The Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) cycle (teachers’initiation, students’responseand teachers’feedback) has been a key focus in studies of second languageclassroom interaction and participation. This paper aims to examine the influence ofthe first language (L1) in the Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) cycle commonlyappearing in teacher-fronted classroom interaction. Previous studies have come todifferent conclusions about the role and value of L1 in the IRF cycle. The directmethod underpinning the avoidance of L1 has been adopted since 1880s. The useof L1 is not discussed in language pedagogy in the last decade or two and someresearchers consider the occurrence of the L1 as a problem. On the other hand,recent studies show that L1 can be used as a mediating language to create effectivelearning context for second language acquisition. However, these arguments arediscussed either from a theoretical position or in a general classroom context andpay less attention to what is happening in micro interactions.This paper addresses the effect of using L1 in English as a foreign languageclassroom through an examination of the micro IRF cycle in English languageclassrooms in China. The data was collected through video recordings in a seniorhigh school in China and analysed through conversation analysis. The analysissuggests that L1 used in the IRF cycle can function as a key to open up dialogueand bring more target language into the conversation. I argue that L1 in the IRFcycle can be used as a mediating tool and promote acquisition of the targetlanguage. This study will provide new insights into the role of L1 in teaching andlearning interactions

• L1 in the IRF cycle: a case study of ChineseEFL classrooms