Abstract

 In recent years, much research has been conducted on code-switching in the EFL classroom and has found that code-switching is an effective teaching strategy, whereas limited studies concern the middle school EFL classroom. This experimental study aims to explore the status quo of the middle school expert English teachers’ code-switching in the EFL classroom, in terms of types, amount, frequency, occasions, teachers and students’ views. Moreover, this study intends to figure out the factors of these expert English teachers using code-switching in the EFL classroom. 

This study adopts classroom recording, observation and interviews to collect the pertinent information of middle school expert English teachers’ code-switching in EFL classroom. Through the transcriptions of classroom recording and observation notes, the types, amount, frequency, occasions as well as the factors can be determined. The interview not only offers the expert English teachers and students’ views about code-switching, but also serves as the supplement to the findings of the classroom recording and observation. 

The research shows that code-switching is a common phenomenon in the middle school expert English teachers’ EFL classroom but with little Chinese and less frequent switch. They use more inter-sentential switching than intra-sentential switching to ensure the coherence and cohesion of the teaching process. What’s more, all teachers and students hold that code-switching should be controlled within a certain amount and it is necessary to teach in Full-English to create a macro-environment beneficial for English learning. The expert English teachers use code-switching because of the linguistic vacancy between Chinese and English, the roles teachers should play, as well as the psychological motivations of students and themselves. 

In light of the above findings, the researcher draws some implications that are helpful for the use of code-switching in the EFL classroom and presents some instructive advice for English teaching in the EFL classroom.

Key words: code-switching, middle school expert English teachers, the EFL classroom

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Background of the Study-1

1.2 Purpose and method briefing-1

1.3 Layout of the thesis-2

Chapter Two Literature review-3

2.1 Definitions of key terms-3

2.1.1 Definitions of code-switching-3

2.1.2 The standard of an expert English teacher-4

2.2 Key Theories-6

2.2.1 Poplack’s classifications of code-switching-6

2.2.2 Theory of Linguistic Adaptation-6

2.3 Related studies-8

2.3.1 The current situation of code-switching in the EFL classroom-8

2.3.2 The functions of code-switching in the EFL classroom-9

2.3.3 The factors influencing teachers’ code-switching in the EFL classroom-10

Chapter Three Methodology-11

3.1 The Setting-11

3.2 Participants-11

3.2.1 Teachers’ background-11

3.2.2 Students’ background-12

3.3 Lesson types-12

3.4 Instruments-12

3.4.1 Audio-recording and classroom observation-13

3.4.2 Interview-13

3.5 Data Collection-13

3.6 Data Analysis-14

Chapter Four Results and Discussion-16

4.1 The states quo of code-switching-16

4.1.1 Types of expert teachers’ code-switching in the EFL classroom-16

4.1.2 Amount of expert teachers’ code-switching in the EFL classroom-17

4.1.3 Frequency of expert teachers’ code-switching in the EFL classroom-18

4.1.4 Occasions of expert English teachers’ code-switching in the EFL classroom-19

4.1.5 Students’ views of expert English teachers’ code-switching in the EFL classroom-21

4.1.6 Teachers’ views on expert English teachers’ code-switching in the EFL classroom-24

4.2 Factors influencing expert teachers’ code-switching-25

4.2.1 Linguistic reality-25

4.2.2 Teachers’ roles-26

4.2.3 Psychological Motivation-28

Chapter Five Conclusion-30

5.1 Major Findings-30

5.2 Implications-32

5.3 Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research-33

References-35

Appendix I: Transcriptions of Classroom Recording-37

Appendix II: Observation Note-42

Appendix III: Interview Questions for Teachers-43

Appendix IV: Interview Questions for Students-44

Appendix V: Sample of Coded Interview Transcriptions-45

Appendix VI Samples of Translated Transcriptions Used in the Text-49

文献综述报告-52