| This study investigated the contexts of code-switching by Chinese ESL students who differed in age and study level and who lived in a small city in British Columbia. The aim of the study was to examine the code-switching strategies that Chinese ESL students employ when engaged in computer-mediated communication, compare the similarities and differences of these ESL students' code-switching strategies, and explore the relevance of code-switching to English literacy development. Participants in this study comprised three Chinese ESL students who attended elementary school, college, and university respectively, and one parent. Interviews were conducted with each of these participants. In addition, each student was videotaped, and electronic artifacts were collected from each of them. Findings of the study show that code-switching was deeply embedded in its contexts, and it functioned not only as a mechanism to compensate for deficient language, but also as a strategy to fulfill social, psychological or discursive purposes. Some of the code-switching strategies were affected by age and English proficiency. Analysis of the data also indicated that code-switching was beneficial to the English literacy development of these ESL students to varying degrees. |
