Investigating EFL Students’ and Teachers’ Attitude and Practice of Code-switching: Mekelle University in Focus
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Date
2025-08-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Whether or not to code-switch in the teaching and learning process of EFL classes is one of the controversial issues. This dissertation is, thus, conducted to investigate EFL students’ and teachers’ attitude towards code-switching and their practice. To achieve this objective, data were collected from 109 students and 50 teachers of English major at Mekelle University. The participants were chosen using available sampling. In this study, the descriptive research design was employed. Data for this study were gathered using classroom observation audio records, questionnaires, and interviews. The gathered data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, Kruskal Wallis H test, Mann Whitney U test, and ordinal logistic regression. The results indicate that the teachers’ attitude towards code-switching was more positive than their students,and the difference was significant. It is also found that the teachers code-switched more frequently than the students though the difference was not significant.The results disclose that the students’ code-switching practice increased as their class year increased. Regarding the dominant pattern of code-switching, first year students employed intra-sentential while both second year and third year students practiced inter-sentential pattern of code-switching. The teachers of all class years, too, frequented inter-sentential pattern of code-switching more dominantly. Besides, the obtained results show that students of all class years and their teachers used code-switching for curriculum access purposes dominantly. The results also disclose that there existed a statistically significant relationship between students’ demographic factors such as class year, mother tongue, type of school, parents’ educational status, Amharic language speaking skill, and attitude towards code-switching and their code-switching practice. Furthermore, a statistically significant relationship was found between teachers’ code-switching and their demographic factors like educational status, teaching experience, multilingualism, training on code-switching, and attitude towards code-switching. Based on the findings, it is concluded that the students’ and teachers’ code-switching usage was excessive.An excessive usage is abhorrent in multilingual classes where there are students who know little or no Amharic. Therefore, though a cautious and judicious use of code-switching has a lot of advantages, an over use of it diminishes students’ practice and exposure to the foreign language.This leads both students and teachers to be less competent in English language. In light of the findings of the study and the conclusions reached, recommendations to EFL students, EFL teachers, language policy planners, universities, the Ministry of Education, and researchers are made