I’ve been in your shoes: I’ve been an expat and a language learner. That enables me to meet you where you are, and teach in a way that makes sense to you. And that, too, is backed by science:
In his book, Robert Lado argues that a teacher who has contrasted the two languages “will know better what the real learning problems are and can better provide for teaching them” (p.2) Linguistics across Cultures : Applied Linguistics for Language Teachers, by Robert Lado (1957). Positive reviews of Lado’s work confirm that the ideas are still relevant today: Claire Kramsch (2007) and Michael Swan (2008)
“learning invariably proceeds by relating new facts to the already familiar (which is why we learn in terms of prototypes). This is particularly vital in the process of foreign language learning. In this context the familiar is, of course, the student’s mother tongue (L1). It is therefore incumbent that this resource be actively capitalised on by the teacher. Drawing on the learner’s L1 (or another mastered language) and showing comparisons and contrasts between this and the target mirrors, facilitates, and accelerates the processes which occur independently in his/her mind.” Paradowski, B. (2008). Corroborating the role of L1 awareness in FL pedagogy.
“The findings confirmed the effectiveness of translation in explaining new vocabulary, developing students’ cognitive skills and extending students’ background knowledge as well as their linguistic competence.” Djelloul, D.B., & Neddar, B.A. (2017). The Usefulness of Translation in Foreign Language Teaching: Teachers’ Attitudes and Perceptions.
“Learners cannot be immunized against the influence of their own language, […] there is bound to be contact and […] language learning is indeed of its nature, in some degree, a compound bilingual experience” (pp. 151-2) Widdowson, Defining Issues in English Language Teaching, 2003, Oxford University Press (book)