A Specific Current Issue in Teaching English as a Foreign Language—Learners Use Their Mother Tongue in Learning English as a Foreign Language

In the English as a Foreign Language classroom, it is very common for students to learn a foreign language through the use of their mother tongue.In view of this phenomenon, the author analyzes and discusses the adverse effects of excessive use of the mother tongue on the development of oral English skills.This analysis is based on her own experience of teaching English in a high school in eastern China.This article will discuss the influence on English speaking skills from the perspective of incorrect pronunciation and confused grammar caused by long-term heavy use of one's mother tongue.At the end of the article, the author will also provide some pedagogical suggestions for these two aspects: In English teaching, teachers should study the grammatical similarities and differences between the mother tongue and the target language.They should make reasonable use of the mother tongue as an auxiliary tool to enhance students' oral ability.