Teachers’ Code-Switching In English Major Classrooms:an Empirical Study

Code switching is the alternate use of two or more languages within the same conversation episode or utterance. When the teachers encounter difficulties during the process of communication in second language, as an effective coping strategy, code switching is commonly used at that time. However, the issue on whether first language (L1) should be used in the ESL/EFL classroom has been the focus of debate in academic world for a long time. Advocators of target language exclusively teaching believe that code switching in classroom will hinder language acquisition. In contrast, opponents of using L1in EFL classroom argue that appropriate and timely code switching can facilitate L2teaching and learning.Compared with overseas research, the domestic research on code switching starts quite late, until the middle period of1990s, there are only20research papers issued concerning this topic. But in the past decade, the code switching in the ESL classroom, as a very sophisticated language phenomenon, has gained more and more domestic researchers’attention. These researchers also have a heated discussion on the use of LI in L2classroom. Some scholars advocate English-only approach because they think that target language exclusively teaching can maximize the acquisition of target language; while many researchers find that a large amount of teachers do switch codes between the target language and the mother tongue in order to facilitate teaching and learning. In general, these studies can be broadly divided into three types. The first kind of study focuses on the research context of code switching home and abroad. With regard to the second kind of study, it mainly investigates the code-switching’s classifications and characteristics. For example, Yu (2004) is regarded as one of the main representatives. In terms of the third kind of study, it specifically carries out the practical and applied research in the context of foreign language teaching.Although the domestic research has some reference to foreign language teaching, there are much more questionnaire-based qualitative studies; while quantitative studies based on classrooms’linguistic material are not very sufficient. In view of this research situation, the researcher take teachers’code switching in English major classrooms of Jiujiang University as the research focus, aiming to describe the real situation of teachers’ code switching, explore the functions of teachers’code switching and motivations of teachers’code switching.Methodologically speaking, the study involves both qualitative and quantitative research methods in order to show a realistic picture of teachers’code switching in class. The data of the study came from questionnaires, classroom audio-recordings, and interviews, with classroom recordings serving as the main source of data. After classroom recording, by listening to the recorded material, statistics can be drawn, with an aim to reveal the real situation and characteristics of teachers’ code switching, influences of code switching on students’ second language acquisition. The questionnaire survey and teachers’ interviews are used to offer fundamental information on code switching, including the students’ attitudes towards code switching, the motivations of teachers’ code switching and the teachers’ views towards code switching.The thesis’s theoretical framework is based on Jef Verschueren’s Adaptation Theory and Yu Guodong’s Adaptation Model on English/Chinese code-switching. By adopting the above-mentioned research methods to analyze the material, the study finds that the purpose of teachers’ code switching is to realize the adaptation to the linguistic reality, social conventions, teacher’s roles and psychological motivations.In conclusion, teachers’ code switching adopted as a strategy during the process of teaching can facilitate and promote English teaching and learning. So under the premise of ensuring the maximum amount of target language’s input, it is very necessary to timely and appropriately conduct code switching for teachers in EFL classes in interpreting language points, translating sentences, organizing the class, emphasizing important and/or difficult parts and organizing class activities. In doing so, teachers can save the precious time in classes and ease the tension of the students so that healthy interaction can be formed and teaching efficiency can be improved.