CODE-SWITCHING IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO GRADE
NINE STUDENTS OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AT
PERGURUAN SISINGAMANGARAJA TANJUNG BALAI
A THESIS
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Magister Humaniora
By:
BERLIANA.R.BR.NAIPOSPOS
Registration Number: 809111027
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POST GRADUATE SCHOOL
i Abstract
Naipospos, Berliana.R. Registration Number 809111027. Code-switching in Teaching English to Grade Nine Students of Junior High School at Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjungbalai. A Thesis. English Applied Linguistics Study Program. State University of Medan. 2015.
The objective of this research was to find out the types, the dominant type of code-switching uttered by English teachers of grade nine of Junior High School and also to find out the reason why the English teachers of grade nine of Junior High School switch the language when teaching. The subjects were represented by two English teacher of grade nine of Junior High School at Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjungbalai. This research applied qualitative research design. The instruments used were observation and interview. The observation were conducted by recording the code-switching utterances while they taught English at grade nine of Junior High School. The interview was aimed to get the reason which caused them switch their language from English to Bahasa Indonesia and vise versa. The data collected were the language uttered by the subjects in teaching English of grade nine of Junior High School. The data were analyzed by using the theory of code-switching.
The findings of this research were : Intra-Sentential Switching, Inter-Sentential Switching, and Emblematic Switching uttered by English teachers of grade nine of Junior High School at Tanjung Balai. The dominant type was uttered by the teachers were Inter-Sentential Switching. translating unknown vocabulary items, explainning grammar, managing the classroom, emphasizing some points, expressing a stance of empathy
and solidarity, facilitating students’ understanding by quoting others’
ii ABSTRAK
Naipospos, Berliana.R. Nomor Registrasi 809111027. Code-switching in Teaching English to Grade Nine Students of Junior High School at Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjungbalai. Sebuah Tesis. Linguistik Terapan Bahasa Inggris. Universitas Negeri Medan. 2015.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This is the time to express the writer’s gratitude to Jesus Crist my almighty
God for what has been poured to the writer in completing her academic studies
and the individuals who helped in the preparation of this thesis. First, the writer
would like to thank Prof.Hj.Tina Mariany Arifin, M.A.,Ph.D, being first adviser,
should be addressed and thanked with deep appreciation because of her much
valuable time that has been given in terms of comments, corrections, and
suggestions for shaping the content and its format of this thesis.
Second, Prof.Dr.Lince Sihombing, M.Pd her second adviser who have
patiently spent countless time for advising, guiding and giving great help in the
clarification of important ideas to complete this thesis.
Third, Prof.Dr.Busmin Gurning, M.Pd., the head of English Applied
Linguistics Program, for his encouragement in finishing this thesis and Farid, the
administration staff, for assisting the administrative procedures.
Foutrh, Prof.Dr.Busmin Gurning, M.Pd., Dr.Siti Aisyah Ginting, M.Pd.,
and Dr.Sri Minda Murni, M.S., the reviewers and examiners for the valuable
suggestions to be included in this thesis. A special expression of gratitude is
directed to Chandra, SPd, coordinator of Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjung
Balai for permitting the writer to leave the school in finishing her thesis and
helping her duty during the writer in Medan. A warm expression of thank to
Dra.Nurhaida, AR, principal Junior High School of Perguruan Sisingamangaraja
Tanjungbalai for allowing the writer to do the research. The writer would also like
who have allowed her to observe them when they were teaching and given their
prcious time to help her in collecting the data. Her thank goes to Herlina Novira,
S.P., the first vice principal, Dudi Iswadi, S.Sos, the second vice principal and
Murnyati Sihombing, the counseling teacher for their support and help in handling
all athmosphere and activity at the school during the writer in Medan.
