Volume 9 Issue 2 Article 13
Students’ Reactions to Teachers’ Codeswitching Practices: Insights from Ethiopian Secondary School EFL Settings
Arega Temesgen1 & Eyasu Hailu2
1Department of Linguistics, College of Humanities, Language Studies, Journalism and Communication, Addis Ababa University
2Department of Linguistics, College of Humanities, Language Studies, Journalism and Communication, Addis Ababa University
Abstract: Codeswitching, which is viewed with suspicion, is widespread in EFL classrooms. However, only a handful of studies looked at it from the students’ perspectives, especially in the Ethiopian context. To this end, the aim of this study was to identify the attitudes of students towards teachers’ codeswitching practices. For this purpose, the quantitative research method was used. Accordingly, 256 students participated in the study. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed in terms of simple frequency counts and percentages. The results of the study generally indicated that students were positive toward teachers’ codeswitching in relation to teachers’ persona, academic, managerial and social functions despite divergent views among students. The results suggest that codeswitching functions as an effective teaching strategy in EFL classrooms. Furthermore, this research implies that teachers should adjust their language use accordingly by considering their students’ needs and English language proficiency levels.
Keywords: Codeswitching, Attitude, Foreign Language, First Language
Published: May 31, 2022
References:
Abdolaziz, R., & Shahla, S. (2016). Teachers and students’ perceptions of code switching in aviation language learning courses. International Journal of Research Studies in Language Learning, 5 (3), 3-18.
Adendorff, R. (1993). Codeswitching amongst Zulu-speaking teachers and their pupils: Its functions and implications for teacher education. Language and Education, 7(3), 141-161.
Adriosh, M., & Özge, R. (2019). Teacher’s code switching in EFL undergraduate classrooms in Libya: functions and perceptions. SAGE Open, 1(2). 1–11.
Ariffin, K., & Misyana, M. (2011). Code switching and code-mixing of English and Bahasa Malaysia in content-based classrooms: Frequency and attitudes. The Linguistics Journal, 5 (1), 220-246.
Ahmad, H., & Jusoff, K. (2009). Teachers’ code-switching in classroom instructions for low English proficient learners. English Language Teaching, 2 (2), 49-55.
Atkinson, D. (1987). The mother tongue in the classroom: a neglected resource. ELT Journal, 41(4), 241-247.
Auerbach, E. (1993). Re-examining English only in the ESL classroom. TESOL Quarterly, 7(1), 1-18.
Badrieh, A. (2002). A study of codeswitching in four English for specific purposes ESP classrooms at the college of business studies in Kuwait. Retrieved from December 20,2021 from https://etd.ohiolink.edu/pg_10?::NO:10:P10_ETD_SUBID:90625
Brook-Lewis, K. A. (2009). Adult learners’ perception of the incorporation of their L1 in foreign language teaching and learning. Applied Linguistics, 30(2), 216-235.
Bullock, B. E., & Almeida J. T. (2009). The Cambridge handbook of linguistic codeswitching. New York, NY, US: Cambridge University Press.
Chaudron, C. (1988). Teacher talk in second language classrooms. In J. Richards (Ed.), Second language classroom (pp.50-87). Hawaii:Cambridge University Press.
Cook, V. (2001). Using the first language in the classroom. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 57(3), 402-423.
Cook, G. (2010). Translation in language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R. (1984). Classroom second language development: A study of classroom interaction and language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon.
Harbord, J. (1992). The use of mother tongue in the classroom, ELT Journal, 46(4), 350 355.
Ferguson, G. (2009). What next? Towards an agenda for classroom codeswitching research, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 12 (2), 231-241.
Fareed, M, Humayuny, S., & Akhtar, H. (2016). English language teachers’ code switching in class: ESL learners’ perceptions. Journal of Education & Social Sciences, 4(1), 1-11.
Flyman-Mattsson, A., & Niclas, B. (1999). Code-switching in second language teaching of French. Working Papers, 47, 59-72.
Grant, L. E., & Thi Hang, N. (2017). Code-switching in Vietnamese university EFL teachers’ classroom instruction: A pedagogical focus, 26(3), 244-259.
Gumperz, J. (1982). Discourse strategies. Cambridge: CUP.
Lanza, E. (2008). Selecting individuals, groups, and sites. In L. Wei and M. G. Moyer (Eds.) The Blackwell guide to research methods in bilingualism and multilingualism (pp.73-87). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Littlewood, W., & Baohua, Y. (2011). First language and target language in the foreign language classroom. Language Teacher, 44, 64–77.
Macaro, E. (2005). Codeswitching in the L2 classroom: A communication and learning strategy. In E. Llurda (Ed.), Non-native language teachers. Perceptions, challenges and contributions to the profession (pp. 63–84). New York: Springer.
Macaro, E. (2009). Teacher use of codeswitching in the second language classroom: Exploring ‘optimal’ use. In M. Turnbull & J. Dailey-O’Cain (Eds.), First language use in second and foreign language learning (pp. 35–49). Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Mackey, A., & Susan, G. (2005). Second language research: methodology and design. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Manel, M, Hasan, A., &Buriro.H. A. (2018). Learners’ attitudes towards teachers’ switching to the mother tongue: The case of secondary school learners in Algeria. LSP International Journal, 5 (1), 59–69.
Pham, H. (2015). Learners’ perceptions of tertiary level teachers’ code switching: A Vietnamese perspective. International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences, 9(6), 1-10.
Rolin-Ianziti, J., & Rachel, V. (2008). Students’ views regarding the use of the first language: An exploratory study in a tertiary context maximizing target language use. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 65, 249-273.
Saburlu, Z. (2019). Students’ perceptions towards the use of first language in the foreign language classroom. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 4(2), 44-61.
Scwheers, W. (1999). Using L1 in the L2 classroom. English Teaching Forum, 37(2), 6–9.
Tahir, A. (2016). Teachers’ and students’ attitude toward code alternation in Pakistani English classrooms. Retrieved November 20, 2021 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323323795_teachers’_and_students’_attitude_toward_code_alternation_in_pakistani_english_classrooms
Tamiru Olana. (2013). Students’ and teachers’ use of English as the medium of instruction in Nekemte Town grade 9 history and geography classes: Oral interaction in focus (Unpublished PhD Thesis). Addis Ababa University,Addis Ababa.
Tian, L., & Mairin, H. (2016). Chinese learners’ perceptions towards teachers’ language use in lexical explanations: A comparison between Chinese-only and English-only instructions. System, 63, 77-88.
Turnbull, M. (2001). There is a role for the L1 in second and foreign language teaching. Canadian Modern Language Review, 57(4), 531-540.
Wong-Fillmore, L. (1985). When does teacher talk work as input. In S. M. Gass &C. G. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp.17-50). New York: Newbury House Publishers.
Yao, M. (2011). On attitudes to teachers’ code-switching in EFL classes. World Journal of English Language, 1(1), 19–28.
Yinager Teklesellassie., & Emily Boersma. (2018). Attitudes towards code-switching in an English-medium content classroom. PASAA, 55, 57-77.
Yusob, K.F. (2019). Code-switching in mathematics classroom: relationship between students’ attention and attitude and their learning success. Indonesian TESOL Journal, 1(1),1-88.
International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies
ISSN 2520-0968 (Online), ISSN 2409-1294 (Print), May 2022, Vol.9, No.2
Journal Metrics
Keywords
