Foreign language teaching practice is developing rapidly,but research on foreign language teacher learning is currently relatively fragmented and unstructured.The book Foreign Language Teacher Learning,written by Prof...Foreign language teaching practice is developing rapidly,but research on foreign language teacher learning is currently relatively fragmented and unstructured.The book Foreign Language Teacher Learning,written by Professor Kang Yan from Capital Normal University,published in September 2022,makes a systematic introduction to foreign language teacher learning,which to some extent makes up for this shortcoming.Her book presents the lineage of foreign language teacher learning research at home and abroad,analyzes both theoretical and practical aspects,reviews the cuttingedge research results,and foresees the future development trend,painting a complete research picture for researchers in the field of foreign language teaching and teacher education as well as front-line teachers interested in foreign language teacher learning.This is an important inspiration for conducting foreign language teacher learning research in the future.And this paper makes a review of the book from aspects such as its content,major characteristics,contributions and limitations.展开更多
In this presentation,the author explores strategies and activities that create a welcoming and nurturing environment for LGBTQIA+foreign language students at the college level in the United States.Indeed,as it is comm...In this presentation,the author explores strategies and activities that create a welcoming and nurturing environment for LGBTQIA+foreign language students at the college level in the United States.Indeed,as it is commonly stated,there is a clear lack of visibility,acceptance/tolerance,and inclusion of LGBTQIA+voices(active and proactive)in foreign language teaching and learning(pedagogical material as well as in-class attitudes and delivery).The reasons for this deficiency are diverse since they cover not only outward discrimination against and/or indifference(passive-aggressive behavior)toward the LGBTQIA+community and its plight,but they also illustrate the sheer,physical inexistence of quality material that can be used to create,present,and foster a welcoming and all-encompassing classroom environment that addresses the diverse spectrum of the LGBTQIA+community while its members try to learn a foreign language and(positively)negotiate how to express their very identity in their new language of choice.Moreover,the scant material that is available in the United States as well as in other Western countries where the LGBTQIA+community by and large is accepted-at least from the legal point of view-hardly represents and covers the subject matter in a satisfactory way.To address this gap,the author will provide some examples in European Portuguese(EP)and Italian(IT),followed by a courtesy translation in English,to illustrate some positive activities and strategies for including LGBTQIA+-related subject matter in the foreign language classroom at the college level.It is his desire that instructors of other foreign languages duplicate in their respective vernaculars the strategies and activities herein presented in order to create a welcoming and safe classroom environment that embraces the LGBTQIA+community as it goes through the enjoyable journey of learning a new language and culture.展开更多
The paper takes 2076 undergraduate students majoring in foreign languages from 15 Chinese universities as the research subjects to investigate their demand for ideological and political education elements in foreign l...The paper takes 2076 undergraduate students majoring in foreign languages from 15 Chinese universities as the research subjects to investigate their demand for ideological and political education elements in foreign language courses.The results show that:(1)Students have high needs for ideological and political education elements in foreign language courses;(2)There are differences in students’needs for ideological and political education elements across different dimensions.Students have higher demand for dimensions such as personal qualities,cultural literacy,moral cultivation,and patriotism,while their demand for dimensions related to constitutional law and political identity is relatively low.Therefore,foreign language majors in Chinese universities should optimize the supply of ideological and political education elements in their courses according to students’needs,and improve the effectiveness of moral education in these courses.展开更多
Students’evaluation of moral education is of great significance for improving the quality of teaching.Through a survey of 2715 undergraduates majoring in foreign languages,this paper analyzes their evaluation of the ...Students’evaluation of moral education is of great significance for improving the quality of teaching.Through a survey of 2715 undergraduates majoring in foreign languages,this paper analyzes their evaluation of the moral education.Findings show that students speak highly of teachers’competence in moral education,teaching methods and the integration of moral education in the textbooks,but not in the course assessment and the overall effect of moral education.Suggestions were proposed accordingly to improve moral education of foreign language education in China.展开更多
Language security is an important part of national security,and in the current complex international environment,the issue of language security is becoming more and more prominent and has become an unignorable part of...Language security is an important part of national security,and in the current complex international environment,the issue of language security is becoming more and more prominent and has become an unignorable part of national security strategy.As the bridge and link of international communication,foreign language talents’language skills and the level of national security awareness directly affect our country’s international image and the effect of international communication.Therefore,the establishment of a foreign language talent cultivation mode based on the concept of language security is not only an important way to improve the quality of foreign language education but also a realistic need to safeguard national security and promote international exchanges.Starting from the influence of the language security concept on foreign language talent cultivation,this paper analyzes the foreign language talent cultivation mode based on the language security concept,with a view to providing new ideas and methods for the development of foreign language education.展开更多
