The use of L1 in learning the Ser-Estar distinction in Spanish as a third language

The use of the first language (L1) in target language (TL) learning and teaching has long been debated in the field of second language acquisition (Cook, V. (2001). Using the first language in classroom. Canadian Modern Language Review, 47(3), 402–423. https://doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.57.3.402; Cook, V. (2016). Premises of multicompetence. In V. Cook, & L. Wei (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of linguistic multicompetence (pp. 1–25). Cambridge University Press; Turnbull, M. (2001). There is a role for the L1 in second and foreign language teaching. Canadian Modern Language Review, 57(4), 531–540. https://doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.57.4.531). To contribute to this debate, this study examines the effect of L1 use as an aid in third language (L3) Ser-Estar grammar instruction and learners’ use of their L1 as a cognitive tool during writing within the instructed Second Language Acquisition (ISLA). The participants were 18 multilingual learners with L1 Turkish, L2 English, and L3 Spanish. Over four hours, two groups received form-focused instruction on Ser-Estar. L3 learning was measured through Ser-Estar language tests. In addition, learners’ use of the L1 as a cognitive tool in language-related episodes (LREs) was examined through a collaborative L3 writing task. The results showed that form-focused instruction facilitated learning of the target structure, with the Spanish-only group demonstrating greater improvement than the Turkish-aided group. However, no significant differences were found between the groups in the number or categories of LREs. Overall, the findings suggest a potential advantage in maximising TL exposure in similar instructional contexts, as the classroom may be the only setting in which learners are exposed to the TL.