Preventing Arabic in the EFL Classrooms

Running head: PREVENTING ARABIC 1

Preventing Arabic in the EFL Classrooms in SESP

Derek Burnett, Training Consultant

Saudi Electric Polytechnic Program

March 12, 2015

PREVENTING ARABIC IN THE CLASSROOMS 2

Abstract

The issue of preventing excessive and ungrounded use of

the first language during the classes in English, is topical

for the educational establishments in the Kingdom of Saudi

Arabia. The present research proposal provides a constructive

approach to implementation of curriculum vitae in the foreign

language without unnecessary use of L1 at lessons of English

as a foreign language (EFL). The target audience includes 500

male students in the age group between 18 and 22. They receive

a vocational training for a utility company in Saudi Arabia.

The research proposal justifies the need for L1 elimination,

its purpose and potential ways to guarantee the fluency and

efficiency of this process. It addresses administrative level

of the issue in question as well as key teaching concerns.

Moreover, the preventive measures from excessive use of L1 are

discussed and analyzed both from the perspective of the

students and the teacher. To be more precise, the approaches

to effective integration of the first language are presented.

Finally, crucial theoretical approaches as well as preliminary

experience within the field of concern are also presented and

properly analyzed.


Keywords: L1, EFL, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SESP,

Grammar-Translation Method, New Concurrent Method,

Communicative Language Teaching.


Statement of the Problem

The course of study of the foreign language is a

challenging and miscellaneous process. This issue is

especially topical in terms of teaching the adults since it

requires not only specific approach but also significant level

of the first language use prevention. The issue of preventing

excessive and ungrounded use of L1 during the classes in

English, is thematic for the educational establishments in the

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As far as the country faced numerous

challenges within the areas of politics and economics as well

as in socio-cultural field, the Ministry of Education made a

constructive decision to proclaim the English language as a

foreign one in 1925 (Al-Ahaydib, 1986). According to the

current policy in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the major goal

of the teacher in the given context is as follows: “Furnishing

the students with at least one of the living languages, in

addition to their original language, to enable them acquire

knowledge, arts and useful inventions, transmit our knowledge

and sciences to other communities and participate in the

spreading of Islam and serving humanity” (Al-Nofaie, 2010, p.

64). Nonetheless, there are numerous drawbacks and obstacles


within the educational process which should be taken into

consideration, adjusted and improved.

The present research proposal is targeted at adjustment

of one of the focal challenges of the educational course in

the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for instance, it provides a

constructive approach to implementation of curriculum vitae in

the foreign language without unnecessary use of L1 at lessons

of English as a foreign language (EFL).

Background

The background of educational process should be

considered in order to develop a constructive and potentially

efficient educational program. The institution that aims to

implement the present educational program for L1 prevention at

EFL lessons is Saudi Electric Services Polytechnic (SESP). It

is a non-profit tertiary establishment. The target audience of

students includes the male learners. The overall quantity of

students is 500. The age group of the target audience varies

from 18 to 22. The students receive a vocational training for

a utility company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The specific

aspect of this type of learning is the age group of the

students as well as type of training. Specifically, the


vocational training for the utility organization requires not

only sufficient learning outcomes but also specific

terminology and a narrowed focus of studying course. Moreover,

it is relevant to highlight the significance of identification

of the prevailing learner type and alignment of the

educational process with its peculiarities. Since the learners

belong to the utility field of professional activity, it is

appropriate to expect that the prevailing type will be hands-

on type and visual type of learners. Therefore, the curriculum

vitae is supposed to include diversity of the approaches and

learning techniques, but the key emphasis should be made on

those which are potentially proper for the aforementioned

types of learners since they take into consideration need to

integrate the L1, not isolate it.

Intended Outcomes

The intended outcomes of the study course are such as:

enrichment of the learners’ active vocabulary that

should match their professional level;

training of the students’ passive vocabulary and

development of their skills to incorporate it


properly in the dialogues, reading and listening

activities;

improvement of the grammar level;

increase of concentration of the terms and concepts

necessary and relevant to the scope of the learners

professional performance;

development of fluency of English speech;

contribution to the experience of language

practicing by means of constructing topical

situations and dialogues which happen at the

learners’ workplace and require precise and profound

knowledge that usually relies on preliminary

empirical studying.

The Challenge

Since the overall linguistic practice within the

educational process in terms of EFL learning is a

multidimensional and complicated issue, it is appropriate to

identify and discuss the main challenges which teachers

usually face concerning the direct impact of the first

language upon the second one.


First, there is a challenge of specific nature of EFL

required for the course program. The duration of the program

is 16 semesters. This time is sufficient for considerable

improvement of the language mastership. Though, it is

necessary to take into consideration the specific requirements

of the course connected with the terminology narrowed themes

the learners are to be proficient in. Due to that they learn

English as their second language in terms of vocational

training, they will need this language for communication with

foreigners and other working purposes. To be more precise, the

utility company the students work at plans to develop an eco-

system relying on the mobile devices. Hence, the challenge is

to align the general course of EFL and the terminology

interwoven into it organically and efficiently.

