Identifying the use Mother Tongue in EFL Classroom: an Observational Study
Abstract
This study investigates how instructors use their mother tongue in an EFL classroom,
which identifies how the instructor uses the mother tongue in the EFL class, regarding its frequency
and function. Observational study methods are used in this study. In this study, the researcher
observed an instructor in a foreign language class at a junior high school in Yogyakarta.
Furthermore, an observation form framework is used to stay focused and the information captured
is specific. This study uses an observational framework developed by Paker & Karaağaç (2015).
Based on research findings that the use of mother tongue in foreign language classes uses 6
language functions. Of the 6 language functions, the use of the mother tongue is very often used
with different purposes but still the mother tongue has a role as a liaison for the target language in
order to achieve learning objectives in the classroom. The use of the mother tongue in the
classroom is beneficial during the learning process delivered by the teacher where the mother
tongue is not something that interferes but maximizes the learning process