Should Foreign Language Teaching be Supported by Mother Tongue?

Abstract

This paper aims to focus on the importance of mother tongue in foreign language classrooms. During the last two decades it has been an active area of debate to whether activate the mother tongue in foreign language teaching or not. In this research it is suggested that foreign language should be supported by mother tongue teaching instead of dismissing it a priori. This article also makes the point that brief episodes of switching to mother tongue can function as a learning aid to improve the communicative competence of the foreign language learner.