An Analysis Of L1 Use In L2 Reading By Chinese College Students

This thesis reports a descriptive study on Chinese college students' L1 use in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading. The researcher attempts to provide insights into the amount and the roles of L1 use while reading L2 texts. To secure the reliability of the results in this study, both quantitative and qualitative methods are employed. The quantitative data are collected from a questionnaire answered by 118 college students at Nanjing Xiaozhuang University. In the qualitative research, 15 subjects at three different L2 levels, chosen from the 118 students, are placed in 3 groups and asked to think aloud while reading an English text and then asked to explain what they are doing as they are reading in the later retrospective interviews.Analyses based on the questionnaire, think-aloud protocols and retrospective interviews are made to investigate L1 use in L2 reading. Major findings in the study can be summarized as follows:1) Chinese college students are in a dilemma on the issue of L1 use in L2 learning. On the one hand, they believe L1 should be avoided in L2 learning; on the other hand, they do use their L1 in L2 learning.2) Chinese college students rely heavily on their L1 in L2 reading to the extent which is greater than previously assumed. In this study, above 60% of the reading strategies of the three groups are involved in L1.3) There is no sharp difference among the 3 different L2 proficiency groups in their language use. All of them prefer to use their L1 to help their comprehension. However, comparatively speaking, L1 plays a supportive and efficient role in the advanced group, whereas L1 often exerts some negative influence on their understanding in lower-level and intermediate groups.4) The major roles of L1 use in L2 reading are resolving word-related difficulties, clarifying long and complicated sentences, checking their comprehension and reducing affective barriers.5) It is generally recognized that L1 use facilitates L2 reading. However, L1 use might also be negative and unsupportive. Using the L1 as the language of thought might slow down their reading speed, and word-for-word translation might lead to misunderstanding. In addition, L1 thinking might make L2 readers neglect the L2 forms, which impedes their L2 acquisition. 6) L2 proficiency, reading purposes and reading habits might influence L2 readers' L1 use.In the light of the findings generated by the study, this thesis intends to provide valuable and practical advice for L2 teaching and learning. Firstly, L1 as the language of thought should not be forbidden or discouraged at all costs. Secondly, to think in L2 requires a threshold level of L2 knowledge. Students should be engaged in cultivating their basic or lower-level skills so as to lay a solid foundation for the improvement of their L2 proficiency. Thirdly, teachers should create more opportunities and circumstances for students to apply their L2 and arouse their interest in L2. Finally, it should be noted that L1 use should not be exaggerated in the L2 learning.