Teachers’ Views of L1 Use in English Speaking Classes : A Case Study of University Teachers in Korea

This study investigates the views of university English teachers in Korea teaching English speaking classes to develop a greater understanding of how L1 is used and for what reasons and purposes in the classroom. The primary means of data collection included a survey with multiple choice questions and open-ended questions, as well as semi-structured interviews. Thirteen teachers, five native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and eight Korean English teachers (KETs) responded to the survey, among whom four teachers participated in the interviews. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics or qualitative methods, depending on their types. Findings revealed that teachers attempted to use English as the primary medium of instruction, adhering to class identity and their teaching beliefs. However, the majority also found themselves allowing for the use of Korean to some extent for reasons such as the students’ low English proficiency, course goals, the tense environment, common L1 among students, and the students’ demand, although some differences were observed in the way that Korean was used between NESTs and KETs. Teachers also showed more leniency towards the students’ Korean use as opposed to their own use of it and employed Korean for different purposes in each case. Discrepancies were found between NESTs and KETs in their purposes. For instance, NESTs focused their use of Korean on social purposes while KETs focused on managerial purposes. NESTs permitted students to use Korean for various purposes, whereas KETs focused mainly on affective and social purposes. However, both groups seldom considered the students’ use of Korean for linguistic purposes. Further discussions on implications for teachers, education administrators, and researchers are provided.