Translation and Own-Language Use in Language Teaching: Key Arguments and Challenges

This chapter aims to outline the current situation and the continued widespread use of own-language in various learning contexts, emphasising the functions and extent that translation and own-language use might have in these contexts. Language teaching and learning at different levels, as well as in different cultural and linguistic contexts, makes for great complexity; thus, this chapter primarily explores only those aspects that are relevant to the proposed research project. Nonetheless, the chapter summarises the key arguments of several empirical studies. It shows how they help us reconsider the role of translation and learners’ own language in language teaching and learning. The chapter also refers to the updated Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment—Companion Volume (Council of Europe, Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment – Companion volume. Council of Europe Publishing, 2020), which identifies mediation as a key component in the use of languages. Moreover, it compares the increased interest in translation and own-language use in language teaching with the present state of affairs at selected higher education institutions that train language teachers and that, as the analysis results imply, do not equip prospective teachers with an adequate theoretical framework. The chapter reviews the situation in the Czech Republic, where the proposed research project was undertaken, presenting a possible illustrative sample that might also echo in other countries.