Use of first language by English language teachers in Libyan secondary schools

Abstract

This study serves to investigate the use of first language while teaching a second language. More specifically, this study examines the usage of Arabic during English instruction at the secondary level in Libya. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted to collect and analyse data pertaining to the usage of Arabic and English during instruction. The data collection involved a questionnaire and classroom observations. All participants teach English as a second language at secondary schools in Sirte and Ejdabya. The questionnaire assessed the teachers’ opinions and thoughts on first language use in their English lessons, the situations in which they resort to L1, the factors that compel them to use L1 during English lessons, and their reasons behind L1 usage. For the observations ten teachers were selected from only two schools, one was in Sirte and the other was in Ejdabya. Each teacher was observed four times in order to get a clear idea of the teachers' actual use of the first language. All lessons were recorded and Arabic words were counted and sorted into multiple categories, depending on purpose of usage. In addition, note was taken of when teachers spoke in English to draw a comparison between the amount of spoken Arabic and English during each lesson. Furthermore, each teacher was examined to assess the number of occasions in which she used Arabic separately, and parts of their speech were analysed as well. The questionnaire findings showed that the participant teachers had varying views on the use of Arabic during English lessons. However, the observations revealed that most of the teachers who were observed indicated no reluctance to L1 usage during their lessons in which Arabic was used mainly for giving explanations.