Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context

Zahra Bakhtiari

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14

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Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context

Zahra Bakhtiari

Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 2, Issue 2)

Received: 25 February 2014 Published: 20 March 2014

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Abstract

This study focused on the issue of code-switching(CS) (brief switches to the first language of the learners) in the classroom and provided insight into the functions and the roles of the first language (L1) in the foreign language (FL) class for the purpose of facilitating vocabulary learning .The question this study tried to answer was whether or not using code switching (CS) affects Iranian EFL university students’ vocabulary knowledge .To this end, one group of 30 junior university students was chosen from among 50 Iranian university students. Their linguistic homogeneity was established through an Oxford Placement Test (OPT). There was only one group which was on two different occasions. Once code switching was forbidden in the classroom in the process of learning foreign vocabulary and then it was allowed. In the first occasion, the teacher taught vocabularies without code switching in six sessions. Then, the whole participants were asked to participate in vocabulary tests (pre-test). In the second occasion, the teacher taught the same content during the six sessions but both the students and the teacher were allowed to shift to Persian when they faced difficulty for better explanation and making sure that they had understood the contents. After three weeks intervals the learners participated in the post-test. For collecting data from the participants on two different occasions paired-samples t-test was used. The results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the two conditions and this revealed that the differences between condition means are likely due to chance. Therefore, the use of mother tongue in foreign language classes cannot facilitate learning and CS environment does not have better learning results, in terms of vocabulary gains, than English-only instruction.

Published in	International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 2, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14
Page(s)	68-73
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Code-Switching, General Knowledge, Vocabulary Learning

References

[1]	Badrul Hisham, A & Kamaruzaman, J. (2009). Teachers’ Code-Switching in Classroom Instructions for Low English Proficient Learners. English Language Teaching Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2, June 2009 p.46. Retrieved from www.ccsenet.org.
[2]	Eldridge, J. (1996). Code-switching in a Turkish secondary school. ELT Journal, 50,4: Mattsson, A & Burenhult-Mattsson, N. (1999). Code-switching in second language teaching of French. Working Papers 47: 59-72. 303-311. Retrieved from eltj.oxfordjournals.org
[3]	Farhady, H; Jafarpur, A & Birjandi, P. (1994). Testing Language Skills From Theory to Practice, 8, p.179.
[4]	Guo Tao, H. (n.d). Students’ strategic reactions to their teachers’ code- switching behaviours: evidence from Chinese university EFL learners. Retrieved from www .education.ox ac.uk.
[5]	Moore, D. (2002) Code-switching and Learning in the Classroom. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism Vol. 5, No. 5, 2002. Retrieved from citeseerx.ist.psu.edu
[6]	Nunan, D. (1999). Second Language Teaching and Learning, 4, p.103. HEINLE & HEINLE PUBLISHERS, An International Thomson Publishing Companay, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 U.S.A.
[7]	Rahimi Esfahani, F & Kiyoumarsi, F.( 2010 ) . The Effect of Code Switching on Learning ESP Contexts in Iranian EFL Learners. The International Journal of Learning, Volume 17, Issue 7, pp.139-150.
[8]	Richards, J.C & Schmidt, R. (1985). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics , p. 81.
[9]	Schmitt, N. (2002). An Introduction To Applied Linguistics. Oxford University Press Inc., New York , 3 , p. 39.
[10]	Sert, O. (2005). The Functions of Code Switching in ELT Classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. 11, No. 8, August 2005.
[11]	Skiba, R. (1997). Code Switching as a Countenance of Language Interference. The Internet TESL Journal. 3,10
[12]	Tian, L & Macaro, E. (2012). Comparing the effect of teacher code switching with English-only explanations on the vocabulary acquisition of Chinese university students: A Lexical Focus-on-Form study. Renmin University of China. Language Teaching Research,vol. 16 no. 3 pp.367-391.
[13]	Ting, S. H & Chen-On Then, D. (2009). A Preliminary Study of Teacher Code-switching in Secondary English and Science in Malaysia. TESL-EJ, Vol 13, No 1 June2009 . Retrieved from www.cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp.

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Zahra Bakhtiari. (2014). Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 2(2), 68-73. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14

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Zahra Bakhtiari. Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2014, 2(2), 68-73. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14

