Code-Switching in EFL Classrooms: Perceptions of Students and Teachers

Pendahuluan: Code-switching is a common phenomenon in bilingual classrooms, where learners tend to use combinations of two or more languages. This article aims to investigate the amount of code-switching in terms of sentential levels and initiation patterns, as well as the discourse functions and perceptions of code-switching among students and teachers in EFL classrooms. Bagian: ① Latar Belakang: The need to communicate in English has led to an increase in bilingualism. In bilingual classrooms, it is natural to encounter mixed language use, which is known as code-switching. This section provides an overview of the concept of code-switching and its relevance in EFL classrooms. ② Metode Penelitian: The study involved 43 elementary level students and four instructors from two EFL classrooms. Data were collected through observations, questionnaires, and interviews. This section describes the research design and data collection methods used in the study. ③ Hasil Penelitian: The quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data revealed that students' use of code-switching was high, while teachers' code-switching was even higher than expected. Student-initiated code-switching was more prevalent in terms of initiation patterns, and intersentential level code-switching was observed more frequently than intra-sentential level code-switching. The analysis of discourse functions showed that code-switching was mostly used for met-language, which involves discussing grammar or language tasks. ④ Persepsi Siswa dan Guru: Both students and teachers believed that code-switching facilitated learning in beginner levels and could be used to attract attention or for jokes. However, they also agreed that code-switching should be reduced as proficiency level increases. This section presents the perceptions of students and teachers regarding code-switching in EFL classrooms. Kesimpulan: The study highlights the prevalence of code-switching in EFL classrooms and provides insights into the perceptions of students and teachers. It suggests that code-switching can be a useful tool for language learning, but should be used judiciously to ensure effective language development. Further research is needed to explore strategies for minimizing code-switching and maximizing language proficiency in EFL classrooms.