Exploring Kurdish Learners’ and Teachers’ Perspectives on the Strategic Use of the Mother Tongue in EFL Classrooms

Abstract

This study explores how Kurdish learners and English teachers understand and use the mother tongue in EFL lessons at Gasha Educational Community. Using a qualitative design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with 16 students in Grades 4–7 and three English teachers, alongside classroom observations. The interview data were analyzed thematically to identify recurring patterns in participants' accounts. The findings revealed that Kurdish can help learners understand difficult vocabulary and grammar, feel less anxious, and express cultural identity. However, participants also described how frequent reliance on Kurdish may reduce opportunities to practice English. By bringing student and teacher perspectives together in one school context, the study offers a context-specific account of how L1 can operate both as a learning resource and as a potential constraint. The findings support a flexible approach in which Kurdish is used purposefully to clarify meaning and support participation, while classroom tasks continue to prioritize English use. Future research, including experimental designs, is needed to directly measure the effects of this approach on Kurdish school-age learners’ language development, anxiety, identity, and proficiency, which this study examined only through participants’ perceptions.