One of the most obvious markers of an individual’s identity is their language.However,in some ways,the relationship between identity and language acquisition seems to be missed.In fact,a lot of studies have shown tha...One of the most obvious markers of an individual’s identity is their language.However,in some ways,the relationship between identity and language acquisition seems to be missed.In fact,a lot of studies have shown that identity may influence the reasons behind language acquisition,especially in bilingual or multilingual societies.Learning English can provide EFL(English as a Foreign Language)students with a good sense of identity and encourage them to practice their agency,which can improve learning efficiency and effectiveness.This paper examines how the efficacy and results of language learning are influenced by the learner’s identity.展开更多
This study investigated the status quo and further improvement needs of foreign language teachers’teaching competence in curriculum-based ideological education(CIE)in Xinjiang colleges and universities.The results sh...This study investigated the status quo and further improvement needs of foreign language teachers’teaching competence in curriculum-based ideological education(CIE)in Xinjiang colleges and universities.The results show that the teachers’teaching competence in CIE is generally good,with the“cultivating quality”being the highest and the“scientific research quality”the lowest;there still exist several problems,such as teachers’lack of theoretical knowledge in CIE,lack of teaching resources,and insufficient abilities in teaching design and research.It is hoped that with the support and efforts from university administrations,teachers can improve their teaching competence in CIE through various approaches adopted and multiple measures taken,thus optimizing their teaching effectiveness,promoting the construction of CIE in Xinjiang colleges and universities in the new era,and contributing to Xinjiang’s high-quality development.展开更多
Nowadays,the Communicative Language Teaching Approach has gained significant popularity in the field of foreign language teaching.However,there appears to be a stagnation in its application effects.Therefore,this thes...Nowadays,the Communicative Language Teaching Approach has gained significant popularity in the field of foreign language teaching.However,there appears to be a stagnation in its application effects.Therefore,this thesis aims to investigate the present state of CLT implementation and identify the factors influencing its execution within English major classrooms at Chinese universities from a student perspective.30 students responded to the questionnaire and 5 students participated in interviews to provide detailed insights.Through analysis,it was observed that CLT has been widely used in English classes and received positive feedback from students.Factors including the Test-oriented Educational system,teacher factors,student factors,and the Chinese traditional Confucius idea about teaching have an important impact on its implementation.Additionally,this article offers potential recommendations aimed at reconciling the CLT Approach with the Chinese educational context.展开更多
The education reform of integrating ideological and political theories in all courses is crucial in fostering virtue through education.In the new era,foreign language courses are increasingly prominent in moral educat...The education reform of integrating ideological and political theories in all courses is crucial in fostering virtue through education.In the new era,foreign language courses are increasingly prominent in moral education.Learning a language is not just about mastering its language form but also about critically examining the cultural connotations and thinking patterns embedded within it.Therefore,cultivating students’critical thinking skills should be a key focus in foreign language education.First,this paper examines the importance of fostering students’critical thinking in foreign language courses.Second,considering the characteristics of Chinese college foreign language courses,we propose that if we want to cultivate critical thinking among students through foreign language courses,we need to effect pattern transformations across four aspects:teaching philosophy,teaching content,teaching methodology,and teaching evaluation.These transformations also present requirements for foreign language teachers.They should focus on enhancing their comprehensive literacy,including ideological and political literacy,teaching design skills,and the ability to integrate teaching materials with logical thinking.And China’s Standards of English Language Ability(the CSE)serves as an important reference indicator for implementing these transformations.展开更多
Foreign language education is an important part of Chinese education,but the overall foreign language education in China is still relatively underdeveloped.Foreign language education and policies in contemporary China...Foreign language education is an important part of Chinese education,but the overall foreign language education in China is still relatively underdeveloped.Foreign language education and policies in contemporary China are closely related to China’s political,economic,and social development.The contemporary Chinese foreign language education and policies,since the establishment of New China in 1949,can be divided into four periods.The first period is a period of domination by the Russian language(1949–1956),the second period is a period of exploration and transformation(1956–1966),the third period is a period of interruption(1966–1978),and the fourth period is a period of development and improvement(1978 to present).Understanding foreign language education and policies in contemporary Chinese universities can contribute to the future development of foreign language education and policies in China.展开更多
This paper focuses on examining the relevant policies concerning Chinese language education within Iran’s foreign language education policy framework from the perspective of its historical context.By analyzing the ch...This paper focuses on examining the relevant policies concerning Chinese language education within Iran’s foreign language education policy framework from the perspective of its historical context.By analyzing the characteristics of Iran’s foreign language policy and the current situation of Chinese language teaching in Iran,this paper studies the future development of international Chinese language education in Iran.展开更多
