Teachers’ Code-Switching in a Content-Focused English as a Second Language (ESL) Classroom: Patterns and Functions (original) (raw)
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A Pedagogical Evaluation of Code-Switching at English Medium Secondary Schools of Gujrat
Orient Research Journal of Social Sciences, 2022
Code-switching is a prominent feature of English medium classes in the schools where English is taught as a foreign language. The instructors of English medium schools are asked to promote English speaking environment in the premises of institutes. The students mostly switch from L2 to L1 while speaking the English language. This study aims to find out the first language interference on second language learning regarding the Pakistani English classrooms. This study investigates the reasons behind the switching of teachers from English to the Urdu language in Pakistani English classrooms and explores the facilitation of code-switching in second language learning in English classrooms. For this purpose, two samples from the population were selected by the researchers consisting of 25 students and 10 teachers. Questionnaires were used as data collection tools. The collected data from the sample was analyzed with the help of SPSS software. It was found that it is hard to communicate only in the English language continuously even in English medium schools. Students' attitude towards codeswitching was found positive. The study recommends that code-switching is a legitimate and useful tool for students as well as teachers but it should be used carefully and according to the need and levels of the learners. It is a positive teaching technique, so it should not be banned even in English classes. But it should be used sparingly and where needed.
Perceptions of English language teachers and learners on the Code Switching practice in English language classes in University of Sindh: A Qualitative Study, 2021
Code-Switching is a wide spread practice in almost every walk of life, from teaching to political speeches, from media discourse to professional trainings code-switching tends to be inevitable. It refers to the use of two or more languages in a single discourse. The current research studies the perceptions of English language teachers and learners on the use of code-switching in English language classes. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The teachers hold positive opinion about code-switching. According to them code-switching serves as a teaching aid which is worth applying for the sake of learners' ease, understanding, building interest and developing attention in the language class, and lightening classroom environment. Thus, if it is properly employed in the English language classes it can bring about positive learning outcomes. The other part of research covers the learners' views on the use of code-switching. The learners come up with ambivalent response. On one hand, some of the students believe that code-switching serves as an obstacle which inhibits the direct exposure of the target language: the more the exposure and practice, the more the learning. On the contrary, there were some other learners who did not prefer code-switching for themselves but for the sake of fellow learners they endorsed it. To them code-switching helps in guiding and clarifying the fellow learners' concepts. Thus, they viewed code-switching as a learning aid as well.
Benefits of code-switching in language learning classroom at University of Education Lahore
International Research Journal of Management, IT and Social sciences, 2020
Code-switching refers to the use of more than one language in a sentence or discourse. It is a natural commix that happens in utterances in bilingual and multilingual speakers reasoning one or more communal languages. Codeswitching (CS) denotes an alteration that is recorded between more than one variation in language following in the context of a single conversation. In sociolinguistics, code-switching is considered not merely one element of social life but encircles the social strata of speakers' social settings, linguistic variation and social variables. It is a linguistic strategy of bilingual or multilingual speakers. It is referred to as a "conversational scheme which is employed to constitute, cross or abolish group boundaries, to create, evoke or change interactive relation with their rights and commitments". (Gal, 1988). In multilingual contexts like Pakistan, code-switching is a common phenomenon. It appears as a conscious choice of language teachers to promote second language (L2) learning and improve second language comprehension among L2 learners. This article highlights the benefits of code-switching in the course of learning, explores some of the aspects of code-switching and its effectiveness in increasing L2 comprehension among the students at UE. It helped to illustrate the impact of code-switching to make classroom sessions interactive, to know the main causes of code-switching in communication and to know those triggering factors which forced students to switch from the native language (L1) to L2.
Code-switching in Pakistani English Language Classrooms: Perceptions of English Language Teachers
Code-switching is a natural and inevitable linguistic phenomenon of bilingual or multilingual classrooms in Pakistan. Teachers switch code in language classroom for various reasons. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons of code-switching by teachers in English language classroom in Pakistan. Two semi-structured group interviews were conducted with English language teachers, teaching at school level and tertiary level, to explore the reasons of the teachers' code-switching in English language classroom in Pakistan. The findings revealed 14 reasons of code switching in English language classroom in Pakistan. The study also found that management of private educational institutions does not encourage code-switching. On the other hand in public sector educational institutions code-switching is considered need of the students. The researchers recommend employing code-switching to meet the needs of the learner and take heed of the level of the language learners as well.
The Functions of Code Switching in ESL Classrooms of Sindh University
There are number of problems and issues regarding the use of first language (L1) in learning English language. In the English language classroom, both teachers and students seem not sure about the L1 use in the classes. Moreover, there is no policy communicated to the teachers and students of Sindh University regarding the code switching. The present study aims to investigate the patterns and functions of code switching in English language classrooms. The context of the study was University of Sindh, Jamshoro. Data was collected through classroom observations and semi structured interviews. Teachers' and students' code switching was analyzed thematically. It was found that code switching was done for different purposes including translation, repetition, clarification of instructions, and socializing. The study also found that for teachers, there is no policy communicated to them for using code switching in their classes. Introduction The language is the ability to gain and utilize multifaceted system of interaction. Pakistan is a multilingual country where more than two languages are regional languages and English has gained the status of Second language in the country. It is not only used in the market but, homes, courtrooms, hospitals and educational institutes of Pakistan are also under the influence of English language. Almost all of the schools in Pakistan are using English as a medium of instruction. The review of the related literature showed that speakers in multilingual and bilingual countries choose specific code during their conversation and they may also switch the code from one to another; this switching from one language to another is known as code-switching (Wei, 2013).Investigating the notion of code switching in diverse social and linguistic settings, most of the scholars' view was typically on types of code switching and its purposes (e.g., Gumperz, 1982; Myers-Scotton, 2001; Poplack, 1980).
