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Article published In: Chinese Language and Discourse
Vol. 15:1 (2024) ► pp.27–50

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Teachers’ codeswitching in L2 Chinese classes

Awareness, intentions, and attitudes

ORCiD logo with link | Peking University
ORCiD logo with link | Oxford Brookes University
Published online: 30 March 2023
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/cld.20005.li
Abstract
The study deals with the sociolinguistic phenomenon of codeswitching as manifested in community-based ethnic-language classes. More specifically, it focuses on teachers’ codeswitching from students’ second language (Mandarin Chinese) to students’ first language (English). The empirical study was conducted at one Chinese community school in the United Kingdom to investigate the instances in which teachers switch to students’ first language and to explore teachers’ introspection regarding their codeswitching behavior. Twelve types of codeswitching were identified and categorized in accordance with functions recorded in other studies. Discrepancies between teachers’ beliefs on the choice of language medium and their actual practices were found. Teachers were not always aware of their codeswitching and they generally held positive attitudes towards their conscious codeswitching and negative attitudes towards subconscious codeswitching. Conscious switches were used mainly for pedagogical, interpersonal, and interactive purposes. A sense of guilt was found to be associated with their unconscious codeswitching. This study suggests that raising teachers’ awareness of the potential usefulness of codeswitching within ethnic-language education is paramount.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Codeswitching in language classrooms
    • 1.2Teachers’ codeswitching
    • 1.3Community-based ethnic-language education
  • 2.Research design
  • 3.Findings and discussion
    • 3.1Teachers’ codeswitching
    • 3.2Comparison between teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding CS
    • 3.3Teachers’ awareness of their codeswitching
    • 3.4Teachers’ intentions and attitudes when employing CS
      • 3.4.1Teachers’ intentions of and attitudes towards conscious CS
        • 1.Explanation
        • 2.Substitution
        • 3.Repetition
        • 4.Disciplining
      • 3.4.2Teachers’ account of and attitudes towards unconscious CS
        • 1.Evoking student response
        • 2.End marker
        • 3.Classroom management
        • 4.Initiation of self-correction
        • 5.Joking
      • 3.4.3Teachers’ intentions of and attitudes towards mixed CS
    • 3.5Concerns over ethnic language education
  • 4.Conclusion
  • References
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