In recent years, the college English teaching reform has been increasingly deepened. The study of the relationship between cognitive approach and foreign language teaching is undoubtedly instructive not only to guaran...In recent years, the college English teaching reform has been increasingly deepened. The study of the relationship between cognitive approach and foreign language teaching is undoubtedly instructive not only to guarantee the quality of foreign language teaching but also to improve learners' foreign language proficiency. In this essay, the author expounds the development of cognitive approach and some relative teaching principles, on which basis the author puts forward some specific practices in foreign language teaching.展开更多
The 1980s and the 1990s witnessed a slow development of studies on the theories of foreign language writing, English writing namely, in China. At the beginning of 21st century, the development takes a great step forwa...The 1980s and the 1990s witnessed a slow development of studies on the theories of foreign language writing, English writing namely, in China. At the beginning of 21st century, the development takes a great step forward with more relevant articles published in all kinds of magazines. This review focuses on the articles published in the most important periodicals of foreign language teaching and research since the 1980s. In order to get an over-all understanding of the theories, the author classifies them into two aspects basic theories of foreign language writing and theories of teaching foreign language writing.展开更多
Anxiety is considered to be one of the key psychological variables as well as one of the important emotional factors that affect language learning. Taken into account that classroom is the main place in which Chinese ...Anxiety is considered to be one of the key psychological variables as well as one of the important emotional factors that affect language learning. Taken into account that classroom is the main place in which Chinese college students learn English,it is of great significance to study students' language anxiety in the classroom environment. Based on the previous researches, this paper reviews the relevant studies in this area conducted at home and abroad.展开更多
This essay begins with a brief introduction to the changes in foreign language education policy and the main motives for those changes in the context of socio-political circumstances. It then examines the development ...This essay begins with a brief introduction to the changes in foreign language education policy and the main motives for those changes in the context of socio-political circumstances. It then examines the development of language education system in a new college of a university in China over a period of ten years in relation to the issue of internationalization and globalization.The study shows that the language education system of the new college has developed in parallel with the recently-emerged trends in language education in China. Finally,it seeks to interpret these trends in terms of global,national,regional forces that currently drive it forwards.展开更多
Age is one of the factors which influnce foreign language learning, but not the most important one. Comparision on the effect of foreign language learning between adults and children cannot rely merely on age. So the ...Age is one of the factors which influnce foreign language learning, but not the most important one. Comparision on the effect of foreign language learning between adults and children cannot rely merely on age. So the question of an optimum age for foreign language learning is not a simple one which is only related to age. There are different optimum ages for different aims and demands of learning foreign language.展开更多
With the enhancement of friendship between different nations, foreign language learning has become more and more important. In particular, spoken language is playing a vital role in foreign language learning and pract...With the enhancement of friendship between different nations, foreign language learning has become more and more important. In particular, spoken language is playing a vital role in foreign language learning and practice. In order to improve foreign language teaching and learning proficiency in ethnic regions, the author analyses the current situation of spoken foreign language teaching and learning in ethnic regions and suggests some ways to solve the existing problems.展开更多
This paper discuss the significance of course design basing on the theory of some famous linguists like David Nunan and Xia Jimei. By the guadience of the principles of designing course, it aims to capture language te...This paper discuss the significance of course design basing on the theory of some famous linguists like David Nunan and Xia Jimei. By the guadience of the principles of designing course, it aims to capture language teachers' attention on the significance of studying course design and offer some hints on how to apply the course design in foreign language展开更多
Throughout decades of foreign language(L2) teaching,a recurring issue has been the role of the first language(L1) in the classroom.A long-term and wide-ranging debate persists regarding practical and theoretical quest...Throughout decades of foreign language(L2) teaching,a recurring issue has been the role of the first language(L1) in the classroom.A long-term and wide-ranging debate persists regarding practical and theoretical questions about the significance of the L1’ s obvious influence on the L2 being learned.Although many feel that the L1 should not be used in the classroom,other researchers, teachers,and learners do see a role for the L1 and support its use as a communication strategy and instructional tool.This article will look at the historical background of this topic,and describe how the L1 is currently being used in the L2 classroom,including in written translation activities.A specific explanation will also be given about the benefits of using translation for assessing reading comprehension.展开更多
文摘Foreign language teaching practice is developing rapidly,but research on foreign language teacher learning is currently relatively fragmented and unstructured.The book Foreign Language Teacher Learning,written by Professor Kang Yan from Capital Normal University,published in September 2022,makes a systematic introduction to foreign language teacher learning,which to some extent makes up for this shortcoming.Her book presents the lineage of foreign language teacher learning research at home and abroad,analyzes both theoretical and practical aspects,reviews the cuttingedge research results,and foresees the future development trend,painting a complete research picture for researchers in the field of foreign language teaching and teacher education as well as front-line teachers interested in foreign language teacher learning.This is an important inspiration for conducting foreign language teacher learning research in the future.And this paper makes a review of the book from aspects such as its content,major characteristics,contributions and limitations.