Code-switching: Awareness about Its Utility in Bilingual Classrooms
It is not uncommon to hear bilinguals mixing two languages when speaking in different situations. In multilingual classrooms such as Pakistani ones where most of the individuals have the knowledge of two or more languages, the linguistic phenomenon of combining languages is quite common. Teachers do code-switch while teaching English in the classroom and reason for this language alternation may be that English is taught as a main/compulsory subject in Pakistan and is used as a medium of instruction at school and college levels. Despite the significance of the phenomenon, the reasons for teachers' code-switching (henceforth CS) in bilingual classroom discourse have not been investigated in Pakistan although the research on the same issue has been carried out in the developed countries in the context quite different from the one existing in Pakistani classrooms.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ CODE SWITCHING IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES IN PAKISTAN
Code switchingis an alternate use of languages in a discourse. It is a norm in bilingual communities. In the domain of English Language Teaching it refers to switching tofirst language (L1) from English. The present study is conducted in the context of University of Sindh (a public sector university in Pakistan)where Code switching is a common practice in English language classes at undergraduate level. However, there is a research niche regarding the study of Code switching in the present context. Therefore, the present research aims to fill that gap by investigatingthe teachers' reasons of Code switching in English language classesat University of Sindh. The study is based on interpretive paradigm using qualitative methodology.The data was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews and classroom observations.Eight English language teachers were selected for semistructured interviews through convenience sampling. One English class of each interviewed teacher was observed, thus resulting in eight classroom observations. The findings of the study suggest that the teachers switch code for various reasons such as, to clarify the concepts to the learners, and to improve their linguistic competence. In addition, they also consider the diversity of the learners along with rapport building and motivating and maintaining discipline in their classrooms. It is acknowledged that this is a small-scale qualitative study yet it opens different avenues of research. The results can be usefulfor language policy makers to use CS as a useful teaching tool in the present context.
Journal of Social Sciences Advancement
Code switching (CS) is an inevitable natural phenomenon of bilingual classrooms of Pakistan. The study aims at analyzing the context, reasons and effects of code switching on teaching and learning, English at higher secondary schools of Faisalabad. This study was conducted at higher secondary schools (boys) of Tehsil Faisalabad City. There are total 24 higher secondary schools (boys) in District Faisalabad. Out of these 24 schools, 11 schools were in Tehsil Faisalabad City. Three higher secondary schools were selected through random sampling technique. The sampling frame was made by taking the list of teachers and students from the selected schools. There were 19 English teachers and 366 students in these schools. All the teachers were taken as respondents, whereas, the sample size for students was calculated 188 through online available software www.suveysystem.com with confidence level 95% and confidence interval 5%. Proportionate sampling technique was used to select the respond...
The Perceptions of Language Learners across Various Proficiency Levels of Teachers' Code- switching
Issues in Language Teaching (ILT), 2016
Code-switching (CS), an alternation between two or more languages or language varieties, has long been researched in language education. A great number of studies by applied linguists have explored the reasons for, and the potential usages of code-switching in foreign language education over the past years. This study explores the perceptions of English language learners across various proficiency levels concerning teachers' use of CS, in this case Farsi in English classrooms. It also examines the roles and functions of CS in the classroom. Fifty teachers and 105 language learners from University of Tehran Language Center (UTLC) in Tehran, Iran were involved in this study. The necessary data were obtained through questionnaires. The results suggested that the Elementary (EL) learners seem to benefit from the teachers' use of first language in class, whereas English-only classroom is preferred by Intermediate (IN) and Upper Intermediate (UI) ones. It was also revealed that maximum exposure of the learners to the target language seems necessary. The results suggest that, concerning the learners' levels (EL, IN and UI), teachers' and learners' Code Switching can work as a useful language teaching strategy. The findings of this study can have implications for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms and can be used by language teachers.
English Language Teachers' Code-switching in Class: ESL Learners' Perceptions
Code-Switching is generally defined as a shift from one language to another by the speaker during the speech. It is a common linguistic phenomenon in Pakistani classrooms. It is considered to have both positive and negative impact. This exploratory study investigated the perceptions of Pakistani students towards teachers' code-switching during English lectures at tertiary level. Students have different attitudes towards code-switching of teachers in classroom. There is a need to investigate whether it is beneficial or malevolent to switch between two codes in an English classroom and how the students view this alternation between codes. The researchers employed 5-point Likert scale questionnaire along with 12 open ended questions to investigate the perceptions of the students towards code-switching of English language teachers during lecture. The findings of the study revealed positive attitude of the students towards teachers' code-switching, however some of the students were of the view that code-switching by teachers restricts their exposure to English.