Enhancing Multilingual Education: Leveraging L1 to Strengthen L2 Acquisition

Description

Teaching English in multilingual settings requires innovative approaches to support learners’ progress in their second language (L2). This presentation investigates how incorporating students’ first language (L1) into English language teaching (ELT) can provide significant advantages, particularly in encouraging comprehension, confidence, and engagement. Grounded in the insights of Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Cummins’ Interdependence Hypothesis, the discussion highlights the cognitive and pedagogical rationale for incorporating L1 as a tool for facilitating L2 learning.

The session challenges traditional perspectives that discourage L1 use in language instruction, addressing concerns about dependency while presenting evidence-based practices to balance L1 and L2 effectively. Strategies such as translanguaging, task scaffolding through L1, and deliberate code-switching will be explored, illustrating their practical application in multilingual classrooms. Case studies involving students from Korea, Nepal, Bangladesh, and China will offer tangible examples of how these approaches can enhance language acquisition in diverse cultural contexts.

With a focus on practical application, the presentation will equip TESOL practitioners with innovative strategies to create linguistically inclusive classrooms that align L1 support with L2 learning goals. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to harness the potential of multilingualism to enhance educational outcomes.

Period	1 Jun 2025
Event title	Pacific Second Language Research Forum 2025: Conference on Innovation in L2 Chinese Acquisition Research
Event type	Conference
Conference number	8th PacSLRF
Location	Shanghai, ChinaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International