In provocative article, Elsa Auerbach
(1993:29) gives a sociopolitical rationale for
the use of the L1 in ESL classrooms. She primarily
addresses the situation of immigrant
ESL learners studying in the United States.
Her conclusions, however, are applicable to
any immigrant second language learners in
any metropole. In this article, she states that
“everyday classroom practices, far from being
neutral and natural, have ideological origins
and consequences for relations of power both
inside and outside the classroom.” Auerbach
(1993:19) summarized her conclusion in the
following way: “Starting with the L1 provides
a sense of security and validates the learners’
lived experiences, allowing them to express
themselves. The learner is then willing to
experiment and take risks with English.”
Piasecka seconds Auerbach’s position
when she states, “One’s sense of identity as an
individual is inextricably bound up within
one’s native language…. If the learner of a
second language is encouraged to ignore
his/her native language, he/she might well
feel his/her identity threatened” (in Hopkins,
1988:18)