L1 translation as scaffolding in tutor talk: a case study of two Korean tutors
With the increasing popularity of the communicative approach in the mid-20th century, the use of the L1 was discouraged and stigmatized in foreign language education. Since the emergence of the sociocultural perspective, however, L1 use has been reconsidered as a key mediating tool for second lan...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2017
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/11625/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/11625/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/11625/1/16864-52943-2-PB.pdf |
| Summary: | With the increasing popularity of the communicative approach in the mid-20th century, the
use of the L1 was discouraged and stigmatized in foreign language education. Since the
emergence of the sociocultural perspective, however, L1 use has been reconsidered as a key
mediating tool for second language learning. Utilizing this sociocultural approach, this study
examines how L1 translation is used in tutor-tutee talk during writing center appointments by
analyzing the talk of two Korean tutors with their seven tutees. The analysis reveals that L1
translation not only helps the tutees clarify their intended meaning in their texts, but also
serves as a successful tool for cognitively scaffolding tutee learning—in the forms of pump,
hint, and prompt—by helping both the tutor and tutee negotiate meaning and arrive at a
solution together. The results bring new insights regarding the use of L1 translation in tutor
and tutee interaction by highlighting the usefulness of L1 translation as scaffolding for
language learners, particularly when their language proficiency is not advanced. This study
implies that the use of L1, in particular, L1 translation may contribute to L2 learners’ learning
of English by facilitating their negotiations of meaning with their teachers as to finally arrive
at mutual understanding of each other. |
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