Second, the program requires a literacy development

component to be included as one of the major concerns of the

program course. The challenge is that literacy requires much

experience, and the adults usually are more reluctant to write

and practice. Moreover, it is harder to study rules and

improve the currently available knowledge.


Third, the crucial challenge is motivation. This

criterion should be incorporated in every lesson since the

adults need a more grounded and constructive approach in

comparison with the children or adolescents.

Fourth, the challenge of prevention of the excessive use

of the Arabic language, in intended and automatic cases, is

essential since it interferes with the efficiency of the EFL

study. The students need to start thinking in English in order

to succeed in the program, but with overuse of Arabic, it is

not possible.

Established Practice

As it has been already mentioned, the preliminary study

of the scope of concern reveals not only significant

developmental level and achievements, but also crucial gaps

and drawbacks, which should be considered before the

introduction of a new educational intervention.

First, the preliminary study indicates serious problems

with the oral practice of the students in the Kingdom of Saudi

Arabia. Aljumah (2011) underlines the urgency of

The problems of EFL/ESL university students’

unwillingness to speak and take part in class


discussions. Saudi students find it inappropriate to

speak in class because of their fear to be seen as

verbally challenging their teachers' views openly and

publicly (p. 84).

Such a tendency requires special approach and innovative

techniques in order to involve the male learners in the age

group of 18-22 to participate in group discussion or even a

simple dialogue.

Second, due to the prestigious status the English

language has acquired in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

relatively recently, the motivation to learn this language is

considerably higher and is regarded as the window in the

outer, i.e. better, world. Moreover, this language is included

in the list of compulsory subjects within the traditional

educational course. Therefore, it provides the teachers with

significant prerogative to cherish and develop this

motivation.

Third, Rahman and Alhaisoni (2013) emphasize the

potential threat of the drawbacks of the established practice

of English teaching in Saudi Arabia, such as “teacher-centered

rather than learner centered activities”… “lack of emphasis on


developing skills– emphasis is rather on rote learning” (p.

115). The aforementioned aspects mean that the technique,

approach and attitude toward the EFL educational process in

the country should be significantly reconsidered, developed

and qualitatively improved. The present program aims to

demonstrate these adjustments.

E-Learning

The phenomenon of E-learning is a popularized tendency in

the contemporary system of education. Nonetheless, it is

inappropriate and inefficient to conduct such programs in the

e-learning format since they require direct cooperation

between a teacher and a student, teamwork as well as constant

control and guidance.

Key Points for Effective Practice

The focal aspects in the given context include risks and

benefits of the present educational program.

Risks are as follows: a) numerous terms and scientific

notions which are hard to memorize and pronounce for the

learners of EFL; b) reluctance to participate in team work and

discussions as a result of fear of the potential failure in

the process of oral communication and all the kinds of


speaking exercises; c) deliberate or subconscious overuse of

the Arabic language during the EFL classes.

Benefits of the program involve:

Increasing in efficiency of EFL learning;

Constant improvement of the learners’ pronunciation

in English;

Significant development in terms of literacy aspect;

Increasing in the amount of the feedback from the

students’ audience;

Perspectives for further development and advanced

level of knowledge.

Proposing solutions

The above-presented general data leads to the

identification and discussion of the most efficient solutions

for preventing excessive use of the Arabic language during the

classes.

It is relevant to underline that a monolingual approach

is not considered a preferred one in the given context. The

bilingual approach permits to use the mother tongue, but it is

usually inadequately interpreted, and the words in L1 exceed

the EFL lexical material incorporated in the conversation (Al-


Harbi, 2010). Therefore, constructive and efficient solutions

are presented.

First, the students should be motivated to study English.

If they are properly motivated, they succeed. The interest to

the language is usually a guarantee of decrease in use of L1.

Moreover, it is necessary to highlight the difference between

teaching the children with the use of L1 and the same process

with adults: “adults rely on their L1 when learning L2, unlike

children who do not have previous knowledge of their mother

language” (Al-Nofaie, 2010, p. 67). Hence, the administrative

level should not only motivate but also help the students

distinguish between L1 as a medium to EFL development and

improvement and excessive L1 use.

Second, different exercises will be useful in order to

prevent excessive use of the mother tongue among students. The

exercises should aim at direct translation, finding synonyms

and contrasting words. It is useful to incorporate a classic

Grammar-Translation method as well as implement innovative

technologies, for example, a New Concurrent Method:

This method requires teachers to balance the use of L1

and L2… Code switching, which facilitates language


learning, should be systematic and purposeful. Four areas

of code switching to L1 have been identified: introducing

concepts, reviewing a previous lesson, capturing

learners' attention and praising learners (Al-Nofaie,

2010, p. 68).

The practices of code switching have been proved to be an

efficient and perspective method by many scholars within

different contexts of implementation. It is also recommended

to use the system of “praise and punishment” when in the

course of communication at the lesson a learner excessively

uses Arabic, or on the contrary, uses newly learnt lexical

material.

