University English Classroom Teacher Code Switching

Classroom code-switching is a very sophisticated language phenomenon, which is not only similar to the code-switching in bilingual society, but is unique in its model. Code-switching in English class is in a special language environment. There is often a language phenomenon of teachers' code-switching from English to Chinese in university English classes in order to develop teaching or adjust the relationship between teacher and students. Should teachers switch codes at all in such a special English class? For a long time, domestic language teaching profession has been adopting a teaching method called "dipping" in which the native language (Chinese) is regarded as a taboo avoided in a foreign language class. However, practice has shown that code-switching is a useful strategy which is playing a very important role in university English class for teaching, cognition and communication. The process of grasping the target language for learners and the one of teaching the native language for teachers can be called a process of learning and practicing how to switch code in English class. Therefore, as a teaching strategy, code-switching from English to Chinese is necessary in university English classes; as university English teachers, they should control the right time and the right place so well for code-switching that students can grasp the English language well step by step. Otherwise, it will definitely affect the training of students' language ability and the improvement of their language levels as overdone is worse than undone. Therefore, how to make the most of teachers' code-switching in classrooms is closely tied with the teaching effect and quality. Code-switching in university English classes is one in a special language environment, which is complicated with a lot of motivations. Therefore, this paper is aimed to investigate the phenomenon of teachers' code-switching in Chinese university English classes, focusing on the study of the classroom code-switching situation of teachers who take English as the target language and Chinese as the native language. From the investigation, the author notices some problems existing in teachers' code-switching and finds out the reasons for the problems, and finally solves the problems by proposing some principles of classroom code-switching for university English teachers in order to guide university English teaching and improve the teaching quality.While collecting the related research at home and abroad, the author found a fact that the related studies on code-switching just began in recent 50 years with most on the quality identification and few on empirical work, resulting in a certain degree of one-sidedness and narrow-mindedness, especially the domestic research, which began much later than foreign research and is comparable insubstantial in the research results for most researchers take the functions of code-switching as the point of study. Therefore, the author has found there are still some questions and problems unresolved in the study of university English teachers' classroom code-switching, such as: Is it popular or not of the phenomenon of university English teachers' classroom code-switching? Does the phenomenon exist in all major classes? Is there any difference in teachers' code-switching in different grades of classes and different subjects? What are the respective attitudes' of teachers and students toward teachers' classroom code-switching? What are the language characteristics of university English teachers' classroom code-switching? Are all the teachers and students aware of teachers' classroom code-switching? What are the motivations for teachers' code-switching? What principles of code-switching should university English teachers abide by to fulfill its classroom functions? It is just because of the author's interest stirred by these unsolved questions and problems and the author's obvious advantages in the study of this topic, therefore, the author has carried out intensive investigations and studies on this topic.Based on the previous research findings at home and abroad, this paper starts from the theory form of teachers' code-switching, analyzing its meaning, types, functions, inner mechanism and external conditions. On the basis of the theory analysis, this paper, taking Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences as a sample of study, surveys the English teachers' classroom code-switching by means of classroom recordings, classroom observations, interviews and questionnaire surveys, which reveals the general current situation of English teachers' classroom code-switching in Chinese universities, such as: the situation of teachers' code-switching in the main courses, the language characteristics of teachers' code-switching, the consciousness and attitudes of both teachers and students toward teachers' code-switching, the functions and motivations of teachers' classroom code-switching, etc. Through the collection of related data and comparative analysis, some problems of teachers' classroom code-switching have been found out, such as, teachers' preference to the "native language" only or the "target language" only, unmarked, unconscious and undistinguished teachers' code-switching in courses and levels, teachers' improper use of code-switching in the structure, the time and the amount. At last, the author then analyzes the reasons for the problems on the basis of the combination of both theory and practice. And from the characteristics of university English teaching, the author also proposes four principles for university English teachers on how to use code-switching in classrooms, such as, the priority-of-target-language principle, marked-native-language principle, the right-amount-and-time principle and adaptive principle.From the theory forms of teachers' code-switching to its empirical study, this paper investigates the current situation of teachers' code-switching in university English classes, the existing problems and the reasons for the problems with three research methods: literature analysis, comparison and analysis and finally proposes the suggestions for the university English teachers on how to effectively use code-switching in their class to fulfill the different functions of teachers' code-switching. This paper has four parts:Part One: Preface. First, it clarifies the reasons for this study from the following four aspects: the significances of teachers' code-switching, the related questions that remain unaddressed, the lag of related research and the author's advantages on the study of this topic. Then, it summarizes the previous study on teachers' code-switching at home and abroad from five aspects as definitions, research means, types and functions, strategies, which provide this study with reliable theory evidence, and successful experience and useful methods deserving learning from. Finally, this paper briefly introduces the study with the general train of ideas, the basic content and the main methods.Part Two: Theory forms. Based on the previous research findings and combined with the characteristics of university English teaching in China, this paper further analyzes English teachers' code-switching in five theory forms as the meaning, the types, the functions, the inner mechanism and the external conditions.Part Three: Empirical study. Based on the theory forms of English teachers' code-switching, this paper surveys the current situation of English teachers' classroom code-switching in Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences by means of classroom recordings, classroom observations, interviews and questionnaire surveys. According to the data collection and the comparative analyses on the survey, the author has found some problems of teachers' code-switching in university English classes and analyzes the reasons for the problems.Part Four: Problem resolution, Proposal of principles. Based on the analysis of both the problems and the reasons and combined the theory forms of teacher' code-switching with the characteristics of university English teaching, this paper finally proposes some principles for classroom code-switching which university English teachers should abide by.