SUMMARY
The purpose of this research study is to find out and compare the use of L1 as a teaching strategy by native and non-native instructors in elementary level EFL classrooms at a preparatory program of a foundation (non-profit, private) university in Istanbul, Turkey. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the perceptions of native and non-native teachers of English about the use of L1 as a teaching strategy in their classrooms, explore how often and for what different teaching purposes they use learners’ L1, and lastly, find out their reflections about L1 use in their classroom practices. The participants of this study were 30 EFL instructors (N=15 native, N=15 non-native) teaching elementary level learners at a foundation (non-profit, private) university in Istanbul, Turkey. The data were collected through a questionnaire (N=30), classroom observations (N=8) and think aloud protocols (N=8). The findings revealed that both native and non-native instructors had a highly positive attitude towards the use of L1 as a teaching strategy and they believed that it has a supportive role both for learning and teaching effectively in elementary level monolingual classes.Keywords: L1 Use, Teaching Strategy, Native Instructors, Non-native Instructors, Monolingual Classroom, Think Aloud; English as a Foreign Language (EFL)