The writer wishes to express profound gratitude to her mother Atik
Silalahi,her husband Manahan Sitanggang and to her children Eklesia Santa Sere
Sitanggang and Jeremian Didascou Sitanggang for the support, patience and
understanding they showed during the whole enterprise. The writer has benefited
greatly support from her close and best friends Nurhijjah Pane, S.Pd, M.Hum and
Ani Deswita Chaniago, S.Pd, M.Hum who have the same problem in finishing
this study.
Medan, March 2015. The writer,
Berliana.R.Br.Naipospos
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.5 Significance of The Study ... 6
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE... 7
2.1 Bilingualism ... 7
2.2 Code Mixing and Code Switching………..9
2.3 Code Mixing ………...…9
2.4 The Nature of Code- switching ...10
2.5 The Process of Code- switching ... 12
2.6 The Types of Code- switching ... 13
2.6.1 Intra- sentential Switching ... 14
2.6.2 Inter-sentential Switching ... 15
2.6.3 Emblematic Switching ... 16
2.7 The Concept of Teaching English As a Foreign Language... 17
2.8 The Fundamental Reasons of Code-Switchingin Foreign Language Teaching... 25
2.9 Some Factors Affecting Code-Switching in Foreign Language Teaching... 29
2.10Conceptual framework ………. 31
2.11Relevant Studies ... 32
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY... 35
3.1 Research Design ... 35
3.2 Subject of The Research ... 36
3.3 Instruments of Data Collection ... 36
3.4 Techniques of Data Collection ... 37
3.5 Procedures of Data Analysis ... 38
CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS, AND
DISCUSSIONS... 41
4.1 Data Analysis ……... 41
4.1.1Types of Code Switching... 42
4.1.1.1 Intra-Sentential Switching...42
4.1.1.2 Inter-Sentential Switching... 44
4.1.1.3 Emblematic Switching... 45
4.1.2 The Dominant Code-Switching Type uttered by English teachers of Grade Nine of Junior High School ... 49
4.1.3 The Fundamental Reasons of Code-Switching in Foreign Language Teaching………. 51
4.1.3.1 Code-Switching to translate unknown vocabulary items………...…52
4.1.3.2 Code-switching to explain grammar ………...53
4.1.3.3 Code-switching to manage the classroom ………..… 54
4.1.3.4 Code-switching to emphasize some points …………55
4.1.3.5 Code-switching to express a stance of empathy and solidarity……… 56
4.1.3.6 Code-switching to facilitate students’ understanding by quoting others’ words ………... 57
4.1.3.7 Code-switching to soften or strengthen request or command ………..… 58
4.1.3.8 Code-switching to express group identity ………….. 60
4.1.3.9 Code-switching to clarify the lecture contents or interlocutor ………...… 60
4.1.3.10 Code-switching to fit to lexical need ………..…… 62
4.2 Research Findings ... 63
4.4 Discussions ... 65
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS... 68
5.1 Conclusions... 68
REFERENCES... 71
i
LIST OF MATRICES
Page
Matrix 4.1... 43
Matrix 4.2... 45
Matrix 4.3... 48
Matrix 4.4... 49
LIST Of APPENDICES
Page
Appendix 1... 74
Appendix 2... 83
Appendix 3... 91
Appendix 4... 94
Appendix 5... 98
Appendix 6... 101
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of The Study
Language is used to convey ideas, thoughts, needs, and feelings. To use
language in everyday life is as natural as breathing and walking. It happened
automatically when people communicate with others. When people undertake
communication to achieve its purpose, they must select the language form.
Harmer (2001) highlights many variables which affect the choice of language
forms namely; setting, participants, gender, channel, and topics. Commonly,
setting refers to the situation or place where the conversations take place. It means
that people might use different language style and variety in conversation,
depends on the situation or place. Then, participants refer to people involved in
conversation. It can be in form of spoken (speaking) and written (writing)
communcations. Whereas, gender refers to man and woman differences in
inflecting when addressing the members of the same or opposite sex in
conversation. Channels and topics also affect the selection of language form.
Channel refers to the tools used in exchanging the communication while topics
refer to areas being discussed in conversation. Those variables determine language
process and products.
