Mónica Ivette Ramirez Castro, posgraduate program in bilingual education at Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia. monicayvetter@yahoo.com

TEACHER´S CODE SWITCHING ADDRESSED TO CHILDREN LEARNING ENGLISH AS A FOREING LANGUAGE

Introduction

It is very clear-how important the role of input is when learning a foreign language and to what extent it facilitates or makes difficult the learning process. Teachers realize not only the skills students have but also the practical solutions teachers can implement when facing difficulties in the classroom. Once teachers have recognized how proficient their students are, teachers can find ways to help them develop their skill and make them feel comfortable when using a foreign language to their mother tongue to support students in their learning of a foreign language. Besides that, teachers’ talk is sometimes modified in order to simplify communication or ensure that the topic is understood.

Based on the above considerations this project has been carried out to analyze how teachers switch from one language to another and what the purpose of this aspect of bilingualism is. Furthermore it provides samples and exemplification taken from a class where this event was carried out and the implications that code switching can have in the learning of a foreign language.

1. Literature Review

A lot of teachers use the student’s mother tongue to support understanding of more complex instructions in the foreign language. It is also used by teachers when it is necessary to explain meaning of words or grammatical features of language. The use of foreign language is not a matter of general language competence but also of the specific need of classroom language. Inatism and cognitive models of language suggest that the foreign language is best learned through a combination of both mother tongue and foreign language and foreign language connections (Macaro, 2001). Therefore, mother tongue becomes important when looking for ways in which the foreign language can be taught and have a positive effect on the learning process of students. One of these strategies implemented by teachers to make students success in learning is code switching. Code switching is a normal, common and important aspect of bilingualism, which occurs when speakers change from one language to another during their conversations (Pennigton, 1995; Roseberry – Mckibbin & Hegde 2000, quoted in Brice, 2000). This phenomenon occurs when bilinguals substitute a word or phrase from one language with a phrase or word to another language (Heredia & Brown, 1997) Code switching provides continuity in speech rather than presenting interference in language. The socio-linguistic benefits have also been identified as a means of communicating solidarity, or affiliation to a particular social group whereby code switching should be viewed from the perspective of providing a linguistic advantage rather than obstruction to communication (Skubba)

There are several reasons why bilingual use code switching (Kieswetter, 1995). They are mainly given by the setting in which they occur.

Informal situations

- Unmarked code switching: Speakers main concern is with communicating a message and knowing that the other person will understand them, regardless of whether they speak one, two or more languages. - Code switching as directive: It might have a directive function where the code switching specifies the addressee as the recipient of the message. It can be inclusive if the speakers switch to the language that a monolingual joining in knows and understand and the addressee may even be invited to participate in the conversation, or exclusive when it indicates that the speaker shores the language and the social distance between them is narrowed of the expense of the others who do not speak the language.

- Code switching as an exploratory choice: Speakers may initially find themselves in an uncertain situation. In this case the speaker will start the conversation in one code choice but will switch to another choice depending an addressees response code. - Code switching as quotation: It often occurs when directly quoting what someone has said in a language other than the one used by the speaker(s) at that time. - Code switching as an indicator of ethnic identity or solidarity: Speakers code switch between particular languages because they want to be identified with the group that speaks that particular language. - Code switching as reiterative: It can be used to reinforce, emphasize, amplify or even clarify the message that has already been transmitted in one code but which may not have been understood. - Code switching as strategy of neutrality: bilinguals often avoid committing themselves to a single right and obligation set by avoided speaking only one code. - Code switching in order to hide one’s identity: the learning and use of the negatively perceived language can also be affected. On several occasions learners code switch because they are trying to hide their own language

Formal situations (in a classroom setting)

1. Linguistic insecurity: the difficulty teachers experience in relating new concepts 2. Topic switch: when the teacher switches code according to what topic is under discussion; it might be suggested, for instance, that certain aspects of foreign language teaching such as grammar instruction is preferably expressed in the mother tongue of the students 3. Affective functions: spontaneous expressions of emotions an emotional understanding in discourse with students 4. Socializing functions: when teachers turn to the students first language to signal friendship and solidarity 5. Repetitive functions: when teachers convey the same message in both languages for clarity

That is why teachers find support in the use of code switching in their teaching process aimed to facilitate communication at certain moments in the class, such as encouraging students to talk, clarifying instructions, giving confidence and reassuring understanding among others. On the other hand teachers might find themselves supported by the fact that using students mother tongue help activities work out, making the learning process easier for the students.

2 Research Design

Research Question

What is the purpose of using code switching in the teaching of a foreign language?

Research Methodology

The class was tape-recorded and the teacher followed these steps:

1. She greeted students and lead the daily prayer 2. She checked assistants and then she reviewed previous vocabulary related to the objects of the house and family members. 3. She introduced the main activity of the class, which consisted of each student presenting family members and identifying the objects of the house helped with a poster they did in previous classes. 4. Teacher started calling students according to a number she assigned for everyone and explained them that they had to point out his/her family members and introduce them. Also students has to show the objects of their house which they stuck on the poster 5. While students were doing their presentations, the teacher helped them giving clues about the structures they had to use according to the picture they were showing.

Research Setting

This project was carried in a private kinder-garden located on the northwest of Bogotá. It has 4 levels: nursery, pre-kinder, kinder and transition. The class was tape-recorded with transition b students

1 Genre (type of event): oral individual presentation supported on a small poster that done by each student. 2. Topic: The presentation is about the family members and where they are locate. The house. It is also about the objects from specific places in the house.

