Role of Bilinguals First Language on the Development of Their Second Language

Revised Conceptual Framework
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What is the Role of Bilinguals First Language on the Development of their Second Language?
Introduction
Technological advancement has made the world a global village. Events happening in one part of the world have a major impact on another part of the same. Because of such changes, people have often found themselves interacting with others from different cultures. One of the most important things that people must possess in the modern world is language proficiency to facilitate intercultural interaction. The need to acquire more than one language has become critical, especially for learners who are seeking to compete on a global scale. Hence, proficiency in only the native language has been viewed as insufficient, especially for individuals seeking to work in a multicultural setting where people speak different languages. In other words, being bilingual has become a vital aspect of becoming a successful professional (Antoniou, 2019). Schools have recognized the need to prepare their learners to operate in a multilingual environment. Bilingualism has therefore become a critical part of the education system in many schools. With the need to teach learners a second language, it is important to examine the role of the first language in the acquisition of the second language. An understanding of the relationship is needed to ensure that teachers tailor their instruction to take advantage of the opportunities and address the challenges that emerge.
Research questions
To investigate the research topic, the following research questions will be critical to the research.
1 How does second language proficiency compare to native language proficiency in predicting success?
2 What strategies should teachers use to teach a second language?
3 What opportunities does a native language present in second language acquisition?
4 What challenges do bilinguals first language pose to the learning of a second language?
5 What are the effects of prioritizing second language proficiency over native language proficiency in an educational setting?
Literature Review
Madriñan (2014) investigate to pinpoint the role of the first language in the second language classroom. The study focuses on a sample drawn from a Columbian international school that has an English immersion program for kindergarten learners attending their first year at school. The investigator seeks to identify if the utilization of the native language in the classroom increases the comprehension of the second language acquisition process. The study establishes that the use of the native language can be beneficial, especially for learners with lower proficiency levels who have challenges with expression in the second language. Additionally, the author demonstrates that the native language can serve as a bridge between the second language and the prior experiences of the learners. Madriñan (2014) concludes that rather than viewing the native language as a hindrance to second language learning, it should be taken as a resourceful tool to support second language acquisition in the classroom. The author dispels the idea that the native language presents a barrier to the acquisition of a second language. Rather than considering the native language as a hindrance, Madriñan (2014) demonstrates the need for tutors to consider it as a connection to the second language.
Similarly, a study by Khan (2016) explores the impact of native language use on foreign language vocabulary. The study focuses on students from Saudi Arabia, whose native language is Arabic and whose second language is English. The investigator establishes that using the native language in a second language classroom is instrumental in improving vocabulary acquisition, especially for students with low-level proficiency. When teachers use native language to reinforce new vocabulary, it allows the learners to better understand the new words. However, the author cautions that excessive use of the native language may lead to an overreliance on the same, and hence make it challenging for learners to learn the second language in the long term. In other words, learners who overly on the native language to learn a second language may find it challenging to comprehend the new language altogether. Hence, while the investigator advocates for the use of the native language in enhancing the understanding of new vocabulary, he cautions against excessive use of the native language to avoid detracting from the acquisition of the sec...