Code-switching is a sociolinguistic phenomenon and linguistic product of
language contact. Nowadays, it is considered as normal and natural products of
interaction. It has been existed as a result of language varieties in multilingual and
multicultural communities. According to Meisel (1994: 415), code-switching is
2
the ability to select the language according to the interlocutor, the situational
context, the topic of conversation, and so forth.
Based on this definition, it is clear that code-switching generally occurs to
draw language varieties among the societies. In English as Foreign Language
(EFL) setting, for instance, English teachers not only use English as a medium of
instruction in the classroom, but they sometimes also switch the codes or terms to
native language to facilitate language learning, manage the class, and express
empathy to the students. Particularly, in Indonesia, code-switching is extensively
used by English teachers based on the assumption that the students cannot fully
comprehend the materials if they only use English. Besides, code-switching could
also ease the teachers to give and clarify instructions for classroom activities, to
give feedback to students, or to check students’ understanding.
Those assumptions come along the difficulties faced by EFL teachers in
Indonesia. Since English, in indonesia, is still being foreign language, students
have lack of competence in developing four language skills (listening, speaking,
reading, and writing). If they are not competent enough to listen, speak, read, and
write the teaching materials, the transmitting of knowledge in teaching and
learning process will progress slowly while the teachers have to chase the target of
curriculum in language learning. Referring to this, the teachers in EFL setting,
including in Indonesia, tend to switch from English to Bahasa Indonesia or vice
versa in order to alleviate the students’ apprehension in learning English.
Richards (1985; 43) hinted code-switching in the field of teaching English
as foreign language when the situation demands. Simply, he illustrated that EFL
3
students’ understanding on learning English while students use their own codes to
make sense of communicative contribution of learning process of something they
still do not understand. In short, code- switching, in learning English, is a means
by which language users, in this case, the teachers and the students, may
contextualize communication to achieve the goal of curriculum.
In EFL classroom of Grade Nine students, the teachers know English more
than the students. The students cannot expand something about the language
because they only get models of language from textbooks and teachers. Textbooks
can do nothing when the students are difficult to understand English but teachers
are really helpful when they face such problem. The teachers are able to give
feedbacks, answers to ununderstood questions, and clarification to vague
problems when teaching and learning process takes part. That is why there are a
lot of teachers did code-switching in the classroom to facilitate learning new
language (English). It means that when teaching English, the teachers use Bahasa
Indonesia, as well.
The phenomenon of code-switching in foreign language classroom has
been an area of interest for some researchers. They came up with different
conclusions. Liu Aichun (2003), for example, made a research in EFL classroom
in Beijing. He concluded that code-switching represented one of the strategies that
EFL teachers often use to accomodate the students’ level of foreign language
proficiency. Another researcher, Martin (1996) made a research in Grade 4 and 5
of Primary School In Brunai Darussalam. He inferred that code-switching is used
to repair trouble or silence in the classroom. Then, Yang (2004) investigated
4
strategy for teachers to adapt to students’ English proficiency, teaching goals, and
a teacher’s role.
So, the process of code-switching in EFL setting has become a widespread
phenomenon since many years ago. Typically, in multilingual communities, like
Tanjung Balai, code-switching extends to teaching and learning activities. In a
certain situation, code-switching occurs naturally; the teachers explain English as
the subject by using English and somehow they may switch some codes or terms
into Bahasa Indonesia. In the classroom, it is usually found that both teachers and
the students are bilingual. They use two languages (English and Bahasa
Indonesia) at the same time by switching the codes one to another.
In accordance with such condition, code-switching uttered by EFL
teachers of Perguruan Sisingamangaraja in Tanjung Balai was worth investigated
in terms of how teachers switch the code, whether they switch the code because
of particular reasons, whether they follow some patterns in doing code- switching,
or what language is most often used by them when switching the codes; target
language (English) or native language (Bahasa Indonesia).
