Abstract

This research is dedicated towards understanding which language facilitates the learning process amongst students. The focus of study was on two languages English and Arabic and they have been used interchangeably as L1 and L2 depending upon the situation. The research was conducted mainly in Missouri State University and Arabic, Iraqi and American students were engaged to participate in the study. Teachers who teach using L1 and L2 languages were also interviewed. The research was qualitative based and sampling technique adopted was convenience and purposive. Data analysis showed that students felt comfortable using L1 during beginner courses and then expressed that they preferred use of L2 once they reached higher levels. Further, they commented that L1 should be used to understand new and difficult concepts. The teachers’ opinions were also similar as that of students. Hence, L1 facilitates learning during beginner levels and L2 enhances learning process when higher levels are reached.