3. Purpose Or Function: describing where family members and objects are in the house.

4. Setting: Transition’s B classroom. It is a small classroom and the students are organized in groups of four according to the 6 squared tables. The session takes place in the morning from 8:10 am to 8:40 am aprox everyday.

5. Key: the tone of the communicative event is formal and produces a bit of anxiety between the students but at the same time friendly because they have a good relationship with the teacher and it helps them be more calmed.

6. Participants: 24 children, 8 girls and 16 boys form Transition B. They are between 6 and 7 year old. Most of them are from Bogotá and have been studying together from pre – kinder aprox. All of them have a good relationship with their friends and teachers. Children are eager to participate and are very competitive and motivated towards the class.

7. Message Content: it is about introducing the family members and identifying objects from the house.

8. Act Sequence: the teacher starts giving instruction to each student, the student starts presenting his or her poster and if the student makes a pause, teacher continues asking about details about his or her poster. 10. Rules Of Interaction: students wait for the teacher to call their names, they walk next to her and start presenting the poster, meanwhile the others should de quiet. During the presentation and when the teacher notices that the student needs help, the teacher guides the student’s speech by using short sentences.

3. Findings

A qualitative approach was carried out for the analysis of the transcribed class which was developed taking into account the psycholinguistic aspects related to code switching the main focus of this data analysis is to describe the purpose in which the teacher used code switching in her class.

This analysis is based on the classification made by Kieswetter (1995) who states the possible reasons why code switching is used within formal situations specifically in the classroom setting. The teacher aimed when code switching as follows:

 St= student
 T= teacher

Topic switch

 St: she is … brother
 t: she is my brother….? Or she is my sister…..??  she is when is a boy. She is my sister o.k.?? Continue, please.

The teacher used code switching to clarify a grammatical aspect in which the student had difficulty.

Affective functions

 T : it is….??
 St: it is ….a refrigerator?
 T= excellent!!!

In the extract above the teacher used code switching to praise student because of his performance when doing the activity

 St: she is my mother
 T: VERY GOOD! ……¿Quién esta gritando?

It is very clear that the teacher wants to express how upset she is about some students’ behavior and she does it in her mother tongue to emphasize her feelings towards the situation.

Socializing functions

1.

   T: it is…
   St: it is….
   T: a bed what is this? Que es …. Y yo te ayudo.
   St: bed
   T: excellent!!

2.

   st: it is a refrigerator
   T: excellent, very good!! ¿Que otra cosita me vas a mostrar?
   St: she is

3.

   T: Juli, is this yours?….. Come here, quickly. Ok he is…
   St: he is
   T: Juli..?
   St: Mi hermanito.
   T: Entonces ¿cómo se dice cielo……? Tu ya lo sabes Please, he is
   St: He is my brother.
   T: brother, brother.  Cielo.

In this situation the teacher helps the student communicate his ideas. Teacher supports the student making him feel confident and encouraging him to continue performing.

Repetitive functions

1.

  T: ok, the next one, Gabriela… where is Gabriela.Gabriela, point to several objects and the people, muéstrame objetos y las personas.

2.

   St: father
   T: Father, very good ok thank you very much.Tomorrow… oh… Javier come here!The last one and we finish.  La última, la última.Y ya acabamos ok javier, he is
   St: He is javier.
   In this example teacher uses both languages to ensure the utterances understanding.  She uses first the foreign language immediately followed by the mother tongue.

The analyzed material contains examples of several kinds of code switching as outlined in the literature review including instances related to topic switch as well as affective socializing and repetitive functions. No example of code switching related to linguistic insecurity was found. It was not possible because the objective of the activity did not imply the introduction of new concepts. The largest category is represented by affective functions, and our assumption is that a switch to the first language occurs mainly when the teacher turns to a more motherly tone due to her work with little children. These kinds of students perhaps need special motivation and a classroom environment where they feel comfortable and confident towards the first steps on their learning of a foreign language. Other categories seemed to be a support for the affective functions of code switching.

4. Pedagogical implications

The use of code switching as a teaching strategy can be useful for language learning in early stages, since it possesses several communicative functions in the classroom. Moreover, it can have positive implications when is used as a methodological tool to support the teaching of a foreign language and to facilitate the students learning of it. On the contrary, it might have negative implications if the mother tongue were used as the most relevant language in the classroom setting. Code switching must not be used to supply teachers' Linguistic insecurities about the knowledge of the language but to give support to students' needs. Besides that it enhances the relationship among the teacher and students.

5. Conclusions

Code switching is used in several situations within the teaching of a foreign language having a positive effect on learning. Its purpose is to facilitate teacher her interaction with the students, to promote a friendly environment of education and to encourage children to overcome their communicative weaknesses. It also contributes to developing confidence in exploring the language and risk taking to participate in the planned activities.

References

Bonde, M. s Alessi, G (2002) the basis of teacher talk university of modena.

Brice A. & Roseberry-Mchibbin (2000) choice of language in instruction.Teaching exceptional children vol 3 n 4

Heredia. R s Brown j (1997) code switching Texas. A B M International university.

Flyman, A. & Burenhult, N. (1999) code-switching in second language teaching of French. Lund University, in www. Ericdigest.gov/ 5 June 2005.

Macaro, E. (2001) educational studies. Oxford: Oxford University in www cilt. Org, UK 05 June 2005