EFL Teachers’ Codeswitching; Major Types and Functions

This study aimed to investigate the frequency, the type and the functions of codeswitching as a teaching strategy employed by EFL teachers: moreover, the corresponding teachers’ attitude towards codeswitching was assessed. Still another concern of the researcher was to detect any possible relationship between teachers' codeswitching and the learners' proficiency level. To this end, a mixed-methods approach was used. The participants were ten English language teachers teaching at both Upper-intermediate and Elementary levels simultaneously in Sina Language Institute as an EFL setting in Yazd, Iran. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The teachers' codeswitching was analyzed and categorized into two types of inter-sentential and intra-sentential and five common functions: Explanation, Grammar translation, Teacher admonition, Task instruction and Solidarity. In order to check the possible relationship between EFL teachers’ use of codeswitching and EFL learners’ foreign language proficiency level, the results of the frequency calculations were analyzed using a Chi- Square test. The results illustrated that there was a statistically significant relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ foreign language proficiency levels and teachers’ use of codeswitching.

کلیدواژه ها:

Codeswitching ، EFL Class ، first language (L1)