English language competence: Its relationship to teachers’ extent of code switching in instruction

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the English language competence and the extent of code switching of high school teachers handling English classes in the Third Congressional District of Iloilo during the School Year 2005¬ 2006. The respondents used in this study were 32 high school teachers handling English classes. Descriptive and correlational research designs were employed. To collect the needed data to answer the study objectives, the researcher-made questionnaire was used and the audio recording of the class discourses was done. But before the conduct of the questionnaire, jury validation was made to determine its content-validity. The statistical tools used were the means, percentages, frequencies, z-test, standard deviation, ANOVA, Scheffe, and Pearson’s r. Data were processed and analyzed using the SPSS for Windows, Version 10.0. Hypotheses of the Study The following null hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance. 1. There are no significant variations in the extent of code switching of the English language teachers when they are classified according to age, sex, and subject load. 2. There are no significant variations in the extent of code switching of the English language teachers when they are classified according to length of teaching experience, language trainings/seminars attended, highest education earned and bachelor’s degree major. 3. There are no significant variations in the level of English language competence of the teachers when they are classified according to age, sex, and subject load. 4. There are no significant variations in the level of English language competence of the teachers when they are classified according to length of teaching experience, language trainings/seminars attended, highest education earned and bachelor’s degree major. 5. There is no significant relationship between the teachers’ English language competence and the extent of code switching. Major Findings 1. Female respondents, 41 years old and above, handling English only, longer in teaching experience, non-English majors and attended various language trainings/seminars practice code switching more often than their counterparts. The result is supported by the mean of each category. 2. There are no significant variations as to the respondents’ extent of code switching when grouped into categories as to their age, sex, length teaching experience, language trainings/seminars attended, highest education earned, subject load and bachelor’s degree major as revealed by the result of the Z-test and ANOVA. 3. Most or 65.63 percent of the respondents code switch purposely to clarify difficult words and ideas and further explain concepts/principles. 4. The respondents as an entire group exhibited low language competence with a mean of only 73.19. 5. Male respondents, 40 years old and below, handling English and other subject, with 1-10 years of teaching experience and are English and double majors have high language competence than their counterparts as revealed by the means of each of the category. 6. There are no significant variations as to the respondents’ level of English language competence when grouped into categories as to their age, sex, length teaching experience, language trainings/seminars attended, highest education earned, and subject load as revealed by the result of the Z-test and ANOVA. 7. The respondents’ bachelor’s degree major has a significant variation on their level of English language competence as revealed by F-ratio of 3.982. 8. A significant negative correlation between English language competence and code switching was noted. It was found out that respondents who have higher level of language competence less likely to engage in code switching. This finding was supported by the result of the Pearson r. 9. More than one-half of the respondents disclosed that code switching is advantageous for it facilitates better understanding of the lesson by the students. 10. With the practice of code switching, most respondents’ responses said that code switching limits the exposure and practice of the use of English language of both teacher and student 11. Majority of the respondents said that the primary implication of the practice of code switching of the English language teachers is its reflection of the deterioration of English language proficiency among teachers and students in Philippine schools. Conclusions Based on the major findings of the study, the following conclusions were made: 1. Code switching is prevalent among high school teachers in their English language classes in the four schools covered in the study. 2. There are no variations in the teachers’ practice of code switching when they were grouped as to their sex, age, length of teaching experience, language trainings/seminars attended, highest education earned, subject load and bachelor’s degree major. 3. Code switching is used by the teachers as an excuse for explaining their lessons well. 4. The English language teachers in the Third Congressional District of Iloilo specifically in the four center schools of the second class municipalities namely Calinog National Comprehensive High School, Janiuay National Comprehensive High School, Lambunao National High School and Pototan National Comprehensive High School have low English language competence. The language training/seminars attended and the highest education earned of the respondents cannot guarantee that they will have higher language competence 5. The respondents’ bachelor’s degree major has a bearing on their level of English language competence. 6. The teachers’ level of language competence influences their practice of code switching. 7. Most teachers said that the practice of code switching reflects the deterioration of the state of English language in the Philippine schools. Recommendations Based on the major findings of the study and conclusions drawn from these, the following recommendations are set forth: 1. that English language teachers look for strategies that clarify difficult ideas and principles and let the students understand the lesson other than explaining it using other language/s; 2. that the Department of Education implement stricter policies in schools regarding the use of English in the conduct of language classes; 3. that a very good command in English be a requirement in hiring English teachers; 4. that the “no bilingualism policy’ be strictly imposed in the tertiary level; 5. that teachers who are non-English majors be not allowed to handle English language classes; 6. that extensive trainings and seminars be conducted to language teachers to enhance and further develop their language competence in English; 7. that the English Subject Coordinators, school heads and department heads conduct regular monitoring, observation and evaluation of the English teachers so as to find out their problems in relation to the conduct of instruction; 8. that the same study be undertaken in a wider scope using more respondents, with longer observations, more unobtrusive recording and using another instrument that will determine their competence; 9. that the study be replicated with other variables like the school to which the teacher graduated, and civil status. To further strengthen the findings of this investigation, parallel studies are encouraged to be conducted to English language teachers in elementary and to private high schools.