pairing and task type on the amount of L1 used by learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in pair work and the functions that the L1 served. Learners in this study (n = 15 pairs) formed three proficiency groupings based on the teacher's assessment of their second language proficiency: high-high (H-H), high-low (H-L), and low-low (L-L). All pairs completed three tasks - jigsaw, composition and text-editing - and their talk was audio-recorded. Th..