KPD 3026

Pengajaran, Teknologi Dan Penaksiran 2

CONCEPT PAPER

CODE SWITCHING ENHANCES STUDENTS ENGLISH LANGUAGE

COMPREHENSION.

NAME

MATRIX NUMBER

GROUP

LECTURER

SUBMISSION DATE

1.0 Introduction.
English has been used as a second language in Malaysia for a very long time. English was once
an official language and later became a second language for its indispensable qualities as the
language is not just being used as a tool of communication but also for many other purposes.
Thus, speaking in English has become vital in Malaysia as years passes and those who are able to
master this language has great advantages than those who are not.
People have been widely talking about speaking flawless English, which means without the
interference of any other language. This problem also happens in ESL classroom where most
teachers use the English Only rule during their lesson. This rule is something that is to be
welcomed in a class that has students who can speak and understand English but will this rule be
relevant in classroom where most students could not even understand English?
Many researches have been done, to find out how to enhance the comprehension of the English
language in schools. The main reason why students are could not comprehend English is because
their lack of knowledge and exposure about the language. Routinely, students are using their
mother tongue a varieties of purposes except those who immersed with English since their
kindergarten. So, to make these students to understand English and then only use them, there
should be a fine transition.
Introducing a new language and curbing them from speaking their mother is very unnatural. The
effects are very bad as students may turn off from learning the new language or find it hard to
understand it. In that case, an approach to manipulate the first language to facilitate them in
understanding English will give a smooth transition for students to learn English.

1.1 Problem Identification.

Based on my macro-teaching in SMK Bercham, I discover that the students are having
problem in understanding the English language, even at the basic level. I detected this
problem during my set induction where asked them some questions and they answer me
in just one word or talk among them in their mother tongue. They were actively
participating except for one or two but they only answer me in Malay. Some students

body language says that they know the answer but do not know how to answer even in so
they asked their friends then answered me.
The students a very motivated in the class, but fail to understand what I am asking them
to do, for which I have to repeat my instruction again and again. The lack of
understanding will defeat the purpose of learning thus it is crucial to have a way to
enhance their comprehension of the language. Therefore, a research ought to be carried
out to find a possible way to enhance their English language comprehension.
1.2 Research Objectives.
The purpose of this study is to analyse the effectiveness of using of code switching (CS)
to facilitate students comprehension in English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom.
The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between CS during teaching and
learning process and students comprehension of the English language. It is vital to prove
that the use of CS during teaching and learning process enhances students understanding
of English language.
1.3 Research Questions.
1) What are the factors that affect students comprehension of English language?
2) Do students prefer the use of CS by teacher in ESL classrooms and why?
3) What is the effect of CS during teaching and learning process on the students
comprehension of English?
2.0 Literature Review.
Aguirre (1988) defines that language alternations or code-switching in the classroom are
obvious and unavoidable with culturally and linguistically diverse children and educators should
regard language alternations as a communicative strategy employed by the students learning a
second language. Flyman-Mattson and Burenhult (1999) explain that the main reason for
teachers code-switching to L1 of the students is to make the students understand their utterance.
Eldridge (1996) claims that teachers uses code switching to reinforce, emphasize or clarify
where the messages have already been transmitted in one code but not understood.

A big number of researchers focused especially on the communicative functions of codes

switching in teacher-led talk in ESL classrooms. Code switching is very essential in a classroom
that has students who could speak or understand English language. This means that they are still
at their development and according to Martin-Jones (1995), Guthries (1984) comparative studys
result proved that the monolingual teacher was less able to teach those students who were at an
early stage of development and at this point he placed the bilingual teacher at advantage.
Studies also suggest that teachers code-switching whether in giving instruction or in teacherstudent interaction serves many pedagogical purposes. Jones (1995) explains the role of CS in
bilingual classroom in these words:
Whilst the languages used in a bilingual classroom are bound to be associated with
different cultural values, it is too simplistic to claim that whenever a bilingual who has
the same language background as the learners switches into shared codes, s/he is
invariably expressing solidarity with the learners. Code-switching is employed in more
subtle and diverse ways in bilingual classroom communication. Teachers and learners
exploit code contrasts to demarcate different types of discourse, to negotiate and
renegotiate joint frames of reference and to exchange meaning on the spur of the moment
(p. 98).
However, there are a number of possible reasons for the switching from one language to another
and the first of these is the notion that a speaker may not be able to express him/herself in one
language so he/she switches to the other to compensate the deficiency (Crystal, 1986). This is a
threat to for learners and also the teacher as this is an indicator that they have not mastered the
language. Therefore this is why teachers should know when and where to apply code switching.
3.0 Research Design.
This study is carried out using the action research approach. Action research follows a predefined
process that is repeated over time according the steps; identify a problem to be studied, collect
data on the problem, organize, analyse, and interpret the data, develop a plan to address the
problem, implement the plan, evaluate the results of the actions taken, identify a new problem
and finally repeat the process. Action research follows the reflective cyclic pattern; therefore, it
appears to be an ideal approach to be applied in improving teaching