文摘In this presentation,the author explores strategies and activities that create a welcoming and nurturing environment for LGBTQIA+foreign language students at the college level in the United States.Indeed,as it is commonly stated,there is a clear lack of visibility,acceptance/tolerance,and inclusion of LGBTQIA+voices(active and proactive)in foreign language teaching and learning(pedagogical material as well as in-class attitudes and delivery).The reasons for this deficiency are diverse since they cover not only outward discrimination against and/or indifference(passive-aggressive behavior)toward the LGBTQIA+community and its plight,but they also illustrate the sheer,physical inexistence of quality material that can be used to create,present,and foster a welcoming and all-encompassing classroom environment that addresses the diverse spectrum of the LGBTQIA+community while its members try to learn a foreign language and(positively)negotiate how to express their very identity in their new language of choice.Moreover,the scant material that is available in the United States as well as in other Western countries where the LGBTQIA+community by and large is accepted-at least from the legal point of view-hardly represents and covers the subject matter in a satisfactory way.To address this gap,the author will provide some examples in European Portuguese(EP)and Italian(IT),followed by a courtesy translation in English,to illustrate some positive activities and strategies for including LGBTQIA+-related subject matter in the foreign language classroom at the college level.It is his desire that instructors of other foreign languages duplicate in their respective vernaculars the strategies and activities herein presented in order to create a welcoming and safe classroom environment that embraces the LGBTQIA+community as it goes through the enjoyable journey of learning a new language and culture.
基金This paper represents the interim achievement of Shandong Provincial Education Science“14th Five-Year Plan”General Research Project“Research on the Practice and Enhancement Path of Ideological and Political Education in Foreign Language Professional Courses in Universities” (Project Number:2021ZC060).
文摘The paper takes 2076 undergraduate students majoring in foreign languages from 15 Chinese universities as the research subjects to investigate their demand for ideological and political education elements in foreign language courses.The results show that:(1)Students have high needs for ideological and political education elements in foreign language courses;(2)There are differences in students’needs for ideological and political education elements across different dimensions.Students have higher demand for dimensions such as personal qualities,cultural literacy,moral cultivation,and patriotism,while their demand for dimensions related to constitutional law and political identity is relatively low.Therefore,foreign language majors in Chinese universities should optimize the supply of ideological and political education elements in their courses according to students’needs,and improve the effectiveness of moral education in these courses.
文摘Students’evaluation of moral education is of great significance for improving the quality of teaching.Through a survey of 2715 undergraduates majoring in foreign languages,this paper analyzes their evaluation of the moral education.Findings show that students speak highly of teachers’competence in moral education,teaching methods and the integration of moral education in the textbooks,but not in the course assessment and the overall effect of moral education.Suggestions were proposed accordingly to improve moral education of foreign language education in China.
