Content Introduction Chapter The Role of Translation and Mother Tongue in flt

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exposure to a language in which learning can take place without instruction.
2.2 Lower Secondary School Learners. Lower secondary school learners are mostly in their teenage age and their characteristics logically differ from those of young learners. The previous sub-chapter was concluded with Cameron's (2001, p. 205) point about willingness of young children to communicate in L2. The teacher of teenagers must rather count with these learners to be more inhibited about using the L2 and generally less willing to communicate (Cameron, 2001, p. 205). Harmer (2001a, p. 39) says they can be creative and have a great potential to learn but at the same time they may be problematic. Curtain and Pesola (1988, p. 68) talk of transcendent children who undergo dramatic developmental changes.
The positive thing about these learners is that they can think in abstract terms and can learn directly, they can focus on issues being taught (Pinter, 2009, p. 7). Curtain and Pesola (1988, p. 68) claim the major goal of teachers of teenagers is to encourage positive relationships together with positive self-image. Harmer (2001a, p. 39) points out that the teacher's job here is to provoke learners' engagement, intellectual activity and bolster their self-esteem and warns against just answering questions and doing abstract learning activities.
Previous research shows that early foreign language studies improves cognitive abilities positively, influencing achievement in other disciplines and results in higher achievement test scores, especially when study of a foreign language begins in the elementary school years.
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Chapter 3. The Role of Language in Language Learning
The general role of language in FLL is described by Pinter's (2009, p. 12) who presents her views of the importance of language for learning, indicating the role of the teacher's talk in the FLC. Pinter (ibid.) says the language used in interactions is a "vehicle through which understanding and learning take place". Language has important implications for teacher talk in the FLC since the teachers' language use is the main source of language input. Listening to the teacher is of crucial importance for understanding new input from context. Pinter (ibid.) refers to the communicative function of language and says learners need to interact with the teacher and with each other. Although Pinter relates her arguments to young learners, this can be applied generally and may have validity when considering the way and extent of L1 integration into the FLC.