Learning a foreign language

International students at Arizona State University, summer 2011.

 

Using the native language to learn a foreign language is not a good strategy

 

Learning a foreign language has never been an easy task for a learner. According to instructors and pedagogues, there are many approaches to learn a foreign language. One can use a native language in order to learn a foreign language. Using one’s native language to learn a foreign language is one among many options. It may be a helpful strategy. Nevertheless, I think this method of learning can produce more handicaps than benefits for the learner.

 

There are many ways and methods to learn a foreign language. Is it good to use the students’ native language while learning a foreign language? I do not think so. I do believe that teachers can use objects or images to train their students. Reading and listening skills can be used. Repeating words or whole sentences in class can help learners to improve quickly and efficiently the language they learn. During class for instance, learners should not be allowed to use their native language to communicate with their classmates. And the students who bypass the rule should regularly be punished. Many extra home works in reading and writing can be examples of punishment. This method of learning a foreign language has proved its efficacy in many schools and training centres. In my country for example, the Comorian schools which have used this method of punishment of the learner by extra home works have always good results in the final national exams than the other schools. Therefore, I can say that using one’s native language to learn a foreign language is not helpful at all.

Some people, on the other hand, argue that using one’s native language to learn a foreign language may be profitable especially for an adult learner.  I completely disagree with this position. In my experience of adult, I remember the problems I had when I used to learn the Arabic language as my minor in the French College of Art and Oriental Languages of Aix-en- Province in France. I lost much time to use bilingual dictionaries French Arabic and Arabic French. Consequently, I did not have the opportunity to practice more the foreign language I learned.

 In addition, using one’s native language to learn a foreign language can result to a linguistic interference. This means that the learner has a tendency to use expressions of his native language that do not make any sense in the foreign language.

To summarize, I can say that learning a foreign language by using one’s native language may be beneficial for an adult learner. However, one must be careful about this way of learning. The learner may lose more time and will not be able to practice efficiently the foreign language. I am still convinced that this method of learning a foreign language is not appropriate at all. I think the best way to learn a foreign language is to practice and practice again by reading, listening and speaking without thinking about one’s native language.

 

Chami Mouzawar

Contributing writer