| Sumario: | The current debate on the use of the mother tongue in the foreign language classroom has led to a wide array of literature being written onthe subject. While this can be enlightening, it can also cause confusion and anxiety among teachers when faced with the question of whetheror not it is acceptable to use the L1 in class. This paper analyses current perceptions and practices in terms of L1 use among teachers andstudents in the EFL and ESL settings, based on the hypothesis that the use of the L1 to some degree could be beneficial to EFL learners.Teacher and student activity and opinions are analysed through surveys and interviews before being compared and contrasted with classroomreality through live observation. The findings confirm that L1 use could indeed be beneficial to EFL learners, particularly at the lower levels oflanguage proficiency, but that teachers may need to revisit their reasons for using the L1, as well as their repertoire of pro-L2-use strategies.
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