3.1 Participants.
Participants of this study are 15 Form One and 15 Form Two students of SMK Bercham,
which is situated in sub-urban area in Ipoh. 17 of the participants are having Mandarin as
their first language, while 7 of them speak Malay Language and 6 of them speak Tamil.
The students rarely speak in English in and outside the classroom. They use Malay
language when they speak person of different race.
3.2 Instruments.
The study used three instruments in the process of data collection that is made up of a
combination qualitative and quantitative method.
a. Questionnaires.
Two sets of questionnaire are given to the students in this study. The first set, which
will be given in the first session, consists of two sections. The first section will be
about the socio-economic details of the students. The first section includes
demographic questions such as gender, race, mother tongue or first language, second
language, the results of the latest English Oral test and the latest results of English
subject in examination. The second section includes questions that targets to obtain
information about their understanding of English language during classroom activity
especially what and when do they do not understand. The second set that will be
given at the end of the sessions consists of two sections. The first section includes
questions on their preferences of teacher using CS during teaching and learning
process. For instance, do you understand better if the teacher translates for you? The
second section includes the suggestions from the students. For all the three sections,
students will be given choices of plausible answers and students only have to tick the
boxes.
b. Structured Interview.
Extensive interview are carried out based on the findings of the questionnaire. This is
to draw more details from the students to know what are the difficulties faced by
students using English in their daily life. Shown below are some the questions may be
included in the interview.

 What are the difficulties that you face when you are (etc.) reading an English
text?
Do you speak in English with your friends? Why?
Do you feel demotivated when you do not understand some words in English?
Why?
c. Field notes
Teacher will observe the changes in students both verbal and non-verbal responses in
classrooms. The teacher records own observations of these aspects at the end of each
lesson where the activity or task were carried out.
3.3 Data Collection Procedures.

First session.
Conduct the questionnaire session
with students.
Second session.
Conduct the interview with the
students.

Analyse the collected data and

prepare interview question to
obtain more particularised
information.
Analysed the data obtained.
Pre-plan proper time and way
to implement CS during
teaching and learning process.

Third session/Fourth
session/Fifth session.
Implementing CS while teaching

Analyse the data. Prepare the

final questionnaire.

in English language in ESL

classroom. Field notes are used.
Sixth session.
Participants are given the second
set of questionnaires to answer.

3.4 Data Analysis.

Analyse all the data

The collected data will be analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively.

a) Questionnaire
Collected data from the questionnaire will be tabulated.
Example 1:
Race

Number of students

Chinese
Malay
Indian

Tabulated data may be also presented in a graph form.

Indicator
Number of
students

Chines
e
Malay
Indian

Preferred
language to
be code
switched.
The relationship between race and preferred
language to be code switched.

b) Interview.

Data from the interview will be reviewed holistically so that important element can be
noted
c) Field notes.
Every field notes that have been written by the teacher will be reviewed holistically.
Any important findings will be noted.

4.0 References
Aguirre, A., Jr. (1988). Code-switching and intuitive knowledge in the bilingual classroom. In D.
Bixler-Marquez and J. Ornstein-Galicia (eds.) Chicano Speech in the Bilingual
Classroom. New York: Peter Lang.
Eldridge, J. 1996. Code-switching in a Turkish secondary school. ELT Journal, 50,4: 303-311
Flyman-Mattsson, A. & Burenhult, N.(1999). Code switching in Second Language Teaching of
French. Retrieved on June 20, 2007, from http://www.google.com/search?
q=cache:GbFBmAtk8TAJ:www.ling.lu.se/disseminations/pdf/47/Flyman_Burenhult.pdf+
classroom+discourse+in+bilingual+context&hl=en
Guthrie, M. (1984). Contrasts in Teachers Language Use in a Chinese-English.
Martin-Jones, M. (1995). Code-switching in the classroom: Two decades of research. In L.
Milroy and P. Muysken (eds.) One Speaker, Two Languages: Cross- Disciplinary
Perspectives on Code-Switching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Crystal.D. (1986). Prosodic development. In P.Fletcher & M.Garman (Eds.), Language
acquisition. (2nd ed., pp. 174-197). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press