CHAPTER 2
FIRST LANGUAGE INTERFERENCE
Summary
Ask learners what languages they can read, write or speak in- the answers may surprise you
Maths courses in the UK are free to all who have not got a Level 2 qualification in maths (GCSE)
From birth most people learn a language by listening to a parent or carer, and this will give them an accent when speaking other languages
Languages have many differences, such as the direction of different written script, the use of punctuation, the pronunciation of words and letters, letter combinations, intonation etc…
Translation of speech and resources takes time and mental effort- rush this part of the class and cognitive overload and disengagement may be the result.
Introduction
There are many ways in which a learner's first language can interfere with their acquisition of English. This chapter is intended to help teachers develop an understanding of what some of those ways could be, particularly given some knowledge of the first and maybe second language of their learners. This information will supplement initial assessments of learners, of their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, and help teachers to build a picture of their learners to inform their teaching.
It is worth asking learners which languages they speak, which they can read, and which they write in, as the answers may surprise you. In many countries more than one language is spoken, and two or three may be used in public places, so bi- or multilingualism is more common than in the UK or other English-speaking countries. On the other hand, some learners may have had little opportunity to learn to read and/or write in their first language for a range of reasons often beyond their control, and they may feel a stigma attached to this, so it is important to be sensitive towards these learners and respect their privacy.
Please do not think for one moment that I have personal experience of all the languages here listed and discussed. This information has been shamelessly purloined from some very erudite sources, such as ‘Learner English’ (Swan & Smith, 2001). All I have done is collate some of it into a much smaller space to make it quick and easy to access. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it may help to make a start in what, for me anyway, has been a fascinating area to explore. If you want to delve deeper, there are references at the end of this publication.
In the UK maths courses are free for everyone up to Level 2, which is the level of the GCSE exams that 16-year-olds take in schools. ESOL learners will be able to participate in maths classes for Functional Skills, Essential Skills or GCSE, and may have to, if their onward journeys require a UK maths qualification, such as the nursing or teaching professions. There are ample opportunities for speaking and listening, reading and writing in maths classrooms, as my research has shown (Stacey, 2016). This means that participation in maths classes in addition to ESOL classes could support or enhance learners’ acquisition of the English language.
Why speaking another language with an accent is normal
For most people learning a different language is a challenge, and many people will tend to speak that language with an accent, which is an example of how first language knowledge interferes with the pronunciation of the new language. That is why when I speak in French, native French speakers are not fooled for one moment into believing that I am French. It is also why ESOL learners in my experience may not hear accents in spoken English, for instance the accents of different teachers who work in our college. English accents may sound very different to us, but they probably will not to the learners, and it may take some while for them to lose their own accents enough to be readily understandable in English.
Common Language Difficulties
Consonant and vowel sounds, even for languages that use an alphabet very similar to our own, can differ from language to language. For instance, in some languages including Polish ‘e’s and ‘i’s are the reverse sound from English. Many of the diphthongs (two letters together, such as ‘ch’ or ‘th’) that are used in English are not present in other languages. ‘Th’ is a particular loss, as it makes three, thirteen, thirty etc. very challenging to pronounce. In some cultures, it is rude to show your tongue, so even if you encourage learners to pronounce it, they may still be very reticent. I try to get them to push their lips forward at the same time to conceal the tongue. You might want to practise this at home first!
Other languages, including languages as diverse as French and Chinese, do not always pronounce the ends of their words, and this can lead to much confusion. It may not be clear if the learner asked for 13 or 30 apples, although this will not be life threatening, but if the learner works in the nursing profession, the difference between 13 and 30 milligrams (mg) of a medicine, it could be. It is worth practising this with learners whose first language is interfering with their accuracy in English. They may be completely unaware of it themselves.
Intonation in languages can be very different from English, which tends to put the emphasis on the second syllable in long words. In other languages where the intonation is evenly spread it can make the English pronunciation sound strange to English ears. The intonation within a sentence can also be different, such as in German, where the emphasis is placed on the first verb in the sentence. In English we would only do this if we were giving an order!
Many learners may find spelling in English a challenge, as English can have a surprising number of exceptions to the spelling rules, and their own language is likely to be much more consistent in this regard. In English there are general rules that can be learnt, but then there are all the exceptions to the rules which also have to be learnt. There is no national body watching over the English language and rationalising the spelling, as is the case in many other countries, such as Germany and France. Combining this with phonetic variations, which are common in English, can add to the confusion. For instance, if I count up from one (1), and then write the numbers down, I could write ‘won, to, tree, for’- see what I mean? They are all written incorrectly, but they sound right.
Next, it is important to consider that not all languages are written from left to right as English is. Arabic, Urdu and Persian, to name a few, are written from right to left. They also do not have the punctuation that is commonly used in English. Some languages use accents or dieresis on letters to change the sound. You may feel this is an advantage of English, but in fact it can make it difficult to know how to pronounce a new word.
Finally, not all ESOL learners will be familiar with a Romanised script. Some may have a similar alphabet, but with more or fewer letters than our own, such as Polish; some have a very different alphabet, such as Russian; some have a completely different script, such as Arabic, and some use characters, such as Chinese.
Translation and cognition
Classes are likely to contain a mix of learners who speak many different languages, and it is unnecessary for tutors to be able to speak all or any of these. In ESOL classes, many teachers are likely to be teaching learners using the total immersion method, which means that teachers only use English in the classroom. That said, a range of techniques, resources and facilities at teachers’ disposal will help to maximize the learning taking place.
Of course, teaching can be happening by the immersion method, if only use English is used by the teacher. However, the learners are likely to be physically or mentally translating into their first language for months, or even years, to understand what is happening, and a range of electronic or paper-based translation devices (dictionaries!) will be very useful in the classroom. Translation may take learners time and effort, and teachers need to allow for that, or learners may reach a stage of cognitive overload and close down on participation.
Personally, as a maths teacher of ESOL learners, to reduce my cognitive load, I usually have a translation device up on the smart board, so that I can translate words, phrases or sentences quickly through the many different languages in my classrooms. Dictionaries with pictures in can also be a very useful resource. Not all teachers will have access to a smart board, of course.
Cognitive overload in maths classes, in my experience, is not just an issue for non-first language English speakers! In fact, sometimes in maths classes I could think that I am teaching a foreign language…
JMS 2026