A Study Of Teachers’ Code Switching In College English Classroom

Code switching, a teaching strategy, plays an important part in foreign language classrooms. In recent years, code switching in foreign language classrooms has become a focus of investigation in China.Until now, empirical studies at home concerning teachers’classroom code switching are far from enough. The present study is going to explore problems in teachers’code switching in College English classrooms, with an attempt to make the best of teachers’code switching.The present study makes an investigation of teachers’code switching in College English classrooms in Guangxi Normal University through quantitative and qualitative analyses. Classroom observation and recordings are conducted in six classes in this university, followed by teacher interviews. The present study aims to identify:(1) the characteristics of teachers’code switching in College English classrooms, including the overall amounts of each language, frequencies, types, and functions of code switching;(2) the attitudes FL teachers hold toward classroom code switching;(3) teachers’beliefs on classroom code switching, namely, overall amounts of each language, frequencies, types, and functions of code switching;(4) and the possible factors affecting teachers’decision to deploy code switching.The results of classroom observation and recordings indicate that FL teachers’classroom code switching is a common phenomenon. The amounts of English are not as high as expected, the highest being about eighty percent of teacher talk. They switch between English and Chinese frequently, with more inter-sentential code switching than intra-sentential code switching and tag switching. Code switching is used mainly for presentation, explanation, translation and classroom management as the functions.The results of teacher interviews indicate that FL teachers generally hold a positive attitude towards classroom code switching. Most teachers believe English should be used at least eighty percent of the class time. The opinions vary regarding the frequency of code switching. Most teachers think that they tend to use more inter-sentential code switching. The most frequent uses of code switching are claimed to be for grammar instructions, classroom instructions, and text comprehension. Several factors are believed to affect teachers’decision to use code switching, namely, students’proficiency of English, departmental policy, and FL teachers’ philosophy of teaching.After a comparison between classroom recordings and teacher interviews, it is found that there is a gap in teacher performance and teacher estimation. FL teachers estimate greater amounts of FL use overall. They do not have a clear picture of the frequency, types, and functions of code switching in their classrooms. Some of them even initiate switches at random. On the other hand, departmental administrators have not paid enough attention to teachers’code switching in College English classrooms, resulting in an absence of explicit instructions on FL and L1use. Therefore, the author puts forward implications for FL teachers and departmental administrators for more controlled and rational use of code switching.The limitations of the present study and suggestions for further study are discussed at the end of this thesis.