Teachers and Students’ Beliefs about Using L1 (Afaan Oromoo) in the EFL Classroom: the Case of Shambu Primary School, Oromia, Ethiopia

There have always been contradicting views about whether or not to use the L1 of the students in the EFL classroom. While some researchers claim that the L1 should not be used in L2 classrooms, others think that it makes a valuable contribution to the learning process. Thus, the present study sought to explore the teachers' and students’ beliefs about the use of L1 in the context of ongoing debate among researchers and practitioners on whether or not to use the L1 (Afaan Oromoo) in the EFL classroom. Two English teachers and forty-one students of grade seven in Shambu primary school were involved in the study. In this study, data collected through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were analyzed. The results revealed that both teachers and students had positive beliefs about the use of L1 in the English teaching-learning process. The findings showed that the teachers’ use of the students’ L1 in vocabulary and grammar lessons, in particular, facilitates the students’ English language learning. The findings depicted that students prefer to use L1 in the English learning process because they have a better understanding, have a secure feeling in expressing their ideas, and master grammar points. Furthermore, the result of the study also indicated that both teachers and students perceive the necessity of judicious use of L1 to facilitate the teaching and learning of the English language.