Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Applied Research in Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
[PDF]
The Impact of Teacher-Student Linguistic Compatibility on EFL Learners’ Academic Achievement
Soheil Atashian, Shahd Al-Harbi
ABSTRACT:
The present study aims at exploring the impact of linguistic compatibility between teachers and students on the academic achievement of learners, and the effect of this compatibility on enhancing the students’ motivation. Occasionally, teachers use their mother tongue ‘Arabic’ while explaining some points in subjects with the English content. In this research, the researcher seeks to know the impact of using the mother tongue, whether positive or negative, on students’ academic achievement and motivation. Interviews were conducted and questionnaires were given to the participants in order to collect data. The questionnaire was administered to English students and an interview was conducted with the teacher. Research data and findings revealed that a majority of students agreed that linguistic compatibility between the teacher and the student contributes to academic achievement and motivates the student. They confirmed the necessity of using the mother tongue during explanations to enhance their understanding. However, teachers depicted an opposing opinion, as they believe that using the mother tongue in EFL classes may negatively affect students’ achievement and academic performance. Linguistic compatibility cannot be a reason for students’ academic success.
keywords: foreign language, motivation, native language, perception, success