Teaching English: Question & Answer session with Dr. Rod Ellis part 4

Is it okay to use L1 in L2 learning?

"You should probably try to use L1 as little as possible. But if you having to use L1 to explain something, probably the activity is wrong."

"It is good to use L1 for classroom instructions." 

"The teacher's use of the L1 in the L2 classroom remains a complex and controversial issue" (Ellis, 2008, S. 801).

"From an interactionist perspective, for example, emphasis needs to be given to ensuring learners receive maximum exposure to L2 input, whereas from a sociocultural perspective the L1 can serve as a tool for scaffolding learner production in the L2 (for example, Anton and DiCamilla 1998; Swain and Lapkin 2000)" (Ellis, 2008, S. 801).

Ellis, R. (2008). The Study of Second Language Acquisition: OUP Oxford.