Saudi students’ perspective towards language education policy of using the first language in teaching the second language

This is a mixed methodology study that explores language education policy (LEP) of using the first language (L1) in teaching the second language (L2). The literature points out that students’ perspective towards LEP of the preparatory year program (PYP) in Saudi universities has not been investigated before. This study engages with understanding students’ awareness about LEP of the PYP towards L1 and students perspectives towards using L1 in teaching L2. Students from all the tracks of the PYP, namely: medical, science and humanities tracks participated in this study. This study used interviews and questionnaires as tools to collect data. Data collection of this study was classified into two phases. The first phase was in 2015 and the second phase was in 2020. Data analysis of this study reveals that the majority of students in the first and second phases were not familiar with the LEP of the PYP towards L1. Data analysis points out that students’ perspective towards using L1 in teaching L2 did not correlate between the first and second phases of this study. Most of the participants in the first phase did not support using L1 in teaching L2. On the other hand, the majority of the participants in the second phase supported using L1 in teaching L2. Policy-makers in the PYP are encouraged, based on the results of this study, to adopt an “English-mainly” policy that considers students’ perspective in the LEP of the PYP and treats students as bilingual speakers of both the Arabic language and the English language.