Issues in Utilizing the Native Language to Communicate a Second Language

Utilization of the native language to assist in second language communication presents a mountain of challenges that can be attributed to a person’s colonial background and the degree of attachment to the native language. Viewed from the lens of autoethnography, the aim of this paper was to illuminate issues that impact communication in English as a second language spoken in a classroom setting. Data included personal recollection of the author’s experiences as a college student, forming thick descriptions of his personal realities that were explored and analyzed within self and cultural context, mirroring agreements and tensions in native language utilization. Findings show that utilizing one’s native tongue to improve second language communication emphasizes cross-cultural understanding, interconnection, recognition, and assertion of a cultural identity. In order to preserve the legacy of native language communication, the educational system should embrace both mother tongue-based speaking and thinking within a multilingual framework.