1.2 Problems of The Study
Based on the background above, the problems of the research are briefly
formulated as follows:
1. What types of code-switching are uttered by the teachers in teaching
English to Grade Nine students of Junior High School?
2. What is the dominant type of teachers’ code-switching when teaching
5
3. Why does the teacher of Grade Nine of Junior High School switch their
language when teaching English?
1.3 Objectives of The Study
Based on the problems formulated above, the objectives of the research are
intended to find out:
1. The type of code-switching uttered by teachers when teaching English to
Grade Nine of Junior High School
2. The dominant type of code-switching uttered by English teachers of
Grade Nine of Junior High School, and
3. The reason why the English teachers of Grade Nine of Junior High School
switch the language when teaching.
1.4 Scope of the Study
This study is limited to two languages (English and Bahasa Indonesia)
switched one to another or vice versa by two EFL teachers of Grade Nine at
Perguruan Sisingamangaraja, Tanjung Balai in the classroom when learning and
teaching English take parts. Although there are so many types of code- swiching
classified by some linguists, this research only focuses on intra- sentential
switching, inter- sentential switching, and emblematic switching uttered by
English teacher when teaching English as the subject in the classroom setting in
6
1.5 Significance of The Study
The findings of this research are expected to be useful theoretically and
practically.
Theoretically, this research is expected to give valuable information and
contribution to education practitioners, linguistic students, and other researchers
related to the theory of code-switching in EFL setting.
Practically, this research is supposed to provide references for English
teachers when switching the language. It is very important for them to be selective
in choosing the language when doing code- switching. It means that they have to
take consideration before doing that. They might have very strong reasons when
switching the language. So, the findings of this research, hopefully, can be a
guidance for other EFL teachers and these findings, of course, can be expanded in
68
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
1.1 Conclusions
After analyzing the data measuredly, the conclusion can be drawn as
follow:
1. The three types of code-switching, namely Intra-Sentential
Switching, Inter-Sentential Switching, and Emblematic Switching are
discovered in the process of teaching English in Yayasan Perguruan
Sisingamangaraja, Tanjung Balai. Among these three type, the most
frequent code-switching uttered by the teachers is Inter-Sentential
Switching while the Emblematic Switching is infrequently uttered by
them.
2. Inter-sentential switching was the dominant types occured in
teachers’ code-switching.
3. The teacher of grade nine of junior high school switched their
language to faciliate their understanding on the subject (English).
Since the target language (English) is rarely used in their daily life, to
emphasize some points, to soften requests or command, to clarify the
content of teaching materials, to fit to lexical need, to explain
grammar, to translate unknown vocabulary items, soften or
strengthen request or command, and express group identity.
69
1.2 Suggestions
In relation to the conclusion described above, this research suggest the
teachers and other researchers to:
1. Analyze the students’ prior knowledge before doing code- switching.
If the students have good competence in English, there is no need for
the teachers to translate all explanations into the students’ native
language. Instead, the teachers paraphrase the teaching materials by
using simple and perceivable words. This alternation will help them
learn the target language meaningfully. Then, if the students have
lack of competence in understanding, code-switching may be applied
in the classroom. However, the sense of learning English as the
subject is to make them understand it. In such condition, English may
be functioned as the Matrix Language while students’ native
language is functioned as the Embedded language.
2. Avoid assuming that EFL students must have low proficiency in
English since this assumption will encourage the teachers to switch
English into students’ native language more often. Such condition, of
course, will make the students dependent to their teachers in learning
process.
3. Investigate another classifications of code-switching since it is
usually found in any context, content, situation, and motivation either
in academic or non- academic circumstance.
4. Minimize the attitude towards native language when teaching English
70
towards their native language, the more frequent they switch FL to
NL. This will cause the students less progressive in learning English.
However, the target language input uttered by the teachers play an
important role in foreign language learning.
5. Clarify students’ understanding after switching FL to NL or vice
versa because if code switching occurs in inappropriate context or
71
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