Abstract

Consisting of two main parts this research paper focuses on how contextual variables influence in-class ESL teaching learning environment which is based upon observations of three ESL lessons at the upper- intermediate level at the English Preparatory School of a private university in Istanbul Turkey where students were required to complete a gradual three-level achievement program starting at an appropriated level determined by a pre-enrolment proficiency and placement exams Two of the instructors were bilinguals with Turkish as their first language and English as their second language The third instructor was a native speaker of English with no knowledge in Turkish The study is presented after a general literature review of contextual variables of ESL and it focuses primarily on the role played by the teacher the teacher s linguistic choices as means of instruction and communication and the presence absence of Turkish and English as L1 and L2 factors respectively in the classroom context