Abstract
 
Using first language, especially in elementary English teaching, is very important. However, owing to much abuse and misuse of mother tongue, English teaching is not so effective. Some abuse and misuse of first language are caused by lack of the knowledge about language transfer theory. Accordingly, this paper explains language transfer theory, and then respectively illustrates the positive and negative transfer based on the similarities and differences in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar between L1 and English. All the effort made in this paper tries to discuss the application of first language in elementary classrooms to achieve the most satisfactory teaching result.

Key words: language transfer, positive transfer, negative transfer, elementary English teaching

摘要

在英语课堂中使用母语对于教学效果起着十分重要的作用。在英语教学初期，这种作用尤为突出。然而，如今英语课堂中出现很多母语错用、滥用的现象，这就直接导致了英语教学的效果不尽如人意。老师们对语言迁移知识的匮乏一定程度上导致了母语的错用与滥用。因此，本论文首先阐述了语言迁移理论，其次将英语和中文从发音、词汇及语法三个方面进行对比，分别阐述了双方的共同点与不同点，由此对比分析了母语对英语的正迁移和负迁移。最后，本论文着力于讨论该如何在小学课堂中恰当地使用母语来达到令人满意的英语教学效果。

关键词：语言迁移；正迁移；负迁移；英语初期教学

1. Introduction
    First language has played a significant role in elementary English teaching, but much abuse and misuse of first language counteract the goal of English teaching. It has long been a controversial issue that how to use mother tongue appropriately in elementary English teaching.
From the perspective of history, the method to cope with mother tongue went to extremes: either relying on it or abandoning it. In the 1980s, mother language was excessively adopted in English teaching. On the contrary, there has been a tendency to limit the native language during elementary English teaching in recent years.