The Use of Code Switching in General English Classes for Non-English Department Students in Indonesia

The Use of Code Switching in General English Classes Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics Vol. 3 No. 2, 2018 eISSN: 2503-4197, pISSN: 2527-5070 www. indonesian-efl-journal.org The Use of Code Switching in General English Classes for Non-English Department Students in Indonesia Thomas Wahyu Prabowo Mukti Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia e-mail: Ouda Teda Ena Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia e-mail: Abstract: The issue of the use of code switching as instructional languages in the class has already become a worldwide concern. Some experts may say that it is beneficial while others believe that it is not since it may become the interference for the learning. Through this paper, the researchers want to investigate the use of code switching in General English Classes for non-English Department of Sanata Dharma University. Employing a quantitative approach, specifically observation method by recording the class activity, this study tries to find out the types and analyze code switching employed by lecturers in the classes. The data analyses revealed that tag switching, intra-sentential and inter-sentential code switching are employed by lecturers and the code switching itself functions as the topic switch, repetitive and affective function. The inter-sentential code switching was mostly used by the lecturer and it mostly served as a repetitive function to explain and show their affection to students Keywords: general English class for the non-English department, code switching, types of code switching, the function of code switching, instructional language. Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 3(2), 2018 185 The Use of Code Switching in General English Classes 1. INTRODUCTION The issues of the use of code switching as an instructional language in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classes may have been discussed for many years since code switching is a common thing used in multilingual Asian such as Indonesia (Liu, 2010; Mujiono, Poedjosoedarmo, Subroto, & Wiratno, 2013). The consideration of using code switching as the strategy in the EFL classes is the claim that code switching can be helpful means for student’s TL acquisition (Ahmad & Jusoff, 2009a; Bista, 2009a; Jingxia, 2010; Makulloluwa, 2013; Modupeola, 2013a; N. Nguyen, Grainger, & Carey, 2016; Nordin, Ali, Zubir, & Sadjirin, 2013; Pollard, 2002b). In Indonesia, Sumarsih, Siregar, Bahri, and Sanjaya's (2014) study shows that code-switching is used for smoother communication in everyday life. Specifically, inter-sentential code switching was usually practiced intentionally to give students exposures while intrasentential code switching was found to be a habit of the English teacher as a bilingual (Fathimah, 2016a) and the code switching is able to assist teaching and learning activities in terms of Linguistic Semantics, and Pragmatics (Arung, 2015a; Mujiono et al., 2013). Further, a study done in Vietnam revealed that the idea of making full English classes in Non-English-speaking countries faces many challenges since classroom resources are inadequate, students’ English competence, motivation, and autonomy are low, teachers’ abilities are limited and teaching methods inappropriate (N. T. Nguyen, Grainger, & Carey, 2016). Those are some teachers’ considerations in employing code switching in EFL classes. However, there are many teachers and/or researchers who oppose the use of code switching especially those who employ communicative techniques during classroom instruction (Sert, 2005a). In accordance to that fact, Fernandes (1997) as cited in (Pollard, 2002), believes that code switching is a linguistic deficit as the result of the speaker’ lack of proficiency in both languages. It means code switching can be harmful to students since this situation makes student cannot communicate effectively in either language especially if the students do not master one of the languages employed. Further, repeated instruction in L1 after L2 may lead some undesired student behaviors and it may make students lose interest in listening to English instruction which means students’ exposition to English is limited (Sert, 2005b). Although there are many contrast opinions related to the use of code switching as instructional language in the EFL classes, some studies proved that code switching is still beneficial for students and teachers both in terms of pedagogical and personal context (Arung, 2015b; Fathimah, 2016b; Maishara, Dieba, Ali, Intan, & Syed, 2013; Makulloluwa, 2013; Modupeola, 2013b; Mujiono et al., 2013; N. T. Nguyen et al., 2016; Pollard, 2002c) Specifically, the issue of the use of code switching in the EFL classes also occurs in Sanata Dharma University, which requires their students from all departments to be able to speak English for daily conversation. Based on the university policy, the ability to speak English becomes a requirement for students before they can graduate from university. All students from non-English Department of Sanata Dharma University are required to pass English Proficiency Test which is equivalent to the C1 level of CEFR (Language Institute, 2015; Siwi, 2015). The students are interviewed by the Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 3(2), 2018 186 The Use of Code Switching in General English Classes English department lecturers in face to face situation in which students are asked based on their way answering and responding the questions (Siwi, 2015). This strategy seems to have some deficiencies since it creates too much burden for students since most students had negative affective attitudes towards English Proficiency test. Thus, in 2015, Sanata Dharma University proposed a general English subject as an obligatory subject to replace the English Proficiency test. In this class, students learn English guided by a lecturer and assistant lecturers in each class. The goal of general English class is to help students be able to communicate using basic English words which also cover reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. After finishing the subject, students are expected to be able to understand the main ideas of some passages in English, writing a short essay, understand the information from audio sources and express the idea (Language Institute, 2015). Further, if students can pass this class, they do not need to take the English Proficiency test. However, most of the students’ English proficiency and comprehension are not yet satisfactory like most Indonesians who learn English for the first time or not intensively (Arung, 2015b). It can be figured out from the writers’ observation as an assistant lecturer for three periods. In the classes, lecturers try to give the students as much as English exposure they can give both by providing authentic materials an (...truncated)