Miss Suha. How did you teach your students in school?

I realized that you are currently teaching in

SK Pos Piah where the students are the aborigines. I am wondering if you use the aborigines
language to teach English? And whether it is helpful to them.

Teacher’s perception

Thank you for the question. My school comprises 100% of aborigine students and their first language
is ‘Temiar’ language. I find that bilingualism is helpful as only a teaching aid rather than using it as
method of teaching the target language; and this is how bilingualism differs from GTM. In using the
mother tongue, the teacher in the grammar translation method has all the freedom of expressing
himself in it but in bilingualism classes the teacher uses the L1 in a fair and cautious manner. This is
because I am aware of the danger of unnecessary and inappropriate use of L1 in teacher the target
language. For instance, I used to explain the complex idea of L2 (words, grammatical points and
meanings) in their first language as the learners themselves demand that difficult and complex
points be explained in L1. Based on a research done by Muhamad Aslam Sipra in 2012, it is proven
that explaining in L1 reinforces the student’s memory on the idea. Furthermore, I do experience that
the use of L2 solely in classroom causing barrier to language activity. Communicative approach as
highlighted in the 21st century skills has failed in my class as it opposes fully the use of L1 in class.
This is because the pupils need freedom and feel comfortable to express their thoughts and in order
to make the class more active the pupils need to speak something even in L1 as long as they deliver
their ideas successfully to achieve the lesson objective.

You may counter me that it is not aligned with the professional ethics of a teacher to teach the
target language using L1 but if you analyse the situation critically, we can say that it is not fair
enough for the students to leave their language and culture at the schoolhouse door, they are also
being told that everything they have learned from parents and grandparents up to this point in their
lives has no value; the language through which they have expressed themselves up to this point in
their lives has no value and must be replaced by a superior model. In such classrooms, human
potential is being diminished (Cummins, 2003, p. 5) . Consequently, their motivation to acquire the
target language will be in jeopardy. As a language teacher, I don’t prefer to give a threat as such for
my students instead they should feel welcomed and comfortable to learn. Writer Louise Halfe
recently said, “Let them speak in their own voice. They’ll learn English when the have to”(2004).

 Bilingualism aids only when it is used cautiously.

 The use of L2 solely in classroom may cause barrier to language activity
 Used to explain the complex idea of L2 (words, grammatical points and meanings) - demand
of the learners themselves that difficult and complex points be explained in L1
 Aware of the danger of unnecessary and inappropriate use of L1.
 fair and judicious use of L1 is advisable
 explaining in L1 reinforces the student’s memory on the idea
 starts his class with little fun in L1. It brings back the learners to the class and removes
boredom and motivates them to learn a new language.
 An overwhelming majority (86%) of teachers confirmed the proposition that bilingualism is
helpful as a teaching aid in the EFL classroom.
 Communicative approach failed in my class as it opposes fully the use of L1 in class. This is
because the pupils need freedom and feel comfortable to express their thoughts and in
order to make the class more active the pupils need to speak something even in L1 as long
as they deliver their ideas successfully to achieve the lesson objective.
 students retain L2 vocabulary for a long time with the help of bilingualism without the use
and assistance of L1, it is difficult to teach L2 more accurately.
 very important for the learners simultaneously to learn L2 and maintain L1.