Volume 18, No. 6, 2021
Rationale Behind Switching And Mixing Native Code By ESL Teachers In Language Classroom: A Study From Pedagogical Perspective
Saqib Javed , Dr. Zafar Iqbal Bhatti , Atifa Binth e Zia
Abstract
Code-switching and code-switching are the natural and certain linguistic phenomenon of bilingual or multilingual classrooms in Pakistan. In order to assist the students, ESL teachers tend to mix and switch native codes in language classrooms for various reasons. Codeswitching (CM) and code mixing (CM) are the marked features of a multilingual society as well as a common linguistic phenomenon in the language classrooms. CS and CM are effective methods of teaching English, especially to the students of Intermediate classes. The Major purposes of this method are to motivate and provoke the interests of the students in learning English language, by ensuring conceptual clarity on the part of the student using CS and CM. This paper keenly observes the potential impacts of switching and mixing native code by ESL teachers while teaching English owing to the pedagogical benefits of these linguistic phenomena in the background of Covid-19. The study was conducted to examine the reasons for which the ESL teachers adopted these linguistic behaviors. It throws fresh light on the attitudes of ESL teachers towards native code switching and code mixing. The study is conducted with 150 male ESL teachers teaching in different Government Higher Secondary Schools in various districts in Punjab. The sample is selected using snow ball sampling technique. Mixed method approach was used to collect the data. The data are collected through questionnaire and interviews. Quantitative data were examined using the SPSS version 24.0, while qualitative data were evaluated using the thematic analysis approach. The results revealed via tables and graphs justify that these linguistic behaviors are successfully and effectively adopted by ESL teachers mainly to facilitate pedagogical process and enhance learning. The proper use of CS and CM also helps teachers develop interpersonal relationship with students and make their instructions more implicit and comprehensible.
Pages: 3965-3984
Keywords: English as Second Language, code switching (CS), code mixing (CM), Target language (TL), ESL Teachers