a qualitative study of language teachers’ perceptions of using translation in teaching english to efl students

Efl scholars’ attitudes towards using translation in the classroom have waxedand waned during the history of language teaching. some scholars believe thatusing students’ mother tongue in the class can cause interference andprocrastinate the process of language learning, while others believe that the useof students’ mother tongue can facilitate the process of language learning andreduce students’ stress in the class. the aim of this study was to examine the eflteachers’ perceptions regarding the use of translation in the class. adapting amixed-method design, 16 efl teachers’ classes were observed, and theyanswered to some interview questions. the findings indicated that most of theteachers rarely used or preferred not to use the students’ mother tongue in theclassroom to provide them with more language input. however, they believedthat in some aspects such as classroom management and interpersonalrelationship, the use of learners’ mother tongue can be beneficial, and sometimesit is inevitable.