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Code-Switching in ESL Education

Code-switching refers to alternating between two or more languages in conversation. It is commonly practiced in bilingual societies and classrooms where students have exposure to multiple languages. Code-switching can benefit language learners by helping teachers more clearly explain lessons and concepts. It also allows students to express themselves more fully and build relationships. While it facilitates instruction, code-switching must be used judiciously as it could potentially hinder full acquisition of the target language if overused.

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589 views2 pages

Code-Switching in ESL Education

Code-switching refers to alternating between two or more languages in conversation. It is commonly practiced in bilingual societies and classrooms where students have exposure to multiple languages. Code-switching can benefit language learners by helping teachers more clearly explain lessons and concepts. It also allows students to express themselves more fully and build relationships. While it facilitates instruction, code-switching must be used judiciously as it could potentially hinder full acquisition of the target language if overused.

Uploaded by

Remedios Abiera Bianes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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INTRODUCTION

Code-switching is a phenomenon that exists in bilingual societies where people

have the opportunity to use two or more languages to communicate. Being able to

speak more than one language, bilinguals can code-switch and use their languages as

resources to find better ways to convey meaning. This practice is a very important factor

in teaching English as a second language in most Asian countries, for it may give

benefits to the learners although might have a shortcoming regarding the use of code-

switching in the whole process.

Generally, there are many kinds of language used in social context. Meaning,

society communicates in more than one language depending on the situation. This

occurrence is called code switching. In this case, people tend to shift language to

another language or use two or more languages alternately while communicating.

“Code switching is a process when people are usually required to select a particular

code whenever they choose to speak, and they may also decide to switch from one

code to another or two mix codes even within sometimes very short utterance and

thereby create a new code.” Wardhaugh (2002:100)

In classroom practice on the other hand, code switching is used by either

teachers or students. For teachers, they tend to switch their language in the teaching

and learning process to make them easier to discuss or clarify certain topics to their

students for them to clearly understand the lesson and to transfer knowledge to

students in effective and efficient way. Furthermore,


Ahmad (2009) said, “Code switching helps to facilitate the flow of classroom instruction

since the teachers do not have to spend so much time trying to explain to the learners

or searching for the simplest words to clarify any confusion that might arise.”

To the students, they used code switching in expressing ideas and emotions to

maintain spontaneity in delivering ones thought they tend to shift their language to

another language because they want to clearly clarify or emphasize their speech so that

it will be understood better by listener and be able to build solidarity and relationship

between teachers and students.

“Code switching also carries affective function that serve for expression of emotion.”

(2005, P.2)

Using or applying the code-switching might have an advantage to the whole

process. Moreover, even though trigging effects can facilitate to the other language at a

given point but it is till up to the speaker whether he/she decides to continue the

utterance in that language or to switch hack to the base-language again.

Thus, the research would like to find out more about the use code-switching in

teaching English as a second language.

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