Some difficulties of using the mother tongue in the English class

Abstract

This paper discusses the main difficulties associated with using the mother tongue (L1) in English language classrooms. Although the mother tongue can sometimes support comprehension and lower anxiety, excessive or uncontrolled use of L1 may negatively affect language acquisition. The paper examines the pedagogical challenges related to overdependence on L1, reduced exposure to English, lowered communicative competence, and decreased motivation to use the target language. It also presents examples of common classroom situations where L1 becomes a barrier rather than a support for learning English.