Benefits of using translation and the L1 in the EFL classroom

Abstract

The present research project focuses on a topic that has encouraged much debate over the past years: The use of translation and the mother tongue in the EFL classes. This project constitutes an attempt to demonstrate how the use of translation is a significant part of English teaching and how, although not popular nowadays, it brings about outstanding benefits. The objective of the project is to reach a conclusion on whether the use of translation and the mother tongue in class is beneficial when acquiring a new structure, more specifically when learning to use ‘wish’. In addition, the project will also test the reaction of students facing autonomous work without the help and explanations of the teacher and it will also provide the opinion of students and teachers. The study is based on the results obtained by a group of students of 4th ESO from the bilingual section of a high school in Navarre. The participants are aged between 15 and 17. The project was carried out during three sessions conducted in two consecutive weeks. The results show that the use of translation when acquiring a new grammatical structure seems to be beneficial. It also shows that students facing autonomous work when learning a grammatical structure is tougher for them