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AMA Style

Zahra Bakhtiari. Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context. Int J Lang Linguist. 2014;2(2):68-73. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14,
  author = {Zahra Bakhtiari},
  title = {Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context},
  journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {68-73},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20140202.14},
  abstract = {This study focused on the issue of code-switching(CS) (brief switches to the first language of the learners)  in the classroom and provided insight into the functions  and the roles of the first language (L1) in the foreign language (FL) class for the purpose of facilitating vocabulary learning .The question this study tried to answer was whether or not using code switching (CS) affects Iranian EFL university students’ vocabulary knowledge .To this end, one group of 30 junior university students was chosen from among 50 Iranian university students. Their linguistic homogeneity was established through an Oxford Placement Test (OPT). There was only one group which was on two different occasions. Once code switching was forbidden in the classroom in the process of learning foreign vocabulary and then it was allowed. In the first occasion, the teacher taught vocabularies without code switching in six sessions. Then, the whole participants were asked to participate in vocabulary tests (pre-test). In the second occasion, the teacher taught the same content during the six sessions but both the students and the teacher were allowed to shift to Persian when they faced difficulty for better explanation and making sure that they had understood the contents. After three weeks intervals the learners participated in the post-test. For collecting data from the participants on two different occasions paired-samples t-test was used. The results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the two conditions and this revealed that the differences between condition means are likely due to chance. Therefore, the use of mother tongue in foreign language classes cannot facilitate learning and CS environment does not have better learning results, in terms of vocabulary gains, than English-only instruction.},
 year = {2014}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context
AU  - Zahra Bakhtiari
Y1  - 2014/03/20
PY  - 2014
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14
T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
SP  - 68
EP  - 73
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-0221
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14
AB  - This study focused on the issue of code-switching(CS) (brief switches to the first language of the learners)  in the classroom and provided insight into the functions  and the roles of the first language (L1) in the foreign language (FL) class for the purpose of facilitating vocabulary learning .The question this study tried to answer was whether or not using code switching (CS) affects Iranian EFL university students’ vocabulary knowledge .To this end, one group of 30 junior university students was chosen from among 50 Iranian university students. Their linguistic homogeneity was established through an Oxford Placement Test (OPT). There was only one group which was on two different occasions. Once code switching was forbidden in the classroom in the process of learning foreign vocabulary and then it was allowed. In the first occasion, the teacher taught vocabularies without code switching in six sessions. Then, the whole participants were asked to participate in vocabulary tests (pre-test). In the second occasion, the teacher taught the same content during the six sessions but both the students and the teacher were allowed to shift to Persian when they faced difficulty for better explanation and making sure that they had understood the contents. After three weeks intervals the learners participated in the post-test. For collecting data from the participants on two different occasions paired-samples t-test was used. The results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the two conditions and this revealed that the differences between condition means are likely due to chance. Therefore, the use of mother tongue in foreign language classes cannot facilitate learning and CS environment does not have better learning results, in terms of vocabulary gains, than English-only instruction.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Zahra Bakhtiari

The Humanities department, University of Applied Science and Technology, Behshahr branch, Iran

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Zahra Bakhtiari. (2014). Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 2(2), 68-73. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14

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ACS Style

Zahra Bakhtiari. Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2014, 2(2), 68-73. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14

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AMA Style

Zahra Bakhtiari. Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context. Int J Lang Linguist. 2014;2(2):68-73. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14,
  author = {Zahra Bakhtiari},
  title = {Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context},
  journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {68-73},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20140202.14},
  abstract = {This study focused on the issue of code-switching(CS) (brief switches to the first language of the learners)  in the classroom and provided insight into the functions  and the roles of the first language (L1) in the foreign language (FL) class for the purpose of facilitating vocabulary learning .The question this study tried to answer was whether or not using code switching (CS) affects Iranian EFL university students’ vocabulary knowledge .To this end, one group of 30 junior university students was chosen from among 50 Iranian university students. Their linguistic homogeneity was established through an Oxford Placement Test (OPT). There was only one group which was on two different occasions. Once code switching was forbidden in the classroom in the process of learning foreign vocabulary and then it was allowed. In the first occasion, the teacher taught vocabularies without code switching in six sessions. Then, the whole participants were asked to participate in vocabulary tests (pre-test). In the second occasion, the teacher taught the same content during the six sessions but both the students and the teacher were allowed to shift to Persian when they faced difficulty for better explanation and making sure that they had understood the contents. After three weeks intervals the learners participated in the post-test. For collecting data from the participants on two different occasions paired-samples t-test was used. The results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the two conditions and this revealed that the differences between condition means are likely due to chance. Therefore, the use of mother tongue in foreign language classes cannot facilitate learning and CS environment does not have better learning results, in terms of vocabulary gains, than English-only instruction.},
 year = {2014}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context
AU  - Zahra Bakhtiari
Y1  - 2014/03/20
PY  - 2014
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14
T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
SP  - 68
EP  - 73
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-0221
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20140202.14
AB  - This study focused on the issue of code-switching(CS) (brief switches to the first language of the learners)  in the classroom and provided insight into the functions  and the roles of the first language (L1) in the foreign language (FL) class for the purpose of facilitating vocabulary learning .The question this study tried to answer was whether or not using code switching (CS) affects Iranian EFL university students’ vocabulary knowledge .To this end, one group of 30 junior university students was chosen from among 50 Iranian university students. Their linguistic homogeneity was established through an Oxford Placement Test (OPT). There was only one group which was on two different occasions. Once code switching was forbidden in the classroom in the process of learning foreign vocabulary and then it was allowed. In the first occasion, the teacher taught vocabularies without code switching in six sessions. Then, the whole participants were asked to participate in vocabulary tests (pre-test). In the second occasion, the teacher taught the same content during the six sessions but both the students and the teacher were allowed to shift to Persian when they faced difficulty for better explanation and making sure that they had understood the contents. After three weeks intervals the learners participated in the post-test. For collecting data from the participants on two different occasions paired-samples t-test was used. The results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the two conditions and this revealed that the differences between condition means are likely due to chance. Therefore, the use of mother tongue in foreign language classes cannot facilitate learning and CS environment does not have better learning results, in terms of vocabulary gains, than English-only instruction.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
ER  -

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