Learner’s Dialect Use by EFL Instructors: A Study of Junior High School Teachers in a Minority Area of China

Updata:01-01-1970

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By:Wen Lai, Han Lai, Fang Zheng

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/ret.v5i2.3065

Abstract:

The use of learners’ L1 (first language) in the EFL classroom has been widely discussed in the literature. However, the use of local dialects has received less attention. Thus, this study investigates the use of Enshi dialect in EFL classroom in junior high schools in order to explore how teachers deploy the learners’ own dialect in EFL classroom and its effect. The Enshi dialect which is a variant of Mandarin is frequently used in daily life in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with 15 teachers who adopt Enshi dialect in EFL classroom teaching in junior high schools in 8 minority villages in Enshi. The results indicate that occasional dialect use does exist in EFL classroom teaching for junior high school students in ethnic minority areas. In addition, four main benefits are revealed when learners use dialects in EFL classes. Teaching English by using dialect helps students to improve the mastery of English grammar, distinguish pronunciation, understand the meaning of English words, phrases and sentences, and enliven the classroom atmosphere. The research also shows that the effective use of learners’ dialects in the EFL classroom plays positive roles in English learning.

References:

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