An Empirical Study On Teachers' Code-switching In College English Teaching

As one of the natural consequences of language contact, code-switching has been one of the focuses in various research fields ranging from linguistics to psychology. After the legislation of Bilingual Education Act in the United States in 1968, the study of code-switching began to involve the classroom and since then the phenomenon of code-switching in foreign language classrooms has become an issue full of controversy. Many researchers believe that as a very common phenomenon, appropriate code-switching can facilitate language teaching and learning. While some researchers hold that the target language should be the only medium language in foreign language classrooms and teachers'code-switching will deprive students of the input of target language. Based on previous researches and practice, the thesis is in favor of the former opinion, approving that as a bilingual teaching strategy, code-switching plays a positive role in language teaching. Considering this, in order to explore the current condition, motivation and influences of teachers' code-switching in college English classroom as well as students'attitude towards this language phenomenon, this thesis makes a preliminary endeavor to probe into the college English teachers'code-switching in the classroom for non-English majors.Integrating both the qualitative and quantitative methods, the present study shows a relatively comprehensive picture of college English teachers'code-switching in the classroom for non-English majors. The data of the present study comes from classroom observations, interviews with teachers and questionnaires for students, with classroom observations and questionnaires serving as the main source of data. The classroom observations are all conducted in text-analysis classes. The recording of classroom observation is to collect teachers'code-switching extracts in the process of teaching and then transcribe them to explore the existence, calculate the frequency and analyze motivations of teachers' code switching in college English class. Interviews with teachers involve teachers'philosophy of language teaching, understanding and views on the phenomenon of teachers'code-switching in class. Questionnaires for students intend to investigate students'estimate of the frequency of teachers' code-switching, along with students'attitudes towards, views on and expectations for teachers'code-switching in college English class. The findings of the research reveal the following aspects. First, teachers' code-switching is prevalent in college English class. Second, teachers tend to switch codes when they are translating, explaining grammar points and vocabulary and managing class, etc. Third, teachers'code-switching in class is influenced by many factors such as students'language proficiency and so on. Fourth, most teachers and students believe that teachers' should switch codes in class and hold a positive view on the active role of teachers'code-switching in teaching. On the basis of the findings, the thesis puts forward some principles for teachers to follow and points out that teachers'appropriate and conscious use of code-switching in college English class can facilitate both teaching and learning.