Özet:

It is not a coincidence that the debate concerning the use of first language (L1) in second/foreign language teaching has flourished in the aftermath of a deep interest in the role of focus on form in second/foreign language classrooms. The issues of L1 use and focus on form in second/foreign language classrooms are discussed as different issues in the literature. However, research on L1 use in language classrooms shows that one of the functions of L1 use is to explain linguistic features. This study aims at describing how exactly L1 is used in EFL classrooms to focus on form. Pre-observation interviews and classroom observations of three teachers of EFL show that the main function of teachers’ first language use in foreign language classrooms is to focus on form in order to ensure understanding. As a form of focus on form, teachers in general employ L1 as the last resort to focus on form explicitly. Furthermore, two of the three teachers state that explanations in L1 serve as a reassurance of what students already learned in the target language. Finally, the interviews and classroom instances of focus on form indicate that teachers’ use of L1 in language classrooms is an extension of their views on the utility of explicit focus on form in foreign language classrooms. 

Anahtar Kelimeler: