Vasquez 2009 CS in A Bilingual School

Code- switching in a Bilingual Context - 1
ELEVENTH GRADERS PERSPECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS OF

CODE SWITCHING IN A BILINGUAL SCHOOL

JENIFFER POSADA VSQUEZ

UNIVERSIDAD TECNOLGICA DE PEREIRA
FACULTAD DE BELLAS ARTES Y HUMANIDADES
LICENCIATURA EN LA ENSEANZA DE LA LENGUA INGLESA
PEREIRA
2009

ELEVENTH GRADERS PERSPECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS OF
CODE SWITCHING IN A BILINGUAL SCHOOL

JENIFFER POSADA VSQUEZ

Trabajo de grado presentado como requisito parcial para obtener
el ttulo de
Licenciado en la Enseanza de la Lengua Inglesa

Asesor:
Profesor Enrique Arias Castao

UNIVERSIDAD TECNOLGICA DE PEREIRA
FACULTAD DE BELLAS ARTES Y HUMANIDADES
LICENCIATURA EN LA ENSEANZA DE LA LENGUA INGLESA
PEREIRA
2009

Resumen

El presente proyecto de investigacin tuvo como objetivos principales
la identificacin y descripcin de las funciones de la alternancia de cdigos
(code-switching) y el cuestionamiento de las perspectivas de los estudiantes
de grado once de una institucin educativa bilinge acerca de este suceso.
Teniendo en cuenta las teoras realizadas anteriormente por otros
autores acerca de este tema en particular, se recolect informacin de doce
funciones de la alternancia de cdigos, y algunas perspectivas sobre ella.
Durante el anlisis de la informacin recolectada mediante entrevistas,
formales e informales, audio grabaciones, y diarios de campo, se encontr
que los estudiantes hicieron uso de las doce funciones propuestas en el
marco terico y que los estudiantes conceban la alternancia de cdigos
como estrategia comunicativa o como ausencia de la lengua, sin notar el uso
de otros propsitos a los que ellos recurran cuando alternaban. De acuerdo
con los resultados de dicho anlisis, tambin se encontr que los estudiantes
alternaban para causar gracia, para transmitir un mensaje determinado, o
teniendo en cuenta las caractersticas nicas del interlocutor. De acuerdo a lo
anteriormente planteado, se llego a la conclusin que los estudiantes
alternaban porque ellos asumen que el saln de clase, y la clase de ingls es
un espacio bilinge donde tiene la posibilidad de utilizar la lengua extranjera
y para mayor fluidez utilizan la materna en algunas ocasiones.
Entonces, el aporte que hace este proyecto de investigacin al rea de
la enseanza y aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras es en cmo es el uso de
la alternancia de cdigos y sus funciones en estudiantes de grado once de
una institucin educativa bilinge, adems de las perspectivas que tienen
dichos estudiantes, y qu puede decirnos la alternancia de cdigo sobre las
habilidades de comunicacin oral de ellos.

Abstract
The current research project had as main objectives the identification
and description of functions of code-switching and the inquiry about eleventh
grade students perspectives of code-switching from a bilingual school.
Taking into account the theories developed before by other
theoreticians, about this specific topic, some information about twelve
functions and some perspectives about code-switching was gathered.
During the analysis of the collected data, collected through interviews (semi-
structured and informal), audio-recordings, and field notes, it was found that
the participants used the twelve functions proposed in the literature review,
and that the three participants conceived code-switching as communicative
strategy or lack of language, without noticing the use they gave to code-
switching to accomplish other purposes. According to the results of the data
analysis, it was noticed the use participants gave to code-switching to cause
humor, to transmit certain message, or to bear in mind the unique
interlocutors features. In proportion to the findings, it was concluded that
students switched because they assumed that the classroom and the English
as foreign language class was a bilingual setting in which they had the
possibility to use, not only the target language, English, but in some cases the
mother tongue in order to be more fluent.
As a conclusion, the contribution this project has to the educational
field of teaching-learning foreign languages is in how eleventh grade students
use code-switching and its functions, besides the perspectives students might
have about this topic, and what code-switching can tell us about the
communicative oral skills this particular students have.


Dedication

I want to dedicate this professional and life achievement to my mom who art
in heaven. The moment she left, I knew I had to go on and she helped me
through this hard path of knowledge. I know you are proud of me. This is for
you!


Acknoledgments

First of all I want to thank all my classmates, professors, and friends, who with
I had the opportunity to share knowledge in any way.

Special thanks go to Professor Enrique Arias for his commitment while
advising me to follow this process of investigation; to Professor Angela Maria
Lopez for being in the right moment at the right place, and helping me to set
on the right road; and to professor Rosa Maria Guilleumas, for giving me such
a wonderful feedback.

Finally, I would like to thank myself, because if I would not challenge myself
everyday to continue with this hard process of researching, I would not be
able to accomplish this goal, and for being able to finish this stage
successfully. Thank you Jeniffer!


Table of Contents
1. Introduction........9
2. Statement of the problem and Rationale ....11
3. Description of the Study 15
4. Research questions....16
5. Research objectives ......17
5.1 Main objective.17
5.2 Specific Objectives17
6. Literature Review ....18
7. Research Design .33
7.1 Type of study......33
7.2 Context........34
7.3 Researchers role .....36
7.4 Data Collection Procedure36
7.5 Data analysis......39
8. Findings.42
8.1 Functions of Code-switching used by eleventh grade students42
8.2 Participants use of code-switching for specific purposes..53
8.3 Participants perspectives of code-switching 58
8.4 Bilingual school as an ideal setting for code-switching .60
8.5 Code-switching as an element for reducing the use of the mother tongue
only, in the English as a foreign language classroom...60
8.6 Code-switching as an element of culture identity ...61
9. Discussion 63
10. Instructional Design ..67
11. Conclusions ...69
12. Reference List....71

Table of Appendixes

Appendix A: check list..74
Appendix B: Semi-structured Interview 76
Appendix C: Chart for Semi-structured Interview analysis ...77


1. Introduction

Through decades, English language teachers have been concerned
about the use of mother tongue in the English as Foreign Language class.
Therefore, many investigations have taken place over time addressing this
issue.
The English as a foreign language learners are in their majority, either
for their idiosyncrasy or family formation, very embedded in their mother
tongue and the use of it while speaking. This situation brings out the frequent
use of the mother tongue while learning a foreign language, and specifically
in the English language class. However, some of the learners try to get over
this phenomenon with the intention of being able to reach real and accurate
foreign language knowledge. This interference between the mother tongue
and the foreign language has caused an impact, whether positive or negative,
into the foreign language learning process, and consequently, in the foreign
language class. Therefore, this interference is also a common situation in
bilingual schools, because there has been found a constant use of the mother
tongue, not alone, but with the foreign language, known as code-switching.
Teachers also contribute to the encouragement of students in the use
of mother tongue with their methodology and techniques, in order to
communicate no matter how, not taking into account that they, the teachers,
are teaching future professionals who have the opportunity to go abroad.
Some teachers insist in using it or even translating; something that attempts
to decrease students practical knowledge in the English language, since the
learners now are going to be potential users of that foreign language, and the
interference of the mother tongue into the foreign one might be a problem.
Regarding to the objectives of this investigation, this is a two-fold
investigation, since on one hand, it searches for the determination of the

different functions of code-switching used by eleventh grade students from
Liceo Bilingue Elizabeth I
1
during the English class; and on the other hand,
this investigations wants to question about students perspectives towards
code-switching.
In order to fulfill with the research objectives, it was vital to mention
previous theory about code-switching and som3e topics related to it, such as
bilingualism, speaking skills, since this project is focused on interaccionism,
and bilingual contexts, with the intention of giving support to the research
itself.
This study was conducted with the purpose of sharing the collected
information about code-switching with the educational system and interested
people, to give awareness of how code-switching works, in this particular
setting.

1
Pseudonym

2. Statement of the Problem & Rationale

As the Colombian ministry of education states in their Estndares
Bsicos de Competencias en Lenguas Extranjeras: Ingles, bilingualism is the
ability to communicate in more than one language or culture, having a
mastery in many aspects of them (2006); giving to the concept a more
contextualized definition, taking into consideration Colombias needs.
Bilingualism is a phenomenon that nowadays has became very common all
over the world, since the use of a second or foreign language is being needed
for many areas such as trade, politics, economy, etc. English language, is an
excellent example of this business language in the world, and in Colombia,
English is the foreign language set by the government to be learned.
In Colombia, bilingualism has been conceived as an important skill to
develop. Since the appearance of the Programa Nacional de Bilingismo:
Colombia Bilinge, the country became aware of the necessity of mastering
a foreign language and English is a perfect choice since after Chinese,
English is the second most spoken language in the world, and bearing in
mind that English is also spoken as second or even foreign language (Perry,
2005). However, the path is long, as the learning process is slow and the
educational system of English teaching should be improved. Nevertheless, it
has to be considered that Colombian education have had contact with a
foreign language, in this case English, and bilingualism since many decades
ago, because of the private bilingual education in many cities. Therefore,
bilingual education in Colombia has the experience of dealing with
bilingualism before the Programa Nacional de Bilingismo emerged.
Bilingual education has been pictured as more effective than the
education offered by public institutions. De Meja (2005) claimed bilingual
education is identified mostly with private bilingual schools (most of them

English- Spanish bilingual schools), which only upper-class people are able to
afford (p.54). Therefore, we can say that bilingualism has been a privileged
condition of those who have enough financial resources to get access to this
type of education.
In this project, the bilingual (English-Spanish) institution subject of
study, Liceo bilinge Elizabeth I is divided into three sections: pre-primary
(students aged 4- 5); primary (grades from 1-5, students aged 6-10); and
secondary (grades 6-11, students aged 11-16). The bilingual program starts
in pre-primary and extends to eleventh grade. Thus, the length of the foreign
language learning process is 13 years. Liceo Bilinge Elizabeth I is a
national bilingual school (i.e. a school governed by the nations educational
laws, exams, and procedures) with partial immersion and intensive English
program. Partial immersion (i.e. a program where the foreign language is
used as a resource, and content is a way to acquire the foreign language) is
implemented in pre-primary and primary school; whereas an intensive English
program (i.e. a program where the foreign language is used as an aim,
contrary of immersion) is applied in secondary.
The current investigation was conducted with eleventh graders of this
bilingual school. This is a level in which they have been through a long
learning process, and they are supposed to be bilingual, bilingual considered
as a person who has capacity and functionality in a second (or foreign)
language (Spolsky 1998, p.45); thus, eleventh graders have an advanced
level of proficiency and mastery of the foreign language.
As the school program allows students to have a balanced proficiency
and mastery of both languages, first language and foreign language, they are
balanced bilinguals (Ardila, 2004, p. 176). Due to the continual immersion of
students in the bilingual context, which the school offers, it bringing out the
ideal situation in which code-switching appears; and it is very common to find

phenomena or learning strategies such as code-switching in the classroom
and even in the school.
Code-switching (CS) has been one of the many phenomena
investigated in a foreign language classroom. Some researchers have
investigated code-switching between different languages, about different
aspects of code-switching, and in many contexts. However, as this
phenomenon is seen mostly in bilingual contexts, not many investigations
have been conducted in Colombia.
Continuing with the core of this investigation it is necessary to answer
two main questions: what is code-switching and why is it shown only in
bilingual contexts? Gumperz defined code-switching as the alternate use of
two or more languages in the same utterance or conversation (cited by
Reyes, 2004, p.78); but code-switching has been conceived as interference
from mother tongue to second or foreign language, and vice versa. It could be
true, since a mixture of languages cannot be a good sign of mastering
languages, both mother tongue and second or foreign language. However,
code-switching should be taken into account not as interference between
both languages, but as Koziol stated code-switching stems from fluency in
two languages and not at all from lack of fluency in both languages (2000, p.
17) and, supporting Poplacks theory about code-switching used only by
balanced bilingual (cited by Hammink 2000, p.3), as eleventh graders are. It
is, code-switching is perceived in a more advanced level of bilingualism; and
depending on this level, its features become more complex; such as the
switching by changing a word, a phrase, or sentence; in any of the cases
stated code-switching interfere in the communicative meaning (Poplack, 2000
p.228). All the information previously mentioned presents that code-switching
depends on the proficiency level of the speaker, and it appears only in
bilingual contexts, as code-switching is a slip into the other language (Hudson
cited by Koziol, 2000, p. 8).

With the intention of considering the impact code-switching has in the
English as a foreign language class, this research aims to identify and
describe, code-switching, its functions and types in the speech of eleventh
grade students of Liceo Bilinge Elizabeth I, since, as it was stated before,
this phenomenon is only shown in bilingual contexts. This research could help
the Programa Nacional de Bilingismo, by providing useful information not
only for teachers but for future bilingual students of both private and public
institutions, such as why code-switching could be a useful tool in the EFL
classroom, in order to be aware of the level of bilingualism (dominant or
balanced) students of certain institution have; how students use code-
switching as a communication strategy in the classroom and outdoors, what
students perspectives are about code-switching and why or how (referring to
functions and types) students use code-switching.
Taking into account all the aspects acknowledged earlier, this
investigation seeks to identify and describe any kind of variation code-
switching presents in eleventh graders speaking skills from Liceo Bilinge
Elizabeth I students, and to gain understanding on the code-switching in a
bilingual institution in Colombia.


3. Description of the Study

This study is focused on the analysis of the functions of code-switching
and the inquiry of perspectives about code-switching eleventh grade
students have in a particular setting. The data was collected with the use
of audio-recordings, interviews, and field notes which helped to answer
the main research questions of this study. This study was carried out in a
bilingual school in Pereira called Liceo Bilingue Elizabeth I, and more
specifically with three eleventh grade students with different language
background.


4. Research Questions

This research was set up to answer research questions and to test
some hypotheses:
What functions of code-switching are evident in the oral speech of
eleventh grade-bilingual-educated students?
What are the students perspectives on code-switching?


5. Research Objectives

4.1 Main
To identify the use students give to code-switching
To determine what code-switching can say about speaking skills in
eleventh graders

4.2 Specific
To identify the functions of code-switching used by eleventh graders
To know how the three participants of this study use code-switching
To recognize the relation students make between context and use of
code-switching
To distinguish what previous code-switching theories are applicable or
contradicted by the use eleventh graders give to code-switching.


6. Literature Review

Throughout the education history, the use of first language into second
or foreign language classes or settings has been divisive. In the next few
pages, it is going to be describe some perspectives, theories, definitions, and
findings from other authors investigations about four main cores: bilingualism,
bilingual education, code-switching, and functions of code-switching.
Firstly, bilingual communities have become common. Therefore, those
two languages spoken in that bilingual community are in contact. Every
bilingual community code-switches (Romaine, 1989, cited by Koziol, 2000);
however, ranks of code-switching vary immeasurably. Moreover, the
previous quote refers to the reality that every community with two language
systems tends to code switch (Romaine, 1989 cited by Koziol, 2000, p. 6).
There are different reasons for becoming bilingual: first, people need to
learn a foreign or second language in order to communicate between different
mother tongue speakers, ranging from Arabic to French speakers, and Italian
to Spanish speakers; second, migration issues, people need to communicate
in the second language context; and third, people become bilingual because
of academic needs (to present international exams, to study abroad, to get
scholarships, to do postgraduate studies, etc). English, for example, is very
popular nowadays. It is the second most spoken language all over the world
either as first, second, or foreign language.
In order to understand the context of this study and the theoretical
foundations, it is necessary to define what bilingualism is, its features, and
what bilingual education is, since this investigation was conducted in a
bilingual school; and the main role of bilingualism and bilingual education in
this study.

Bilingualism
As stated by Spolsky (1998), a bilingual is a person who has some
functional ability in a second language (p.45). Subsequently, it is possible to
say that according to Spolskys definition of a bilingual person, bilingualism is
that ability to develop the second or foreign language, as supported by Rey
de Castro & Garcia (1997, cited by De Meja, 2005, p. 388) bilingualism is the
ability speakers have to use the second or foreign language. Conversely, as
defined by De Meja (2009), bilingualism is a more abstract concept. Experts
said that bilingualism is not only the linguistic fluency in the foreign or second
language, but also the way to behave in both cultures. Colombian Ministry of
education also supports the definition of bilingualism as cultural and linguistic
proficiency by declaring el bilingismo se refiere a los diferentes grados de
dominio con los que un individuo logra comunicarse en ms de una lengua y
cultura (p. 5).
Skutnabb-Kangas (1998) mentioned the complexity of the concept of
bilingualism by using some criteria, such as origin, competence, identification-
internal, and identification-external. Skutnabb-Kangas (1998) describes the
origin as the mother tongue, it means, the first language speakers learn; the
competence is stated as the language the speaker masters; the function is
illustrated as the language the speaker uses the most; the identification-
internal is depicted as the identity the speaker has with certain language; and
identification-external is how people relate the speaker with a language.
Through these criteria, the author describes bilingualism not as a simple
performance in two languages but as a more complex term.


Types of bilingualism
Bilingualism is also divided into three types. The first is called
simultaneous bilingualism, defined by Dpke (1996) as the type of
bilingualism in which the speaker acquires two languages instead of one
during the period of first language acquisition. The second type is
Consecutive bilingualism, which refers to the learning the second or foreign
languages after knowing already a mother tongue (Kandolf, 1998). The last
type of bilingualism is receptive, which refers to the ability to understand two
languages but being able to express only in one (De Meja, 2009). Taking into
account eleventh grade students profile, it is possible to say that they
developed a consecutive bilingualism, since they have learned English after
knowing the mother tongue.
What does being bilingual imply?
Weinreich (1952) and also Siguan (2001, cited by Ardila, 2004: 175)
coincide in the four principal characteristics to be bilingual, which are: to have
two linguistic systems and to use them separately; it means, when using
mother tongue, the speaker can only use the features of mother tongue or
when using the second or foreign language use only the features of the
second one; to switch without difficulty from one language to another; and to
be able to translate.
Etxebarra (cited by Ardila, 2004, p.176) also mentioned two types of
bilinguals according to the linguistic competence; the first, Balanced
bilinguals, refers to people with the same linguistic competence in both
languages, and the second, Dominant bilinguals, are the ones who have a
better mastery in one of the languages, usually in the mother tongue.


Bilingual education
Bilingualism also depends on the context it is acquired. For example, in
Colombia, bilinguals are directly related with people from other countries that
now live in Colombia, people that have lived abroad, or if none of the previous
are possible, people who learned the language in a bilingual institution.
The bilingual institutions are also divided into national and international
bilingual schools. National bilingual schools refer to the schools founded
usually by a small group of Colombian people. The schools have Colombian
head-teachers, and they seek for a proficiency in learning a foreign language,
commonly English. International bilingual schools, on the contrary, are
founded by foreign governments or institutions, have foreign head-teachers,
and they have more opportunities to have contact with the foreign culture,
through exchanges, visits, and international exams (De Meja, 2005).
Bilingual education in Colombia as argued earlier by De Meja (2005)
is identified mostly with private bilingual schools, and these institutions are
supposed to be connected with English language teaching and to receive
input from international organizations. De Meja (2005) also stated that
bilingual education is commonly pursued by the international community, the
upper- classes, and multinational workers. As bilingual education is sought by
these communities, the students from these schools have more opportunities
to become bilingual. Eleventh graders in bilingual schools for example, who
have been in the process of bilingualism for more than ten years, are more
likely to become balanced bilinguals. Balanced bilingual defined by Ardila
(2004) are speakers who have [la] competencia igual en ambas lenguas,
which means that the individual can demonstrate oral and written skills in the
two languages without or with few problems while using them. Balanced
bilinguals, as the three participants of this research, commonly use
communicative strategies in order to get the message across while speaking

(most of the times) and one of these communicative strategies is code
switching.

What is it what academics call code switching?
Since Spanish is the most spoken minority language in the US
(Pressley, 2002), many investigations have focused on the code switching of
Spanish-English bilinguals. Code switching is the alternation of two codes
(languages or idioms) between people who share those particular codes
(Kasperczyc, 2005:1). However, Koziol (2000) emphasized that fluency is one
of the most important features to code switch between languages, taking into
account that this is closely related to the level of bilingualism, or mastering of
the two languages, and a rule-system that makes code-switching an
alternation, not interference. To illustrate code-switching, consider the
sentence, I like to ESCUCHAR pop music. In this sentence, the verb listen
is substituted by its equivalent word in Spanish. This process is called by
Poplack equivalent constraint (2000, p. 228) supporting the definition that
Brice & Brice (cited by Hughes et al, 2006) give to code switching: the use of
complete sentences, phrases, and borrowed words from a language other
than the first language (p.7). According to Poplack (2000 p. 228), the
equivalent constraint is one of the basic features of balanced bilingualism,
which means that, even though there is a use of the mother tongue into the
second language conversation, the alternation does not affect the
communication between bilinguals, since the message is gotten across, and
the communication act continues.
Koziol (2000) quoted Heller (1992) & Poplack (1981), and Poplack &
Sankoff (1988) with the intention of illustrating code switching as a
communicative strategy, primarily used by balanced bilinguals. As said by
Han Chung (2006), code-switching is used as communicative strategy to

lower the language barriers and to strengthen cultural identity and code-
switching as communicative strategy also depends on the intention the
switcher has to do it. On the other hand, Eldridges (1996, cited by Ncoko et
al., 2000) findings claim that code switching is a useful and purposeful tool in
order to facilitate communication and learning.
Code switching depends on the context, which has to be bilingual, and
the proficiency level of the speaker, as code switching is a slip into the other
language (Hudson cited by Koziol, 2000, p. 8). Duran (1994) also claimed: I
will use the term code switching for that point in the developmental time of
bilingual learners when they are conscious of such behavior and then choose
more or less purposefully to use or not to use it (p. 3). When talking about
code switching Poplack is one of the most important theoreticians, and she
says that code switching, as Koziol and Duran pointed out, shows a very
good mastery of the two languages rather than the lack of it. Siguan (2001,
cited by Ardila 2004) also continues with this line of thought about code
switching when she says when referring the difference between code
switching and code mixing, el primero (la alternancia) es caracteristico de
bilingismo y el segundo muestra un bilingismo limitado o deficiente
(p.177), supporting, as well as the previously mentioned authors, that code
switching is not a negative use of the language, meaning interference
between both, but the mastery of both.
On one hand, as Poplack (1980 cited by Hammink,2000) claimed, the
most Balanced Bilinguals code switch in more advanced instances, referring
to those bilingual people that master the two languages without any
interference from one language into the other. On the other hand, some
bilinguals who master one language more than the other, code switch but in a
simpler way (Poplack, 1980). These types of bilingualism and their
importance to code-switching introduce two other topics many studies have
focused on, which are code switching functions.

Functions of Code-switching
First of all, the functions of code switching are directly related to the
purpose bilingual speakers have to code switch. Auer (cited by Yletyinen,
2004) proposes two main categories of code-switching:
Participant-related: the speaker takes into account interlocutors
features, it means, interlocutors preferences and proficiency in the language
(Auer cited by Yletyinen, 2004). Example:
1 T welcome to animal [jobs-] in [this program]
2 LM2 [kato ] [(xx Finnish)]
[look ] [(xx Finnish) ]
3 LM [ mm ]
4 T we talk to [people] who work with animals,
5 LM [ mm ]
6 T and here is Susan Robertson-(.) who is talking about
7 T her job. (1) what does it mean, Susan Robertson works
8 T for the <RSPCA> the Royal Society for the Prevention
9 T of Cruelty to Animals, minklainen yhdistys on tmmnen.
[of Cruelty to Animals, what kind of an association is this]
10 LM2 u:h elintensuojelu joku
[ u:h animal protection something]
11 T joo=
yes=
12 LM2 =kuninkaallinen elintensuojeluyhdistys.
[=the royal society for the prevention of cruelty to animals.]
13 T joo, jossa tota vastute- vastustetaan tmmst (.)
[yes, where they um are opposed to this kind of (.)]
14 T [cruelty (.) ] raakuutta elimi kohtaan, and then
[cruelty (.) ] cruelty towards animals, and then]
(Example by Yletyinen, 2004, p. 76)
In the previous sample, Yletyinen (2004) showed how the teacher and
the students code-switched during the presentation of a new topic. In this
interaction, the teacher is introducing the new vocabulary. In lines 1 and 4 the
teacher is reading from the book, and in lines 6 and 7 the teacher is
explaining with her own words what is the book about. In line 9 the teacher
switched when asking the students for the mentioned association. The

teacher switches to be sure students understood the explanation and the
connection between the association and the book.
Discourse- related: The author also claims that this function takes
place when the speaker wants to complete the communication act (Auer cited
by Yletyinen, 2004). Example:
1 T [I remember this] okay I cant ask you I dont want you to
2 T answer okay and because we have to do some grammar I
3 T suggest we do it now and continue with other stuff later okay?
4 T (1) eli alotetaan vhn kielioppia tosta ett pakko ottaa (.)
(1) so lets take some grammar because we have to do some (.)
5 T kuitenkin thn rakoseen vhn jossain vaiheessa ni (.)
anyway at some point so lets do it now (.)
6 T adjektiivit on pivn sana ja sivu satayheksntoista (1.5) voitte
adjectives is the topic and page one hundred and nineteen (1.5)
you
7 T teh muistiinpanoja tai olla tekemtt ihan minklaiset teill on
can make notes or note make them depending on your
8 T nm (1) tiedot ja taidot tst aiheesta
(1) knowledge and skills on this topic
(Example by Yletyinen, 2004, p.68)
In this excerpt, the author explains how the teacher switches in line 4
to change the topic, and according to the author it is also discourse-related
code-switching since depending on the activity, the teacher switches, giving
the opportunity to students to switch, too.

Besides the 2 categories proposed by Auer (cited by Yletyinen, 2004),
Muoz and Mora (2006), cited Eldridges (cited by Sert, 2005) two functions
of code switching:
Equivalence: when a term is code-switched to its equivalent term in
the other language without altering the meaning. (Eldridge cited by Sert cited
by Muoz and Mora, 2006). Example:

T: Do you remember what weight is? When you go and (?) my weight,
the teachers weight is 75 kilograms.
S: peso, el peso!
T: ahhh? Excuse me?
C: peso!
(Example from Muoz and Mora, 2006, p.42)
Here, Muoz and Mora (2006) claimed that the students used
equivalence code-switching with the intention of clarifying the meaning of the
word weight. The author also said that this function (equivalence) of code-
switching was used by students, not only when talking to their teacher, but
also to their classmates.

Floor-holding: when the speaker does not remember a word; so
he/she code switches with the intention of continuing with the flow of the
conversation, without interrupting it. (Eldridge cited by Sert cited by Muoz
and Mora, 2006). Example:
I2: N: No, I dont know. But, esprenme que ya se me enred esto
Ah tendramos el cincuenta por ciento de la nota, final exam veinte
por ciento, class participation ten per cent...

(Example from Castao, 2009, p.38)
Castao (2009) stated that the professor code-switched several times
in order to give continuity to the conversation.

Koziol (2000) also described five functions of code switching:
Emphasis: the switch is made in order to highlight the speakers point
(Koziol, 2000). Xample:

Los Hispanicos no son importantes para los politicians o para la
policia, except in this election.
[The Hispanics arent important to the politicians or to the police,
except in this election.]

(Example from Koziol, 2000, p.32)
As said by the author, in the previous excerpt the speaker was to make
emphasis to the word politicians, to call the attention of the interlocutors who
are not part of the community, so that everyone can notice the implication of
that word in the sentence. Politicians do not belong to the Hispanic
community, as la polica (the police) does, so the speaker wants the
interlocutor to be aware of that fact.

Clarification: when an issue is presented in one language and then
discussed or clarified in the other (Koziol, 2000, p.33).

Person 1 (aunt): What do you want for graduation?
Person 2 (niece/daughter): CDs, a multi-disc player
Person 3 (Person 2s mother): She needs things for college
Person 1: [nothing said]
Person 3: Una lampa, toallas, mantas.
Here, Koziol (2000) says that the switch is made to benefit the listener
since the listener might understand better if those things for college are said
in Spanish.
Reiteration: The speaker repeats the message in the other language
in order to emphasize his/her point. (Koziol, 2000). Reiteration helps
students to become more competent in the language they are trying to learn
(Kasperczyc, 2005:4). Example:

Person 1: Cuando fuimos a Galveston, llovi cada da. Every day!
(Example from Koziol, 2000:30)
Koziol poses that the speaker wanted to be sure her point was made,
but instead of saying his point in other words, the speaker preferred to repeat
it in another language.
In relation to reiteration, Gumperz (cited by Ncoko et al, 2000) added
that at times code switching can be used to reinforce, amplify or even clarify
the message that has already been transmitted in one code but which may
not have been understood. (p.237), referring to reiterative code switching.

Topic shift: the switch is made to change the topic, and the shift can
be pronounced or gradual (Koziol, 2000, p.34). Example:
Person 1: y Jenifer, cmo es ella?
[ and Jenifer, how is she?]
Person 2: Muy bien. Tiene muchas amigas . . . .
[Very good. She has a lot of friends.]
Person 1: Dnde est? Por qu no est aqu?
[Where is she? Why isnt she here?]
Person 2: Est en la universidad, TCJC [with American accent]. Its a
community but next year she should be able to transfer to the city
college as premed.
[Shes at college, TCJC. Its a community college, but next year she
should be able to transfer to the city college as pre-med.]
Person 1: Then shes getting good grades?
Then shes getting good grades?
Person 2: Oh, yes. She has to to keep her scholarship pero es difcil
con el beb
[Oh, yes. She has to to keep her scholarship but its hard with the
baby.]


Koziol (2000) affirmed that this function is very difficult to recognize,
since the participants used different language according to the topic.
However, there were some topics (food preparation, sports, holiday plans,
etc) are discussed in both languages.
In the previous sample, the speaker is discussing two topics, family
and school, so the former is discussed in Spanish while the latter is discussed
in English. Person 2 switch to English when starts talking about the college,
but switch back to Spanish when return talking about personal issues, the
baby.

Untranslatability: the switch is made because there is not an
equivalent word in the other language, or it is a cultural identity concept
(Koziol, 2000, p. 34). Example:
In la cultura chicana, there is what we call compadrazgo, but that is
missing in Americans.
The author explains this switching by saying that the word
compadrazgo has not an exact term in English, so the speaker decides to say
it in Spanish.

Ncoko et al. (2000) proposed another function of code switching:
Code switching as quotations: when the speaker quotes what
someone said in the same language the speaker used (Ncoko, 2000).
Example:
A: O utlwile se Mrs P a se buileng? (seTswana).
[Did you hear what Mrs P said?]
B: Mme e se for the first time a re, she does not want to see papers
(seTswana).
[It wasnt for the first time she says that she does not want to see
papers.]

C: Onketsa gore ke tshege fa a bua, a re, do you understand me, do
you understand me. O se bua gantsi (seTswana).
[She makes me laugh when she says Do you understand me, do you
understand me?She says that many times.]

(Example from Ncoko et al., 2000 p.235)
The authors declare that students B and C switched back to the
language used by the group (seTswana) immediately after the quotation.
Ncoko et al. (2000) state this switch could indicate that meanwhile students
are using another language to quote the teacher, they still belong to the
speaking group and they share a language.

There is one extra function in spoken code switching proposed by
Romaine (cited by Muoz and Mora, 2006):
Interjections: the speaker code-switches to fill the utterance with
emotion. (Romaine cited by Muoz and Mora, 2006).
Dios mo, its past your bedtime!
(Example from Koziol, 2000, p. 35)
Koziol (2000) says that the speaker is using a language that has not
been used previously in the conversation, in order to call the addressees
attention.

Finally, Poplack (1981, cited by Koziol, 2000) also pointed out another
code switching function:
Tag-switching: it consists in switching words or phrases without any
functional purpose, commonly an uninhibited utterance, as in Spanish pues,
or in English you know.

Code-switching is also used to accomplish specific purposes. As
stated by Wilkerson (2008, cited by Castao, 2009), code-switching by
bilingual speakers is used to achieve certain purposes and intentions with the
message is being conveyed.

Code-switching in speaking
Spolsky (1998) declares that bilingual often switch between their two
languages in the middle of a conversation; in other words, it is more often to
see code switching in spoken language. Speaking, as it is known, is a
productive skill and to become effective, it needs information from another
skill, listening which is the receptive. It helps speaking to become more
proficient and better developed.
Speaking is conceived as a synonym of knowing the language.
Lazaraton (2001) defends this idea when he/she says, The ability to speak a
language is synonymous with knowing that language since speech is the
most basic means of human communication (p.103). However, it does not
mean that learning to speak a foreign language is easy, or at least, being
prepared to do it. Bailey and Savage (1994) support that conception when
they say speaking in a second or foreign language has often viewed as the
most demanding of the four skills. And Brown (1994) mentions some
characteristics of code switching that makes speaking as difficult as it is.
According to what is said not only by speaking but by code switching
theoreticians, speaking is the focus of code switching, and as stated by Bailey
and Savage (1994), it is not easy to become a speaker of the foreign
language, so it means that the level of bilingual proficiency, or type of
bilingual, should be higher. In other words, speakers should be balanced

bilinguals in order to code-switch and not interfere between languages
(Poplack, 1980).

Code switching in the classroom
According to Yletyinen (2004), the reasons to code-switch are different
depending on the context, it means, the use of code-switching in an
educational context differs from its use in a social context. The classroom in a
bilingual institution like Liceo Bilinge Elizabeth I becomes a educational
context in which code-switching is used with specific purposes and different
from those purposes students might have to code-switch outside the
classroom.


7. Research Design

7.1 Type of study
By means of achieving the purpose of this study, it was appropriate to
conduct it by taking into account the qualitative paradigm and the case study
approach. In other words, this is a qualitative-descriptive case study.
First, the qualitative paradigm is considered in this research since it is
focused on the reality itself by describing it, because through the description
of some if not all the main characteristics of the phenomenon called code-
switching, by using systematic criteria to highlight the essential elements of its
nature; it would be possible to get a coherent comprehension of that reality or
the use of code-switching by eleventh graders in a formal context, which is
the English class; in terms of specificity and singularity. The purpose of this
research is to describe and identify code-switching in eleventh graders, the
behavior students take while code-switching, their perceptions and their
reason for code-switching. This cannot be studied through a quantitative
paradigm, since as said by Arias (2007), the qualitative paradigm refers also
to the study focused on behaviors, beliefs, and concerns certain phenomenon
has; contrary of statistics and measurable phenomena, that is what
quantitative paradigm is about (Castillo, 2004).

Secondly, this research is based on case study because it is focused
on making careful and exhaustive studies of one or few subjects of
investigation, which permits to search out a broader and more detailed
knowledge of code-switching in this little group of students, rather than other
approaches. As well, case study is based on the fact that if a unity, in this
case three eleventh grade students, of certain universe, a classroom, is
studied by paying meticulous attention to it, the researcher will be in condition

to recognize some of the features of the problem (the problem in this case
would be code-switching) or at least a perspective or sketch that would orient
the researcher to conduct the research in a more meticulously and more
structured manner (Sabino, 1989).

7.2 Context
In this section, it is going to be described the setting where the
investigation took place, and the objects of study or participants.
Setting
The Liceo Bilinge Elizabeth I, a national bilingual school founded in
1996, is located in the boundaries of Pereira; therefore, it is a country school.
It is a co-educational school which emphasizes in the acquisition of the
foreign language (minor) and the formation of integral students. The school
has a bilingual program in pre-school, and elementary school, since the
curriculum is articulated through the two languages, Spanish and the foreign
language. Also because the language (English) is acquire through content
(math, social studies, arts, math, and English itself). In high school there is an
intensified English language program, that means that the language is
acquired through the English subject, fifteen hours per week, which means
the 30% of the subjects, and the language is used as an aim. The Programa
Educativo Institucional poses the English program that way, since it is
believed that in 6
th
grade, students are supposed to know many functions of
the language not only through the English subject, but through others, which
help students to have a wide knowledge of the language; thus, when students
reach sixth grade they are supposed to start practicing the language, and
learning some aspects of it, in a less intensive schedule.

Although the school is supposed to have a mission and vision centred
on the acquisition of the foreign language, it is not. The school is focused on
the students integrity and students immersion in the real world, rather than
the capability to become multilingual and multicultural.
The school offers very good didactic resources. It has technological
resources, for example the computer lab (one computer per student); the
library has a lot of qualified material according to the subject, which is enough
for the quantity of students per class, but also it has not many bibliographic
resources. It counts with an audiovisual room, computers lab, library, and
music room, with electronic resources.
The class has a teacher, who develops listening, speaking, writing, and
reading, and each skill is worked on in different days of the week (for
example: Monday: reading; Tuesday, speaking; etc.). Therefore, the study will
observe especially those classes where the teacher will work on developing
speaking skills.
The English class is very dynamic and fun, as the students said in
some informal talks, the teacher is very creative, and he prepares two or
three activities per class of about 2 hours.

Participants
For this research, it was selected eleventh grade, because it is the final
stage of high school, a kind of transitional grade between high school and
college, and students are supposed to have a very good level of English, as
they have been through a process of years for becoming bilingual. Another
reason for choosing this specific level is that they are very participative. This
course has 18 students, who are from a high socio-economical status(5, 6).
The majority of the students are balanced bilinguals; it means, they display a
very good level of English proficiency.

However, only three students (Violeta, Kike, and Juan
2
) from this
eleventh grade course from Liceo Bilinge Elizabeth I, between 15 and 17
years old, were selected as subjects of study. They were chosen due to their
frequency of code-switching. The students are two boys and a girl. The girl is
a native speaker from US; one of the boys spent many years in Australia and
learned the language there; and the other boy has been in an English
speaking country in different occasions, but he has never lived there. He
learned the language at school.
Violeta and Kike have a very close friendship, but they have a friendly
banter, in which they argue and they treat each other roughly, but it is a game
going on between them. They usually fight during the class, but it is a normal
situation between them.

7.3 Researchers role:
The researcher will act in the study as an observer, an informant role.
This means the researcher will not be part of the investigated group, but will
be observing the reality itself, inside that group, but not being part of it. The
interaction between the researcher and the investigated group is not required,
facilitating the objectivism of the research. However, as students know they
are being observed, they control the information collected by the observer
(Merriam, 2009, p.124).

7.4 Data collection Procedure
The data was collected during five months. The researcher used field
notes and interviews made to three students, the data from both methods
were audio-recorded, and transcribed.

2
Pseudonyms

Field notes
As Sabino (1989) mentioned, field notes have the purpose of recording
the reality, in this case code-switching, in order to collect data for the
investigation of what the researched subjects say and do during the time of
observation (p. 119). The purpose of the field notes is to provide descriptions
of the behavior taking into account the studied phenomenon. The field notes
were oriented by a check list (see Appendix A), which was useful in order to
collect the data as accurately and objectively as possible. The field notes
were taken during the speaking activities in the English class. The activities
lasted approximately thirty minutes. The purpose of using this method was to
answer one of the research questions: what does the use of code-switching
tell us about the speaking skills of eleventh grade students in a bilingual
school?
Audio recordings
Observations were audio-recorded daily. Students met two or three
times per week (one or two hours daily). The recording was transcribed and
used as an extra aid to the field notes and interviews. The audio recordings
were made with the intention of supporting the other two methods, since with
its help, the information gathered can be more precise and accurate.
Freemans (1998) findings support the usefulness of audio-recordings with
the purpose of collecting data from oral interactions by saying an audio
recording captures spoken interactions in the lesson (p.207). According to
this author, the audio-recordings, whether in a lesson or the interviews
conducted with the students, give strength to the information collected with
the other two methods.


Semi-structured interviews
The interviewed students were the three participants of the study, in
order to collect information about students perceptions of code-switching.
Interviews were semi-structured, since this type of interview allows more
flexibility, and therefore, it is helpful when a question arises in the middle of
the interview from some answer the interviewee gave, contrary to structured
interviews which are just a list of questions without any kind of variation
(Wallace, 2001).
The interviews were conducted in the campus of the school, in the last
observation session, and the data collected by the check lists were shown to
the students to explain and identify the reasons they had to code switch, in
general, and the reasons they had when switching, in the particular samples.
(See Appendix B)

Informal Interviews
Informal talks are simple conversations between the researcher and
the observed person, with the purpose of making the participant talk to gather
wider information about the investigated problem (Sabino, 1989).
After each of the fifteen classes, the three participants were
interviewed to gather deeper information about their purposes for code-
switching in specific moments. The researcher showed them samples
collected through field notes and the participants were willing to say why they
code-switched in the moment the sample was collected.


7.5 Data analysis
This analysis was developed through the use of three instruments: field
notes, audio-recordings and interviews. This chapter presents how the data
collected during the fifteen sessions was analyzed in order to answer the
research questions: What functions of code-switching are evident in the oral
speech of eleventh grade-bilingual-educated students? And what are the
students perspectives on code-switching?

Process of data analysis
Once the information was collected, I started to organize it into groups:
the first one integrated the field notes, informal interviews, and audio-
recordings of the field notes; and the second group consisted of the
interviews and audio-recording of them. Therefore, I organized the
information in a different way according to each group.
With the first group, I classified all the information in the computer in
order to manage the data from the hard disk. As a matter of fact, all the
comments and opinions given by the participants in the sessions were saved
in magnetic format.
The field notes were organized by activity and date. For each session,
I took notes from what the students said, more precisely when they code-
switched. The researcher took notes as much as students code-switched
during the speaking activity. All the information collected with the field notes
was coded. For instance, as the data was collected through field notes, the
code was I (intervention), and the number of intervention (I45), plus the
number of the student (Violeta: st1; Kike: st2; Juan: st3)


Concerning the interviews, all of them were transcribed and I designed
a chart in order to comprehend and analyze the data. This chart has three
columns: questions, answers, and interpretation of the answers (see
appendix C). The three participants were interviewed in the last day of the
sessions, so I decided to transcribe the interviews at the end of the data
collection process. The interview was coded by number of the question, and
Participants number, like this: I-Q10-st3 (interview-question 10- student 3).
Thus, each instrument was analyzed by using the code of the instrument, the
number of the intervention (field notes) or the number of question (interviews),
and the number of student.
Once I collected and organized all the information from the three
methods, I started to analyze it based on the grounded theory (Glaser and
Strauss.1967). According to the grounded theory, data collected must be
organized through the naming of key ideas, the identification of connections
between answers, and the grouping of categories and sub-categories
(Freeman, 1998. p. 102-103).
The field notes and the informal interviews were selected to answer the
question about functions of code-switching used by eleventh graders, since
during each session the observer could take notes and categorize students
code-switches according to each function. As consequence, I could identify
through the field notes and informal interviews which were students
intentions to code-switch, why they code-switched, and what students took
into account to switch.
Once the collected data from both groups was organized, I used a
strategy to analyze it. The strategy was to print both the field notes and
interviews. I printed out the data in order to write notes and thoughts in the
paper about the data collected. This process helped to the categorization of
the data.

When I finished this process, I started to classify them into groups
taking into account their differences and commonalities. Then, after sharing
the classification with my advisor, these groups were named with sentences
based on her opinion and my thoughts. Next, I identified two main categories
and some subcategories. Taking into account the categories and sub-
categories, it was better to define what category each sub-category was
related to, and how categories were connected to one another.
In the next chapter, I will present each category, its explanation, and
the results found.


8. Findings

As mentioned before, the data was collected through field notes,
audio-recordings and semi-structured interviews. These findings were divided
into two major categories: functions of code-switching and students
perspectives of code-switching.

8.1 Functions of Code-switching used by eleventh grade students
Functions of code-switching refer to the use and the purpose of code-
switching. It means the function is the communicative intention the speaker
has when she/he code-switches. In the following pages, the functions of
code-switching which were detected in the participants oral production
studied for his investigation are going to be described:

8.1.1 Participant-related code-switching
Observations and interviews with the students showed that students
tended to switch taking into account interlocutors and their features. Students
code-switched depending on the language the interlocutor speaks and his/her
proficiency of the language to reach the communication act. The following is
an excerpt from the transcriptions of the interviews where a student gives her
reasons of using code-switching:
I1-st1
V: yeah, but then I have to start thinking how I'm gonna say it in
English coz they didnt understand me when I said it in Spanish.
In this answer, the student is giving an explanation for her switching. In
the informal talks, she claimed that when she knows the interlocutor cannot

understand her when alternating, it becomes difficult for her, since she cannot
use code-switching as a resource.

The data collected from the audio-recordings and the interviews
showed that the students switched to the language they knew the interlocutor
understood. In other words, if the student knows the interlocutor is
monolingual she/he will talk only in the language the interlocutor knows. In
the next excerpt, the student expresses her attitude towards switching when
talking to an English native speaker:
I-Q11-st3
Interviewer: But lets say for example youre talking to a monolingual
native English speaker, would you switch?
St3: No
Interviewer: No? Why?
St3: Because when I when you are talking with someone else that
understands just one language you have to know the meaning of the
word
Interviewer: But if you dont know the meaning?
St3: I dont know signs or something (laughs)
In the previous excerpt of the interview with student 3, the student
claims that he would not switch in front of a native speaker, and if he does not
have the language to communicate, he will resort to signs to get the message
across. Thus, it is showed that the student uses code-switching depending on
the interlocutors features, in this case because he/she knows that the
interlocutor is a monolingual speaker.


The data collected from the audio-recordings and field notes revealed
that students switched when addressing classmates or the teacher in a
different way. In other words, they switch from Spanish to English depending
on the person they were talking to:
I41-st1:
V: Fabricio cllese! Wait teacher I cant hear you!
[Fabricio, shut up! Wait teacher I cant hear you!]
In this excerpt, firstly the student was yelling at a classmate in Spanish,
and then, when addressing the teacher she switched to English. This sample
provides a clearer idea of the switching depending on the interlocutor, since
she addresses her classmate in Spanish, but when she addresses the
teacher, she immediately switches to English, even when she knows the
teacher is bilingual, and he can understand her.

8.1.2 Discourse related code-switching
The data collected demonstrated that students used discourse-related
code-switching, which is related to the communicative intention of the
speaker, in other words, to the purpose of the speaker to switch. Discourse-
related code-switching is an umbrella concept, since there are many code-
switches that can be related to the intention of the speaker, and at the same
time those shifts can have another function, such as emphasis, equivalence,
floor-holding, etc. In the next sample from the field notes and audio-
recordings it is shown how the student used discourse-related switch:
I3-st1:
V: Kenny! Are you en contra or with us?
[Kenny! Are you against or with us?]

Here the student was asking a classmate to make a decision if he
wanted to be for or against euthanasia. The teacher had asked them to take a
position about this topic and explain their reasons for the position taken. In
the sample, the student 1 said en contra (against), since she wanted to
emphasize her point in the phrase by using Spanish. Besides, notice that in
the sample it can be infer that the participant is trying to convey a
confrontation meaning through her switch, taking into account the relationship
she has with the other participant Kenny. It is very interesting the way she
uses English for those words related to her, that is to say she is using English
for the words related to being for euthanasia, and Spanish to the ones related
to being against euthanasia. In an extra talk, the student said that as she was
for, she wanted her classmate to decide to be for and quickly, so she
decided to use Spanish to give an effect, which was a quick decision.

8.1.3 Emphasis code-switching
The data collected illustrated how students use code-switching to
emphasize their messages. In other words, students alternate in order to
highlight the important point of their messages to their interlocutors. The next
excerpt shows how a student switches to emphasize:
I34-st3:
J: Teacher, Can I contestar my phone?
[Teacher, can I answer my phone?]
Here, the student asks the teacher if he can answer his phone that had
just rang. The student emphasizes contestar (answer), since he wants to
obtain the permission from his teacher and he wants his teacher to get the
main point of his message which is to answer.


In the following sample from the field notes and the audio-recording
transcriptions, the student switches to emphasize the threat to her classmate:
I44-st1
V: Get away from me! El que busca encuentra, mijo!
[Get away from me! Look and you shall find, dude!]
The student was being bothered by her classmate during a speaking
activity. She had mentioned her classmate she did not want him around, but
he continued bothering her. She said the previous words and hit him.

8.1.4 Equivalence code-switching
Field notes and audio-recording transcriptions data led to conclude that
participants alternate without affecting the grammatical structure of the
utterances. That is to say, participants used to switch just a word or phrase
without altering the meaning and the structure of the utterances. The audio-
recordings and the field notes data demonstrate how a student switches and
uses equivalence
I19-st2
K: I'm gonna talk about importaciones y exportaciones ilcitas.
[Im gonna talk about illicit importations and exportations]
Here the intention of the student was making a joke in class, since the
teacher went out of the classroom for a few seconds. The student uses
equivalence in the phrase importaciones y exportaciones ilicitas (illicit
importations and exportations), that he uses exactly as it is in Spanish,
without altering the structure of the phrase.


Consider the example:
I8-st 2:
K: sus scissors, parce.
[Your scissors, dude]
The switch is from Spanish to English. The student probably knows
that scissors in Spanish is Tijeras, however he prefers to say scissors but
without modifying the meaning and the structure of the utterance.

8.1.5 Floor-holding code-switching
Another function of code-switching used by the participants was floor-
holding. The students switched with the purpose of maintaining the
conversation going on. In other words, students wanted to keep the flow of
the conversation so they switched words or phrases to continue the
communication event without disruptions. The next sample from the audio-
recordings and the field notes will illustrate this function better. Example:
I10-st1
V: You cant kill your own people, I mean errr you have your wife,
or your children o lo que sea, you cant unplug them just coz
theyre in comma or something
[You cant kill your own people, I mean errr you have your wife,
or your children or whatever, you cant unplug them just coz
theyre in comma or something]

Here, the students purpose is to continue with the flow of the debate
about euthanasia. The student wanted to continue explaining her reasons
maybe she did not remember how to say o lo que sea in English (or

whatever), so she decided to utter it in Spanish to maintain the course of the
conversation.

8.1.6 Clarification code-switching
Data collected from the audio-recordings illustrated the use that
participants did of code-switching to clarify their message. Consider the next
example:
I43-st1:
V: Ah! But you are supposed to choose one answer, no las dos!
[Ah! But you are supposed to choose one answer, not both!]
In this excerpt the student is clarifying to a classmate that he is
supposed to select one answer of a game instead of two, what he had
already done.

8.1.7 Interjections code-switching
The outcome of the data collected also illustrated how participants
switched to transmit emotion in an utterance. For example, in the next
sample, it can be easily noticed that when the student wants to give impact to
her speech uses an interjection:
I45-st1
V: Cllese! Thats not the answer!
[Shut up! Thats not the answer!]
The students were in the same activity mentioned in the previous
sample. The student wanted her classmate to stop talking because she knew
what he said was not the answer to the question. She uses the interjection in

Spanish cllese! (shut up!) maybe because she knows that saying it in
Spanish conveys more impact to the interlocutor than saying it in English.

8.1.8 Code-switching as Quotation
Quotation was also a function identified in the data from the audio-
recordings and field notes. Participants use code-switching to report what
other person uttered, in the original language used by the speaker. The
following excerpt exemplifies this function of code-switching:
I42-st2:
K: yo dije: what are you gonna do, man? Y el dijo: help!
[I said: what are you gonna do, man? And he said: help!]
Here, the student wanted to retell his classmates a past experience
with a friend in a soccer match. The student is telling the story in Spanish but
when he wants to recall what he and his friend said he switches to English
because in the past conversation they were speaking in English.

The next excerpt can also help to illustrate the use of this function of
code-switching among participants. The teacher was giving instructions to
organize the classroom for a following activity:
I51- st2:
T: Dont use the desks, move just the chairs.
K: Uy teacher habl como esos muequitos de Barney: dont use the
desks, move just the chairs
[Uy teacher you talked like those Barneys dummies: dont use the
desks, move just the chairs]

The previous sample depicts the participant making laugh of his
teacher, and switching as quotation to repeat the teachers exact words in the
original language used, probably to reproduce the impression caused by
those words.

8.1.9 Reiteration code-switching
The data collected showed the use of code-switching when repeating
the same message in the other language; in other words, participants repeat
in one language the message they already said in the other. In the following
excerpt the student repeats in Spanish the same message she had just said
in English:
I1-st1
V: Teacher, what are gonna do? Que vamos a hacer?
[Teacher, what are gonna do? What are gonna do?]
Here the student is asking for the instructions that the teacher had just
given. She repeats the first message but in Spanish to make sure the teacher
understood the message she said in English.
I58-st1
T: Guys choose your topic now.
V: Qu? What? What?
[What? What? What?]
The same student is asking her partner what they have to do. Her first
reaction is in Spanish, but immediately she switches to English with the
intention, stated by the speaker in an informal talk, of making her classmate
understand the message.

8.1.10 Tag/pet phrase code-switching
Everybody has a pet phrase. During the study of the audio-recordings
outcome, it was found that the participants switched for a pet phrase,
unconsciously. In the next example the student uses pues as pet phrase:
I16-st1
V: Pues! A girl-friend and a boy-friend.
In the previous example, the participant was clarifying to a classmate
what a girlfriend and a boyfriend were by separating the syllables while
uttering the words. She uses pues, a pet phrase used mostly for the paisa
people, at the beginning of the utterance, probably unconsciously, since pet-
phrases tend to be said without any premeditation.
In the next excerpt, the word pues appears again, which as explained
before, is a common paisa pet-phrase:
I24-st1
V: Teacher, pues, what do we have to do?
[Teacher, well what do we have to do?]
Here the student was asking her teacher what they had to do in the
activity the teacher had just mentioned. The same student from above uses
the same tag phrase without being aware of doing so.

8.1.11 Topic shift code-switching
The participants switched language to shift the topic. In the outcome of
the audio-recordings it was found some examples of this function were
identified:
I10-st1

V: You cant kill your own people, I mean errr you have your wife,
or your children o lo que sea, you cant unplug them just coz
theyre in comma or something
[You cant kill your own people, I mean errr you have your wife,
or your children or whatever, you cant unplug them just coz
theyre in comma or something]
This example was previously used to illustrate floor-holding code-
switching; however, it is also a clear example of topic shift since the student is
using the phrase o lo que sea (or whatever) to introduce another issue. The
students starts talking about killing relatives and mentions two, then, to
change a bit the topic she uses the phrase and introduces the situation of
unplugging a relative because he/she is very sick, without finishing the first
idea.

8.1.12 Untranslatability
During the study of the results of the audio-recordings, it was noticed
that the participants switched because the word or the phrase does not have
an accurate translation into the other language. The next is an example of the
use of untranslatability by a student:
I68-st3
J: No, parce. I dont want to go to that trip, I prefer to take the money
and spend it in a huge party.
[No, dude. I dont want to go to that trip, I prefer to take the money and
spend it in a huge party.]
In the previous example, the alternation is from English to Spanish.
The student was talking about their tour to La Costa with a classmate. The
students were talking about if they wanted or not to go to the trip with the all
group. Here, the student was giving his opinion, but he used parce at the
beginning of his intervention. Probably, it might be considered as a tag/pet

phrase code-switching, but as it uses the word parce it is considered as
untranslatability, too. The word in which untranslatability is shown is parce.
Parce is a very common phrase said by paisa people, as well as pues.
The word parce denotes a cultural value, which creates identity of certain
region of the country, in this case paisa people.

8.2 Participants use of code-switching for specific purposes
Data from the interviews revealed that the speakers switch with a specific
purpose, as giving continuity to the conversation. In the following excerpt one
of the participants explains how she uses this function:
I-Q3-st1:
I: Why do you use code-switching?
V: may be because I dont know a word or something or maybe
because I dont want to interrupt the conversation by looking for the
word in English, I just say it in Spanish and thats it, I continue with
the conversation.
Here, the student states she code-switches not only when she
does not know a word, but also to be fluent in a conversation. Notice
that she uses the phrase I dont want to interrupt the conversation to
make reference to the importance of getting the message across.

Data collected from the audio-recordings also showed that students
switched with the intention of convincing the interlocutor:
I36- st2:
K: Hey trust me! Yo s que tengo la razn!
[Hey trust me! I know I am right!]

In this sample, the student was talking to his classmates. As he expressed
in an extra talk, he switched because he knew his classmates understand
both languages, and he did not have the necessity to use only one language.
Besides, in this excerpt it can be noticed that he is trying to persuade his
classmates of letting him say an answer in a contest against the other half of
the group. The persuasion can be noticed in the phrase yo s que tengo la
razn, and maybe he switched to the first language in order to create a
confidence environment, so that he can persuade his classmates to let him
do what he wants to do.

8.2.1 Participants use of code-switching as communicative strategy
During the interviews and the audio-recordings, the participants
claimed that they switched because they did not remember words. The field
notes also showed how code-switching is used as communication strategy. In
the next example, it is seen how this is used:
I54-st3:
J: Teacher, we need to study. I think we can sacar some time at
the end of the class.
[Teacher, we need to study. I think we can have some time at
the end of the class]
T: study? What for, Juan?
J: we need to study for a chemistry exam. Can we?
T: lets see if we have time after this activity.
The student was proposing the teacher to give some time to students
at the end of the class because they had a test next day, so the student was
asking for permission to study. In this example it is clearly evident the use of
an equivalent word in Spanish, maybe because the student does not
remember the appropriate word, or does not know it.

During the interview with the second participant, more exactly in a
question related to why he code-switches, he said:
I-Q11-st2
K: if you need code-switching... is normal; because you just
need to communicate, and it doesnt matter if you're speaking
one language or another the important thing is that you're
communicating something.
I: so you think code-switching helps you or not?
K: yeah. It is very useful, you can rid of problems when you
dont remember a word or you dont know how to say it.
The student was giving his reasons to code switch and he argued that
he code-switched because he did not remember or did not know a word. He
also claimed that the important thing when he speaks is to communicate
without considering what language you are speaking, but the importance is to
transmit the message and that it is being understood.

8.2.2 Participants use of code-switching because of lack of language
The participants code-switched because they did not know how say a
specific word in English, or even in Spanish. In other words, the participants
lack of vocabulary to communicate. In the interview with the three participants
in a question related to why they code switch they said:
I-Q3-st3
J: because sometimes I get confused or I dont know like
what to put so I replace it with an Spanishmmm word

I-Q3-st2
K: because sometimes I dont know the word
The two students agreed in at least one of the reasons they had to
code switch. They stated that most of the times (when conscious), they
switched because they did not know how to say certain word in English (L2).
They also affirmed in some informal talks that when they had to think of the
word, they realized they were code-switching, in other circumstances, they
would not noticed the switch.

8.2.3 Participants use of code-switching as means of humor
The data collected from audio recordings, field notes, and interviews
showed a new function, which I could not find any previous theory about.
Students code-switched with the purpose of making other people laugh, it
means, to tell jokes, or because of the same funny impact code-switching has
for them. In the next conversation, the activity proposed by the teacher was a
speed dating, so students had to create a character that they had to perform,
his/her profession, personality, name, etc. Notice the humorous intention in
Kennys choice of words in Spanish and particular elements switched:
I61:
K: Teacher, you know what my name is? pille pues Yuyeimy
Botero De Gomez
[Teacher, you know what my name is? Listen Yuyeimy Botero
De Gomez
St: How old are you?
K: I'm quince
[Im fifteen]
St: Are you a travesti or what?
[Are you a drag queen or what?]
K: I like my tetas, you like them?
[I like my breast, you like them?]
()

St: Yuyeimy, what do your parents do?
K: My mom sells drugs and my father is a sicario.
[My mother sells drugs and my father is a hired killer]
St: are you married, or what?
K: No
St: so, why do you use De Gomez?
K: because I was married. Im widow, now. My husband died of
a sobredosis.
[Because I was married. Im widow, now. My husband died of
an overdose]
St: Ummm What do you do, where do you work, Yuyeimy?
K: I'm a volea-llavero. You know where Paradise club is?
[Im a prostitute. You know where Paradise club is?
St: yes
K: On the esquina.
[On the corner]
St: I like you Yuyeimy!
K: Would you like casarte conmigo?
[would you like to marry me?]
St: yes!
K: Ay, no! You have a jetae guayo!
[Ay, no! you have a big mouth!]
This student is particularly fascinated by the use of code-switching
while telling jokes, or as the excerpt, creating funny characters. In many
occasions he was the clown of the class. In this case, the student is creating
a complete context for the character he is performing. The student is
portraying a low-social class girl, since first, he uses an anglicized name such
as Yuyeimy, which is a common feature in lower class people in Colombia,
and her last names Botero de Gomez, which are common last names not of
American or European but Latin-American people, specifically Colombians.
Secondly, he is using Standard English with the Spanish slang used by that
kind of people, using words as volea-llavero, basuqueros, pille pues, jetae
guayo, words that are not part of a standard Spanish. Finally, he depicts the
background of the character by using very specific professions and social
issues such as drug addiction, prostitution, delinquency, and drug dispensing.
The participant and his classmates may find these social issues humorous,

and he uses the topic mixed with code-switching because he knows it makes
students laugh, as he mentioned in an informal talk.

8.3 Participants perspectives of Code-switching
During the interviews, there was a specific question in which students
were asked to say what their opinions of code-switching were. From their
answers, there were three major perspectives emerged:
The answer of student number three was that code-switching was a
tool for him to get the message across without interrupting the communication
act:
I-Q11-st3
J: that if you need code-switching... is normal; because you just
need to communicate, and it doesnt matter if you're speaking
one language or another the important thing is that you're
communicating something.
As stated before, the student cares about the communication act not
about the language he is speaking in a conversation.

In the interview with the first student, she concluded code-switching is
a very useful tool when having restricted vocabulary, when asking her about
her opinion about code-switching:
I-Q11-St1
V: I think its cool!
Interviewer: cool? (Laughs) what do you mean by cool?
V: yeah, because if you dont know a word in English you can
say it in Spanish and you dont have to look for the English and
killing yourself because you dont remember. You just switch and
thats it. It makes communication easier, I think.

In the excerpt, she states she uses code-switching as tool, since the
use of code-switching can help her to communicate with certain flow, and the
communication becomes easier thanks to it.

In the interviews, students also manifested that code-switching has a
humorous connotation, they find this alternation of languages comical and
they consider that other people will have the same impression. In the next
sample, the answer of student two is very punctual:
I-Q11-st2
K: that it is funny.
Interviewer: that it is funny? Why?
K: because it is funny when you start speaking a language and
you end sentences or use words of other language. I just find it
funny.
Interviewer: ok. What do you think when people switch?
K: the same. I will understand what they are saying well, if the
people speak for example Spanish and French, it would be
different for me coz I'm not a French speaker. But if they switch
from English to Spanish, yeah, ill find it funny!
In the previous answer, the student declares he considers code-
switching as a humorous feature in a speech. He says that he will understand
the message only if the switch is made between the two languages he knows,
but providing that the switch has the previous condition, he will find the sound
of the switch very comic; if the switch is not between Spanish and English, he
will not understand the message nor find it amusing.


8.4 Bilingual school as an ideal setting for Code-switching
The interviews showed that it is because the students are immersed in
a bilingual context (the classroom) that they have the possibility to code-
switch:
I-Q12-st1:
Interviewer: do you switch in other classes or outside the classroom?
V: well, outside the classroom, yes. I usually do it when talking with my
friends during the break or something. But in other classes, no. or at
least not with the teachers
Interviewer: why?
V: because they do not speak English my friends do.
Students only switch during the English class, and depending on the
interlocutor, if they know the interlocutor is bilingual or not. In this case,
participants will not talk in the foreign language to their non-bilingual teachers,
they will rather speak in English with their classmates or the English teachers
of the school.

8.5 Code-switching as an element that reduces the use of the mother
tongue only, in the English as foreign language class.
Since the English language teacher did not penalize the use of code-
switching, students felt free to communicate in Spanish, so they tried to use
English as much as possible and the use of code-switching was restricted, so
it can be said that when students are allowed to code-switch the use of the
mother tongue is less.
Example:


I-Q14-St3:
I: What do you feel when switching?
J: Well, I feel great! Because. Im learning Englishso in the English
class I prefer to speak English as much as possible, but when I dont
know something in English I switch that specific thing and everybody
understands me err I know the teacher is not gonna tell me
anything if I use Spanish but, I like to practice
In the previous excerpt from the interviews, the third participant
expressed his willingness to use English in the English class as much as
possible, and that he uses Spanish in specific cases. Therefore, as concluded
before, it is possible to say that the use of code switching lessens the use of
the mother tongue only in an utterance, but both, the mother tongue and the
foreign language.

8.6 Code-switching as an element of bicultural identity.
During the data collection procedure, it was noticed that the participant
number three, who has travelled abroad only, was the one who code-
switched the less. Whereas the native speaker and the participant who lived
in Australia for many years, code-switched continuously.
Notice the previous excerpts from the findings session. Juan
(participant number three) stated he preferred to speak English as much as
possible and that he switched only when it was extremely necessary, in his
case, because of lack of language. On the other hand, the other two
participants, whom we can say are balanced bilinguals, were willing to switch
every time they could. They said in the interviews they found code-switching
useful not only as tool, but as a humorous feature of bilinguals

communication speech, and they both used code-switching with different
purposes (emphasize, reiterate, quote, clarify, etc.).
It is possible to say that, as Violeta (participant one) and Kike
(participant two) are not only bilingual, but bicultural, they feel the necessity to
switch in order to feel that biculturalism in their speech, too, and identity with
the two cultures. On the contrary, participant three has not had the same life
experience and he is bilingual but not bicultural, so he does not feel that
identity with the two cultures, but with one. Besides, participants could be
using code-switching to show their uniqueness and their mastery of the two
languages, sometimes by playing with the words.


9. Discussion
The findings of this study illustrate eleventh graders code-switching by
taking into account its functions, and eleventh graders perspectives towards
it. The use eleventh graders give to code-switching depends on the
interlocutor they are addressing and the interlocutors features. For example,
if students were addressing the English teacher they used English and, when
addressing their classmates or another teacher, they switched to Spanish,
which aligns with Auers findings (cited by Yletyinen, 2004), which claims that
code-switching is used depending on the interlocutor, the interlocutors age
and his/her language proficiency in the first or second language.
During the interviews, none of the students reported other purposes to
code-switch different from ther intention of using it as communicative strategy
or because of lack of language. It was observed in the data collection
procedure that their appreciation was accurate, students did switch because
they wanted to continue with the flow of the conversation, or because they
lacked of appropriate language to communicate a message. Concerning to
the former purpose, this finding corroborates that code-switching becomes a
tool to the bilingual speaker to communicate, as said by Eldridge (1996, cited
by Ncoko et al. 2000), also Koziols findings about code-switching as a tool to
avoid interference and giving continuity to the communication act; and also
Han Chungs (2006) words, which characterize code-switching as
communicative strategy to lower language obstacles.
The latter findings also depicted how eleventh graders code-switching
is associated as well to lack of language and confirmed by Castao (2009),
since when speaking, their vocabulary and grammar system seem to be
shortened, although actually it does not mean that they do not know a specific
word, but that they may have forgotten it in the moment, for external

(interlocutors pressure on the speaker) or internal factors (nervousness when
using the foreign language, being afraid of making mistakes), among others.
Although the participants were not aware of it, it was also noticed that
the participants code-switched to achieve different purposes with their
speech, such as emphasizing a point (Koziol, 2000); reiterating a message
(Koziol, 2000); quoting someone elses words (Ncoko et al, 2000); giving
continuity to the conversation (Eldridge cited by Sert cited by Muoz and
Mora, 2006). The participants also code-switched to show cultural identity
with the language, because they did not find an equivalent word in the target
language or because the word had cultural value (e.g. pues, parce) (Koziol,
2000); or to transmit emotions, whether positive (agreement, satisfaction, etc)
or negative (confrontation, argument, etc), through their utterances (Romaine
cited by Koziol, 2000). The previous statements support Wilkersons (2008,
cited by Castao, 2009) findings about the use of code-switching to
accomplish specific purposes.
Eleventh graders had positive perspectives about code-switching.
Firstly, students believe code-switching is a very useful tool to communicate,
supporting Eldridges (cited by Ncoko, 2000) claim that code switching is a
functional and positive tool to facilitate communication and learning. Students
agreed with this statement when they said during the interviews that code-
switching was helpful for their communication acts, and the fact that the
context where students use code-switching is the classroom also allows to
infer that students also use code-switching with learning purposes.
Additionally, students samples of code-switching determined they use
code-switching not as interference but as a tool in their speech as said by
Koziol (2000), since the complexity of some switches would make them
impossible if the speakers had not mastery of both languages (see code
switching as means of humor). For example, on page 51, it is shown how the

student switches, not only with the intention of making laugh his classmates,
but to create a complete situation and context to develop and apply his code-
switching.

Finally, participants think code-switching is humorous, so they use it to
make their classmates, friends, and even the teacher laugh or in order to
make jokes using both languages, which sounds funny for students. It is
important to mention that within the reviewed theory on code-switching, little
evidence of this function has been found. The sample of this finding (see
p.51) showed that the student switched not only with the intention of making
laugh their classmates, but also using social issues and creating a complete
context around it.
During the data collection process, it was interesting the fact that the
two participants (1 and 2) with higher mastery of both languages tended to
code-switch more than the participant who learned English at school. It could
be argued that students code-switched the oftener to feel closer to both
cultures and identities, the English and the Spanish one, and both cultures;
and maybe because switching gives them a feeling of uniqueness between
their classmates.
By taking into account the previous information, it is appropriate to say
that the school becomes an educational bilingual context, where the foreign
language is learned through educational instruction, and switching is
particularly presented in a classroom, supporting Yletyinens (2004) theory
about the use of code-switching depending on the context. Bearing in mind
what was previously mentioned about the school, and the reality that every
community with two language systems code-switches (Romaine, 1989 cited
by Koziol, 2000), we can say that the bilingual community is the school so, as
Romaine said, this particular bilingual community (school) code-switches; it

means, this educational context allows the occurrence of code-switching in
the speakers of this community.


10. Instructional and Research Implications

In Colombia, researching about the process of becoming bilingual is in
development, because it is a new issue in the Colombian educational system.
Additionally, as it was mentioned in the statement of the problem, code-
switching has not been deeply studied in this context.
However, as this study was focused only in eleventh graders, in my
personal point of view, it is important to take into consideration a study not
only with eleventh graders but also from sixth to tenth graders, in order to
have a better idea of the process in which bilinguals incorporate and adapt
the use of code-switching into their speech. It would be also important to see
how code-switching works in a total immersion program where the role of the
language is different.
Future research should also investigate the perspectives, not only of
the students, but the teachers and administrative staff of the school, and to
see the impact these perspectives have in the students performance in the
foreign language; since it is said that young learners do things to please their
teachers, it will be significant to know how young learners (first to fifth grade)
are persuaded by teachers perspectives on code-switching.
Code-switching used by the English teachers in a bilingual school
could be also a remarkable investigation to accomplish, since teachers are
the model that students follow, and students acquisition of this ability and
strategy to code-switch can be acquired from teachers. With this study,
researchers could have the opportunity to have a wider perspective of the
occurrence and intention of code-switching in bilingual education.
Finally, the use of code-witching will be important for English teachers,
since with it teachers can be aware of students learning processes. Besides

teachers can change the misconception of code-switching as faulty language
in the English as foreign classroom, and they could allow students to code-
switch because as it was stated before, code-switching is a feature of
bilingualism and not the opposite. In addition, teachers could use code-
switching as a teaching strategy to build new vocabulary from students
switches, if the case.


11. Conclusions
The functions found in this research and supported by the literature
review illustrated that eleventh graders code-switch not only as a
communicative strategy to get a message across, which is the purpose they
mostly recognized, but with other intentions.
The investigation also showed that the context has a huge importance
for the occurrence of code-switching, since the school is bilingual. It implies
learners are exposed to both languages, no matter the language policies
institutions could have, because the fact that they are bilingual speakers build
a new schemata of mental and social processes where students cannot avoid
the use of both languages at any scenario, but bearing in mind that both,
interlocutor and speaker, have to be bilingual.
Students code-switched among them and in some cases with the
teacher, because they are already balanced bilinguals, one of the major
reason participants have to code-switch since they already master both the
first and the foreign language. Students used code-switching to be more
fluent when speaking. It could be argued that students should know how to
use it instead of considering as an interference from their mother tongue into
the foreign language and vice versa. Hence, participants code-switched in
order to avoid interference in the process of communication, or to avoid any
kind of interruption of their speech.
As the English teacher did not penalize students to use Spanish in the
class, students felt free to speak fluently, and they avoided the use of
Spanish as much as they could, using the target language most of the time.
So I think code-switching will be a useful teaching strategy, since code-
switching might reduce the use of the first language in the classroom.

The research demonstrated that code-switching is not a negative
characteristic of foreign language speech, as conceived from some authors
who have certain reluctance to it, claiming code-switching is interference and
it lessen the learning process; but this study showed that code-switching
functions as an excellent positive and useful tool balanced bilingual students
used and a tool foreign language teachers have to take advantage of.
This topic has an important impact for future research since this study
can be complemented by the investigation of code-witching used by teachers;
how teachers influence on students application of code-switching into their
speech; the process in which students introduce this feature into the speech,
by investigating code-switching from sixth to tenth graders; teachers and
administrative staffs perspectives towards code-switching, and the impact
these perspectives have in students performance.


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Appendix A: Check List

FUNCTIONS OF CS SAMPLES
Participant-related:
Discourse-related:
Emphasis:
Equivalence:
Floor-holding:
Interjections:
Quotations:
Reiteration:
Tag/pet phrase:
Topic shift:
Untranslatability:

Appendix B: Semi-Structured Interview

Protocol:
This interview is going to be conducted with the purpose of collecting
information for my thesis project.
1. Do you know what code switching is?
2. Do you code switch? How?
3. Why do you code switch?
4. For example here (sample) why did you switch?
5. When do you switch from one language to another?
6. How do you feel when you use alternate form L1 to L2 and vice versa?
7. What do you think people say when you switch?
8. What do you think when people switch?
9. Are you conscious when you switch from Spanish to English and vice
versa?
10. What do you answer when people switch?
11. What do you think about code switching?
12. Do you think code switching alters the communication? Why?
13. Do you switch in other classes or outside the classroom?
14. How do you feel when code-switching?


Appendix C: Chart for Semi-Structured Interview Analysis
Questions Transcription Comments
1. Do you know what code
switching is?
2. Do you code switch?
How?
3. Why do you code
switch?
4. For example here
(sample) why did you
switch?
5. When do you switch
from one language to
another?
6. How do you feel when
you use alternate form
L1 to L2 and vice
versa?
7. What do you think
people say when you
switch?
8. What do you think when
people switch?
9. Are you conscious
when you switch from
Spanish to English and
vice versa?
10. What do you answer
when people switch?
11. What do you think
about code switching?
12. Do you think code
switching alters the
communication? Why?
13. Do you switch in other
classes or outside the
classroom?
14. How do you feel when
code-switching?

The audio-
recordings of the
Interviews with each
participant were
transcribed

The
researcher wrote
comments and
some
interpretations
about participants
answers.

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Code- switching in a Bilingual Context - 1

ELEVENTH GRADERS PERSPECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS OF

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