The Impact of Code Switching on Learners’ Participation during Classroom Practice

Abstract

The objective of this qualitative case study is to investigate whether the use of mother tongue in English medium classrooms can enhance classroom participation. Questionnaire, interviews and observation were the two research instruments that were used to collect data in this study. The study investigated 12 ESL teachers at 12 schools in the Zambezi Educational Region. The study revealed that the use of mother tongue in English medium classrooms did not constrain learners’ understanding of the learning content; it rather seemed to facilitate classroom participation. The findings revealed that Grade 10 ESL teachers agreed that Code Switching benefited learners’ participation in English medium classrooms.