Furthermore, the Communicative Language Teaching may also

be helpful. It is composed of “a set of principles about the

goals of language teaching, how learners learn a language, the

kinds of classroom activities that best facilitate learning,

and the roles of teachers and learners in the classroom”

(Richards, 2005, p. 2). Hence, the aforementioned definition

highlights one more time not only specific principles of the

EFL learning but also significance of cooperation between the


students and their teacher as well as learners’ feedback and

involvement in the educational process.

Actually, the excessive use of the mother tongue is made,

as a rule, more often in the speaking domain that in other

ones. Therefore, it is obligatory to provide control over this

scope of students’ activity with special attention. Alibakshi

(2011) highlights the significance of descriptive techniques,

which develop speaking skills of the students and at the same

time improve their vocabulary. Moreover, the investigator

considers it to be more efficient when compared with the

technique of narratives at the EFL lessons. Furthermore, the

vocational training may include different kinds of

descriptions, namely: the description of devices, the

description of specific processes and the description of the

potential activity the learners perform or are expected to

perform in the future at their work place. Moreover, the

effectiveness of the tasks and tests sent via e-mails to the

learners has been proven by Motallebzadeh (2011) as

challenging and simultaneously skills-developing and aimed at

self-work with consequent group discussion and team

performance.


Third, it is crucial for a teacher to understand the

significance of L1 prevention. Otherwise, the excessive use of

the Arabic language may become a usual practice and a

permanent obstacle to efficient learning of the EFL (Liton,

2012). Since the program lasts 16 semesters, there is

sufficient amount of time to integrate the L1 into the overall

studying practice of English. The course of integration should

be gradual, consistent and motivated (Bataineh & Thabet,

2011). It is forbidden to start the lessons in English with no

translation of the new or potentially unknown for the audience

words. Though, it is recommended to substitute translation

with explanation of the notion, its alignment with the context

or providing the synonym. Such an approach strengthens the

lexical material that has been already learnt by the students

and, at the same time, contextualizes a new data that should

be learnt. It is essential to emphasize that the level of

decrease of the L1 use should be eliminated in the grammar

dimension since the explanation must be in the Arabic language

in order to provide total understanding of the presented

material.


Fourth, the language program policy on L1 should combine

all the available dimensions of studying the language with

diversity of techniques and methods of teaching. Moreover, the

program policy should demonstrate respect to both languages,

and simultaneously underline the significance of the EFL and

the way it relies on sufficient knowledge of the mother

tongue. Moreover, it should motivate the learners and advocate

the prestigious status of the bilingual speakers (Liton,

2013). Furthermore, the technology should be regarded as a

helpful tool in the teaching EFL practice (Morris, 2011; Al-

Maini, 2011).

Recommendations and Conclusions

Thus, the preventive measures of excessive L1 use are

considered to be constructive and perspective for the EFL

learning process. Moreover, the monolingual teaching practice

as an alternative solution for prevention L1 at the lessons of

English is not justified. Therefore, the bilingual approach

should be used with inclusion of such effective methods as

Grammar-Translation, New Concurrent Method and Communicative

Language Teaching as well as techniques of description,

synonymic substitution and explanation. Furthermore, the


course of study of the English language should be properly

motivated and evaluated.


References

Al-Harbi, A. (2010). Mother tongue maintenance and second

language sustenance: A two-way language teaching method.

TESOL Journal, 4, 144-158.

Aljumah, F. H. (2011). Developing Saudi EFL students’ oral

skills: An integrative approach. English Language Teaching,

4(3), and 84-89.

Alibakhshi, G. & Padiz, D. (2011). The effect of teaching

strategic competence on speaking performance of EFL

learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(4), 941-

947.

Al-Maini, Y. H. (2011). Using technology in EFL in Saudi

Arabia. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal, 2(3),

477-480.

Al-Nofaie, H. (2010). The attitudes of teachers and students

towards using Arabic in EFL classrooms in Saudi public

schools. Novitas Royal, 4(1), 64-95.

Bataineh, R. F. & Thabet, S. S. (2011). Communicative Language

Teaching in the Yemeni EFL classroom: Embraced or merely

lip-serviced? Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(4),

859-866.


Liton, H. A. (2012). Developing EFL teaching and learning

practices in Saudi colleges: A review. International Journal of

Instruction, 5(2), 129-152.

Liton, H. A. (2013). EFL teachers’ perceptions, evaluations

and expectations about English language courses as EFL in

Saudi Universities. International Journal of Instruction, 6(2), 19-

34.

Morris, N. O. (2011). Using technology in the EFL classroom in

Saudi Arabia [PDF document]. MA TESOL Collection. Retrieved

from

http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=1514&context=ipp_collection

Motallebzadeh, K. (2011). Integrating emailing tasks into EFL

reading comprehension classrooms. Journal of Language Teaching

and Research, 2(4), 881-886.

Rahman, M. M. & Alhaisoni, E. (2013). Teaching English in

Saudi Arabia: Prospects and challenges. Academic Research

International, 4(1), 112-118.

Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching today. New

York, NY: Cambridge University Press.


Preventing Arabic in the EFL Classrooms

Documents