Introduction: Translation and Own-Language Use in Language Teaching: The Quest for Optimal Practice

This chapter will outline the aims of the monograph and its relevance to foreign language teacher education. It will introduce the complex character of translation and learners’ own language use in the foreign language classroom (EFL in particular). The monograph focuses on the lower-secondary school EFL classroom and the possibility of including translation and own-language use-related pedagogy in foreign language teacher education, providing an illustrative sample for other educational contexts, too. The chapter will continue with the research project description and pose the main research questions. The introductory chapter will also cover the terminology related to the area.