EFL Teachers’ Code Switching in Turkish Secondary EFL Young Language Learner Classrooms

Abstract

This study investigated Turkish EFL Young Language Learner teachers' code switching (CS hereafter) from English to Turkish in their classroom discourse. The data were collected from two different secondary private institutions in Adana and Denizli. In accordance with this aim, three EFL teachers and their fifth-grade intermediate level classrooms were recorded for two class hours via video camera. The recordings were transcribed and explored to see whether these teachers resorted to CS or not, if so, what types of CS they used in their classroom, what the functions of these switches were, and finally if these CS attempts contributed to their learners' language learning or not. Face to face semi-structured interviews were held with three teachers and these interviews were analyzed through content analysis. The results obtained from video recordings and semi-structured interviews showed that all the teachers who took part in this study used CS to varying extents. Moreover, the teachers resorted to inter-sentential CS the most in terms of typology in their discourse. The detailed analyses of video recordings revealed that the teachers used CS for 20 different purposes and they employed CS mainly for translation, meta-language, asking equivalence, giving instruction and classroom management purposes. Finally, the results of interview analyses showed that the teachers found CS useful for language learning; however, they cautiously emphasized that L1 should not replace L2 in classroom. In the light of the findings of this research, some suggestions were made to EFL teachers and teacher training institutes.

An EFL Teacher’s Code Switching in a Young Learners’ Class

“…More specifically, 61% of teacher's code switching was classified as this type. This finding made the same with previous studies which had been conducted by Rezvani & Rasekh (2011), Rinda, (2014), and Yataganbaba & Yildirim (2015), where they also found that inter-sentential switching was used mostly by EFL teachers who taught EYL in their studies.…”

“…The use of Indonesian and Javanese was purposely done to ease two different kinds of addressees; the one who understood Indonesian better than Javanese and another party who understood Javanese better than Indonesian. Her strategy in using code switching to express her clear emotion in giving compliment and motivation made the same with the findings from Hoffmann (1991), Holmes (2001), Qian et al, (2009), Rezvani & Rasekh (2011), Rinda (2014), and Yataganbaba & Yildirim (2015).…”

“…Her strategy was in line with Li (1998) and Sert (2005) who found that the students were more aware of teacher's explanation when the students' understandable languages were used. The teacher's code switching which could function for disciplining the students made the same with the findings from Hoffmann (1991), Holmes (2001), Qian et al, (2009), Rezvani & Rasekh (2011), Rinda (2014), and Yataganbaba & Yildirim (2015).…”

Teachers’ Use of Code Switching in An English as a Foreign Language Context in Indonesia

“…Several researchers have studied and investigated the functions, factors, characters and effects of code switching in wide ranges of linguistics domains. Yataganbaba, E., & Yildirim (2015) even claim that L1 use mainly results from lack of L2 proficiency in which the necessity of code switching is determined by the classroom condition because code switching may be considered as a useful strategy in classroom interaction, especially if the aim is to make meanings clear and to transfer the knowledge to students in an efficient way (Gabusi, 2007). The arguments given for mother tongue or L1 as medium of instruction in schools were more linked to the child and its needs, the individual and the local context, factors such as concept formation, cultural identity, and closer relation between school and home (Cantoni, 2007).…”

The Materials Mode in the Local Context of Muğla and the Role of Mother Tongue

“…They expressed their preference for using Turkish rather than having all-English lessons. In Yatağanbaba and Yıldırım's study, [30] code switching is found to be serving for the purposes of translation, metalanguage, asking equivalence, giving instruction and classroom management. Sali [20] found that mother tongue is used for a multiplicity of reasons.…”