The Use of English Language to Teach CS1 to Non-Native English Speakers: Students Perspective

Abstract

The possible negative impact of using the English language in teaching different subjects to non-native English speakers has been the topic of many previous studies. However, not many researchers focused on the students' perspectives, especially CS1 students. In order to provide a better educational experience, the perspective of students on these topics should be known. In this research, a survey was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 393 non-native English-speaking CS1 students from two different countries. The aim was to identify some of the difficulties students may face when using the English language in CS1 courses. The results of this study identified some of the areas in which students most frequently encounter challenges. Additionally, a large number of the surveyed students expressed their desire to use a mix of English and their native language in studying programming.