Is First Language Important to Learn Second Language?

A common question about language learning is the debate if first language is important in order to learn a second language.

Ongoing research surrounding the best methods for teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) English has yet to deliver a clear answer. Various and sometimes controversial approaches to ELL education continue to yield inconsistent results. One of the most discussed aspects in ELL instruction is, what role, if any, does first language play in learning a second language?

Thinking Beyond Common Assumptions

Oftentimes, educators and parents rely on personal attitudes, rather than research, to form decisions on how to respond to an ELL student’s usage of their first language. A massive, heavily-researched guide produced by the American Institute for Research showcases how widely different assumptions and evidence are in relation to English language learning in the United States.

In the guide, overwhelming evidence is given that fostering first language is not only beneficial to ELL students, using their native language as a resource can actually help them acquire English more quickly than for those students in English-only programs with no support in the native language.

Code-Switching and Usage of Native Language as a Resource

Code-switching, the phenomenon by which language-learners retain proper grammar and syntax in a sentence while incorporating native language vocabulary, is In a study by the Canadian Center of Science and Education, the following key points are emphasized:

• Bilingual children are thinking verbally while performing non-verbal tasks;
• Bilinguals’ switch from one language to the other while performing these tasks; and
• Bilinguals’ habit of switching languages while performing these tasks results in improved task performance.”

Is There a Single Way to Learn Language?

An important factor to keep in mind is that there is no single profile for ELL students. Language acquisition happens differently for everyone, and remains largely a mystery according to an article published by Frontiers in Psychology. Educators must rise to the challenge of finding out how different students are responding to new language instruction, and understand that not all students will learn language in the same way.

The good news is that there does seem to be one common theme that researchers have come to agree on in recent years, which is that second language acquisition is typically much smoother when students are allowed to develop and advance in their native language. Finding educational programs that support ELL students’ first language, such as The Latino Family Literacy Project, can make an enormous difference on their academic and language acquisition success.