Feature Article
7
Table 2 Questionnaire Results (n=29) Question
Table 3 Classroom Observations (Items 1-8) Always
1. My English teacher uses Arabic 5 (17.24%) to explain some parts of the lessons.
Sometimes
Never
Question
Occurrence Total
23 (79.3%)
1 (3.4%)
1. The teacher uses Arabic in explaining some parts of the lesson.
17
2. The teacher uses Arabic in topics that are unrelated to the lesson.
11
3. The teacher explains cultural related issues in Arabic.
1
4. Students use Arabic to address the teacher about things that are related to the lesson.
22
20
29
2. My English teacher uses Arabic 6 (20.68%) when talking about topics that are not related to the lesson.
23 (79.3%)
0
3. My English teacher gives instructions in Arabic.
5 (17.24%)
20 (68.9%)
4 (13.7%)
4. My English teacher uses Arabic 3 (10.34%) to manage the classroom.
26 (89.6%)
0
5. My English teacher uses Arabic 3 (10.34%) to make jokes, say proverbs, other.
25 (86.2%)
1 (3.4%)
5. Students use Arabic to address the teacher about things that are unrelated to the lesson.
6. Outside the classroom, I prefer 25 (86.2%) to talk in Arabic with my English teacher.
2 (6.8%)
1 (3.4%)
17 6. Students use Arabic to speak to each other in the classroom about things that are related to the lesson.
24 (82.7%) 7. I believe that my English teacher should explain cultural related issues in Arabic.
4 (13.7%)
1 (3.4%)
8. I use Arabic when I talk to my 20 (68.9%) peers in class about things that are related to the lesson.
8 (27.5%)
1 (3.4%)
9. I use Arabic when I talk to my 28 (96.5%) peers in class about things that are not related to the lesson.
1 (3.4%)
The answer to the second research question was explored using observations, questionnaires and interviews. Classroom observations revealed the answer to the first part of the second research question which concerned the reasons and motives behind code-switching. Table 3shows the number of occurrences for each item, as well as the total number of occurrences.
June 2016
18
0
Research Question 2:Why and when do teachers/students switch to L1?
No. 2
29 7. Students use Arabic to speak to each other in the classroom about things that are unrelated to the lesson. 8. The students insert Arabic lexical items in their speech to facilitate communication.
In the interviews, one teacher admitted using L1 for limited purposes, and all the teachers confirmed that their students used L1 either when addressing them or when talking to their peers. The patterns of CS occurrences were described according to MyersScotton’s (2001) MLF model.
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It was found that L1 (Arabic) was used in many situations during classroom observations and for many purposes. The researcher identified five types of students’ use of L1 in the classroom, while only three types of L1 usage were identified for the teachers. It seemed that the students and teachers had different motives behind switching to L1. For example, the students sometimes faced difficulties in completing a whole sentence correctly. Teachers, on the other hand, tried to manage the classroom as well as explain difficult lesson parts using L1. Table 4 presents the answer to the second research question based on questionnaire responses, revealing the effect of code switching on teaching and learning.
TESOL Arabia Perspectives
www.tesolarabia.org