A COMPARISON BETWEEN TEACHERS' AND STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF CODE-SWITCHING IN THE EFL CLASSROOMS

Code-switching (CS), defined as the practice of alternating between two or more languages by interlocutors engaged in conversation, has become the subject of extensive research since it is a key issue both in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) in general and in foreign language (FL) instruction in particular. The present study aims to explore the perceptions and beliefs of language educators and students concerning the practice of CS across various proficiency levels of English. It also examines the roles and functions of CS in the foreign language classroom. To conduct this study, ۵۰ teachers and ۵۰ students from the University of Tehran Language Center (UTLC) in Tehran, Iran, acted as participants. The necessary data were obtained through conducting interviews and administering two versions of the questionnaires, the teachers' and the students’ versions. In effect, the findings of the present study suggest that although teacher participants have had a variety of ideas about the use of CS in their teaching, both teachers and learners seem to benefit from practicing CS since it serves a number of pedagogical functions and can be considered a useful language strategy. The implications of this study for EFL classrooms have been presented and the practical concerns of language teachers have also been discussed.

Keywords:

code-switching , EFL students , first language , language proficiency , target language