This reaction paper discusses challenges in teaching a second language (L2) and strategies to address those challenges. It notes that a learner's first language (L1) can negatively interfere with L2 learning through differences in vocabulary, grammar, and other linguistic elements. However, the paper advocates properly utilizing L1 in the classroom and focusing initially on developing students' spoken language skills over written skills. The author reflects on applying strategies from theorists like Paul Nation, such as varying task difficulty and goals, to improve L2 teaching practices and help students engage more with the language.

1. UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE LS SSMA. CONCEPCION
REACTION PAPER
PARA SER PRESENTADO EN CATEDRA DIDACTICA DEL INGLES 1
FACULTAD DE EDUCACION
PEDAGOGIA MEDIA EN INGLES
POR
GABRIEL FERNANDO JARA MUÑOZ
DOCENTE
ROXANNA CAROLINA CORREA PEREZ
FECHA
CONCEPCION, 2012

2. It has been said through a long period of time that learning L2 is not an
easy task; it presents variety of obstacles and it turns even more difficult when the
learner is not in the country where the second language is spoken, or L1 presents
a great deal of interference. Nonetheless, teaching L2 despite the hard and
demanding labor that it is, it isn’t impossible to accomplish when the necessary
elements are taken in consideration while teaching.
First of all, it is mentioned from common sense that spoken language is
acquired (firstly) and written is learnt (secondly), for example children acquire their
mother tongue by listening and repeating and eventually speaking, and then learn
how to write it by symbols or characters that represent the sounds, however this
doesn’t mean that teaching and learning L2 should be in the same order or format
as we acquire L1 (V. Cook), for it depends on the learners context, obstacles and
their demands whether is for speaking, translating, teaching etc. This presents
some troubles if teachers want to accomplish their students to speak as natural as
native speakers, for it would be a complete failure based on the reason that they
are learning a second language and are not supposed to sound like that, mainly
because L1 causes interference at many levels (M. Swan), such as the difference
of vocabulary of L2 in context (idioms, collocations), generalization of the
vocabulary, false cognates etc, which can be minimize if proper strategies of L1
and L2 are used of classroom. A well described procedures or strategies are
presented (P. Nation, 1997) in order to carry out a meaningful learning, taking in

3. consideration how demanding is a task according to the learners’ proficiency (is
he/she capable to do it, is it to hard), changing the circumstances of the task,
informing students about the goal of the task, reciprocal evaluation of the task,
approaching to the problem systematically by using L1 properly.
In a general view, it is quite useful to know or at least have in consideration
many of the key elements that these authors pointed out, for the reason that we
as teachers of a L2 should be aware of how L1 can affect positively or negatively a
students’ learning process, and more importantly which strategies can we use to
accomplish a positive impact when teaching English. Even though the three of the
text were completely helpful I would have to say that Paul Nation’s Text made a
more direct impact in the way I used to think of L1 as a constant problematic issue
in classrooms. I mean, how can we teach a subject usually not very popular
among students and make it at the same time accessible and closer to the
students, what new elements, task, activities can we change or provide to make
them feel interested or engaged to L2. I would say that its practicality could be
one key point that made felt interested, for it shows and lists strategies that can
be used and experimented to our hearts’ content, making me wish to know what
would happen if those strategies are applied in a Chilean reality.
I can say that my understanding of the use or interference of L1 in
classroom has been expanded and I have become more aware when using or not

4. L1 to support a student learning process. Furthermore, it has made me reflect on
the critical current reality of ours schools in the Chilean educational system in the
English subject, because based on my experience in my pedagogical practices;
there is no consideration whatsoever of use of L1 in a classroom or the priority
that spoken language should have in tasks or activities, promoting effectively
communicative skills rather that vocabulary and grammar development. I have
seen teachers writing a list of words on the whiteboard and the make choral drills
and teachers giving worksheets and that’s it. So many questions emerge from
these observations that I have made. How can we improve our teaching processes
in classroom, how can we teach effectively, Could be L1 interference as Michael
Sawn pointed out, or should we completely focus on spoken language and make
then speak instead of writing as Vivian cook propose or would Paul Nation’s
suggestions make the difference? It seems more complicated than that; however
those ideas still mean a great deal of help when educators face troubled and
obstacles during their teaching processes and it could assist them whenever
education has put challenges in such a noble job as teaching.

5. REFERENCES:
• Nation, P. (1997) L1 and L2 Use in the Classroom: A Systematic
Approach in TESL Reporter, pp. 19-27
• Cook, V. (2009) Questioning traditional assumptions of language
teaching in Nouveaux cahiers de linguistique française , pp 7-22
• Swan, M. The influence of the mother tongue on second language
vocabulary acquisition and use, in Vocabulary: Description,
Acquisition and Pedagogy, ed. Schmitt and McCarthy, CUP 1997, pp.
156–180