基金Heilongjiang Province Undergraduate University’s First Batch of Foreign Language Education Reform and Innovation Project:“Practical Research on Foreign Language Talent Cultivation Based on the Concept of Language Security in the Context of New Liberal Arts”(HWX2022018-B)Heilongjiang Province Higher Education Teaching Reform Project:A Mixed Training Study on the“Interdisciplinary Integration”Ability of University Foreign Language Teachers in the Context of New Liberal Arts(SJGY20220444)。
文摘Language security is an important part of national security,and in the current complex international environment,the issue of language security is becoming more and more prominent and has become an unignorable part of national security strategy.As the bridge and link of international communication,foreign language talents’language skills and the level of national security awareness directly affect our country’s international image and the effect of international communication.Therefore,the establishment of a foreign language talent cultivation mode based on the concept of language security is not only an important way to improve the quality of foreign language education but also a realistic need to safeguard national security and promote international exchanges.Starting from the influence of the language security concept on foreign language talent cultivation,this paper analyzes the foreign language talent cultivation mode based on the language security concept,with a view to providing new ideas and methods for the development of foreign language education.
文摘One of the most obvious markers of an individual’s identity is their language.However,in some ways,the relationship between identity and language acquisition seems to be missed.In fact,a lot of studies have shown that identity may influence the reasons behind language acquisition,especially in bilingual or multilingual societies.Learning English can provide EFL(English as a Foreign Language)students with a good sense of identity and encourage them to practice their agency,which can improve learning efficiency and effectiveness.This paper examines how the efficacy and results of language learning are influenced by the learner’s identity.
基金2022 Project of Foreign Language Teaching and Research in Xinjiang Colleges and Universities-General Project“Research on the Approaches to Improving Foreign Language Teachers’Teaching Competence in Curriculum-Based Ideological Education in Xinjiang Colleges and Universities in the New Era”(Project number:XJGXWYJG2022B04)。
文摘This study investigated the status quo and further improvement needs of foreign language teachers’teaching competence in curriculum-based ideological education(CIE)in Xinjiang colleges and universities.The results show that the teachers’teaching competence in CIE is generally good,with the“cultivating quality”being the highest and the“scientific research quality”the lowest;there still exist several problems,such as teachers’lack of theoretical knowledge in CIE,lack of teaching resources,and insufficient abilities in teaching design and research.It is hoped that with the support and efforts from university administrations,teachers can improve their teaching competence in CIE through various approaches adopted and multiple measures taken,thus optimizing their teaching effectiveness,promoting the construction of CIE in Xinjiang colleges and universities in the new era,and contributing to Xinjiang’s high-quality development.
文摘Nowadays,the Communicative Language Teaching Approach has gained significant popularity in the field of foreign language teaching.However,there appears to be a stagnation in its application effects.Therefore,this thesis aims to investigate the present state of CLT implementation and identify the factors influencing its execution within English major classrooms at Chinese universities from a student perspective.30 students responded to the questionnaire and 5 students participated in interviews to provide detailed insights.Through analysis,it was observed that CLT has been widely used in English classes and received positive feedback from students.Factors including the Test-oriented Educational system,teacher factors,student factors,and the Chinese traditional Confucius idea about teaching have an important impact on its implementation.Additionally,this article offers potential recommendations aimed at reconciling the CLT Approach with the Chinese educational context.
基金This paper is a phased achievement of the special project of the“Santai Xinxiu”philosophy and social science program of Taizhou City in 2022 entitled“Research on Quality Assessment of English Education in Vocational Colleges based on the CSE Scale”(22GHQ04)the general project of Taizhou Vocational&Technical College in 2022 entitled“Research on Rational Connotation and Resource Integration Measures of the Building of Ideological and Political Theory Teaching in All Courses”(2022YB13)the project for teachers’professional development by college domestic visiting scholars in 2020 entitled“Research on the Reconstruction and Implementation Path of New Business Major Curriculum from a Combined Perspective of Professionalism and Innovation-An Example of the Course‘Implementation and Optimization of Foreign Trade’”(FX2020123).
文摘The education reform of integrating ideological and political theories in all courses is crucial in fostering virtue through education.In the new era,foreign language courses are increasingly prominent in moral education.Learning a language is not just about mastering its language form but also about critically examining the cultural connotations and thinking patterns embedded within it.Therefore,cultivating students’critical thinking skills should be a key focus in foreign language education.First,this paper examines the importance of fostering students’critical thinking in foreign language courses.Second,considering the characteristics of Chinese college foreign language courses,we propose that if we want to cultivate critical thinking among students through foreign language courses,we need to effect pattern transformations across four aspects:teaching philosophy,teaching content,teaching methodology,and teaching evaluation.These transformations also present requirements for foreign language teachers.They should focus on enhancing their comprehensive literacy,including ideological and political literacy,teaching design skills,and the ability to integrate teaching materials with logical thinking.And China’s Standards of English Language Ability(the CSE)serves as an important reference indicator for implementing these transformations.
