The Effect of Code-Switching on Intermediate EFL Learners' Speaking Accuracy

The study was an attempt to investigate the effect of code-switching (CS) on intermediate EFL learners' speaking accuracy. To do so, a (CG) experimental design was proposed in which 60 homogeneous intermediate female students with the age range 18 to 25 in a language school in Tehran took part. The selected participants were divided into two groups; one experimental group (EG) and one control group (CG) with 30 students in each, consisting of 12 to 18 students in each class. The speaking section of PET was administered and speaking accuracy of participants was checked through employing ETS speaking scale (2007). To score the learners’ performance the inter-rater method was employed. Both (E) and (C) groups received the same materials and teacher. The class hours, physical conditions were the same and the only difference lied in the fact that the (EG) were exposed to different forms of (CS) such as inter-sentential switching, intra-sentential switching occurs, and tag-switching as proposed by Canagarajah (1995), while the (C) groups were not allowed to use code-switching at all. Following the treatment phase the posttest of speaking accuracy was administered to students of both (EG) and (CG). The data were analyzed employingt-test results indicated that using (CS) strategies in the EFL classroom significantly affected intermediate learners' speaking accuracy. The reason is that (EG) learners who were exposed to (CS) strategies outperformed (CG) on the posttest of speaking. The results have implications for EFL teachers, language teaching, language testing, and materials developers in Iranian context.

کلیدواژه ها:

Code-switching ، Intermediate EFL Learners ، Speaking Accuracy ، Iranian Learners