Teacher Experiences and Attitudes Towards First Language Use in Foreign or Second Language Teaching :  

Abstract: This paper examines empirical studies regarding teachers’ and teacher-trainees’ perceptions toward the use of first language (L1) when teaching a second or foreign language. The presence of the students’ first language when teaching a foreign or second language has been a disputed topic in relation to different theoretical approaches. The aim of this study is to gain knowledge about this issue by answering the research question ​“What are teachers’ and teacher-trainees’ experiences and attitudes regarding L1 when teaching in the second or foreign language classroom?” The method used has been to​ review empirical studies from several different countries from the databases ERIC (Education Resource Education Center) and ERC (Education Research Complete). The overall results reveal that the majority of the participants had positive attitudes toward the use of L1. Additionally, there was an agreement about the need for some level of exposure to the target language (TL). Furthermore, it was shown that teachers saw the first language as something unavoidable and that it should not be seen as a hindrance when it comes to learning another language. However, there are some differences with regard to when it is appropriate to use the students’ L1. Our results agree with the field of research in general and is a small contribution to the discussion of how teachers’ beliefs may have an impact on their pedagogical decisions.