文摘Foreign language education is an important part of Chinese education,but the overall foreign language education in China is still relatively underdeveloped.Foreign language education and policies in contemporary China are closely related to China’s political,economic,and social development.The contemporary Chinese foreign language education and policies,since the establishment of New China in 1949,can be divided into four periods.The first period is a period of domination by the Russian language(1949–1956),the second period is a period of exploration and transformation(1956–1966),the third period is a period of interruption(1966–1978),and the fourth period is a period of development and improvement(1978 to present).Understanding foreign language education and policies in contemporary Chinese universities can contribute to the future development of foreign language education and policies in China.
基金International Chinese Language Teaching Practice Innovation Project,Center for Language Education and Cooperation,2022:“A Study of‘New Heights’in International Chinese Language Education with a Case Study of a Junior Chinese Language Class for Iranian College Teachers”(YHJXCX22-118)。
文摘This paper focuses on examining the relevant policies concerning Chinese language education within Iran’s foreign language education policy framework from the perspective of its historical context.By analyzing the characteristics of Iran’s foreign language policy and the current situation of Chinese language teaching in Iran,this paper studies the future development of international Chinese language education in Iran.
文摘In recent years, the college English teaching reform has been increasingly deepened. The study of the relationship between cognitive approach and foreign language teaching is undoubtedly instructive not only to guarantee the quality of foreign language teaching but also to improve learners' foreign language proficiency. In this essay, the author expounds the development of cognitive approach and some relative teaching principles, on which basis the author puts forward some specific practices in foreign language teaching.
文摘The 1980s and the 1990s witnessed a slow development of studies on the theories of foreign language writing, English writing namely, in China. At the beginning of 21st century, the development takes a great step forward with more relevant articles published in all kinds of magazines. This review focuses on the articles published in the most important periodicals of foreign language teaching and research since the 1980s. In order to get an over-all understanding of the theories, the author classifies them into two aspects basic theories of foreign language writing and theories of teaching foreign language writing.
文摘Anxiety is considered to be one of the key psychological variables as well as one of the important emotional factors that affect language learning. Taken into account that classroom is the main place in which Chinese college students learn English,it is of great significance to study students' language anxiety in the classroom environment. Based on the previous researches, this paper reviews the relevant studies in this area conducted at home and abroad.
文摘This essay begins with a brief introduction to the changes in foreign language education policy and the main motives for those changes in the context of socio-political circumstances. It then examines the development of language education system in a new college of a university in China over a period of ten years in relation to the issue of internationalization and globalization.The study shows that the language education system of the new college has developed in parallel with the recently-emerged trends in language education in China. Finally,it seeks to interpret these trends in terms of global,national,regional forces that currently drive it forwards.
文摘Age is one of the factors which influnce foreign language learning, but not the most important one. Comparision on the effect of foreign language learning between adults and children cannot rely merely on age. So the question of an optimum age for foreign language learning is not a simple one which is only related to age. There are different optimum ages for different aims and demands of learning foreign language.
文摘With the enhancement of friendship between different nations, foreign language learning has become more and more important. In particular, spoken language is playing a vital role in foreign language learning and practice. In order to improve foreign language teaching and learning proficiency in ethnic regions, the author analyses the current situation of spoken foreign language teaching and learning in ethnic regions and suggests some ways to solve the existing problems.
文摘This paper discuss the significance of course design basing on the theory of some famous linguists like David Nunan and Xia Jimei. By the guadience of the principles of designing course, it aims to capture language teachers' attention on the significance of studying course design and offer some hints on how to apply the course design in foreign language
文摘Throughout decades of foreign language(L2) teaching,a recurring issue has been the role of the first language(L1) in the classroom.A long-term and wide-ranging debate persists regarding practical and theoretical questions about the significance of the L1’ s obvious influence on the L2 being learned.Although many feel that the L1 should not be used in the classroom,other researchers, teachers,and learners do see a role for the L1 and support its use as a communication strategy and instructional tool.This article will look at the historical background of this topic,and describe how the L1 is currently being used in the L2 classroom,including in written translation activities.A specific explanation will also be given about the benefits of using translation for assessing reading comprehension.