A case study on the use of code switching in teaching grammar at vietnam usa society language centers

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HOCHIMINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE A CASE STUDY ON THE USE OF CODESWITCHING IN TEACHING GRAMMAR AT VIETNAM USA SOCIETY LANGUAGE CENTERS A thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By TRAN THI KIM ANH Supervised by TRAN THI MINH PHUONG, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, DECEMBER 2022 A CASE STUDY ON THE USE OF CODESWITCHING IN TEACHING GRAMMAR AT VIETNAM USA SOCIETY LANGUAGE CENTERS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to express a profound gratitude towards my supervisor, Trần Thị Minh Phượng, Ph.D, for her great support I really appreciate her taking the time out of her busy schedule to read my work and provide constructive feedback.” Secondly, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the teachers who participated in my study.” Thirdly, another big thank you is sent to Ms Tran Chau Lan, the training quality manager of the language center, for her approval for the conduct of the research at the center.” Last but not least, I heartily thank all of my friends, my colleagues and especially my family for their encouragement that helped me finish the project on time.” II STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY “I certify that this thesis entitled “A CASE STUDY ON THE USE OF CODESWITCHING IN TEACHING GRAMMAR AT VIETNAM USA SOCIETY LANGUAGE CENTERS” is independently written by me under the direction of the advisor In addition to what is specially labeled and contained in the acknowledgement, the thesis does not include anything published or written by other persons or organizations Inspirations and contributions by other people have been clearly stated and appreciated in the thesis.” Author’s Signature: Ho Chi Minh city,13/12/2022 Tran Thi Kim Anh III RETENTION OF USE I hereby state that I, Trần Thị Kim Anh, being a candidate for the Master’s degree in TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the Library The author fully understands the provisions of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities on keeping and using degree theses, namely: the school reserves the right to retain a copy of the thesis and allow it to be searched and read by others The school may publish all or part of the thesis and retain it by photocopying, microprinting or other reproduction means.” Author’s Signature: Ho Chi Minh city, 13/12/2022 Tran Thi Kim Anh IV ABSTRACT Code-switching as a medium of instruction is a controversial issue that is worth investigating in the field of teaching English The researcher carried out a survey of forty-three teachers at VUS language centers, where English-only policy is applied, to examine the differences between frequency, pedagogical factors and situations of using code-switching to teach grammar for three groups of levels of proficiency This study seeks to understand teachers’ attitudes towards codeswitching, examine their use in reality in teaching grammar as well as providing suggestions on how to use this tool to its fullest Analysis of the data using Excel spreadsheet, Likert scale and chi-square tests also explored the differences between teachers’ answers and their background information Initial results from the population seem to indicate that code-switching is preferable in teaching grammar for students from beginners to pre-intermediate, but not at intermediate and upper-intermediate level Vietnamese teachers at the center were aware of the pedagogical use of CS rather than using it unconsciously and habitually Therefore, they provided numerous suggestions, from broader recommendations to specific techniques to control the amount and situations they code-switch Key words: code-switching, levels of proficiency, teaching grammar, teachers’ attitudes V TABLE OF CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS II STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY III RETENTION OF USE IV ABSTRACT V TABLE OF CONTENT VI LIST OF ABBREVIATION…………………………………………………….IX LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………… X LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………… XI CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Research questions: 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Significance of the study 1.6 Organization of the thesis CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definitions of key concepts 2.1.1 First language (L1) and second language (L2) 2.1.2 Code switching and its types 2.1.3 Learners’ levels of proficiency 10 2.2 Principles on grammar teaching 13 2.3 Code-switching versus Grammar-translation method 14 2.4 Views on using L1 and L2 in grammar teaching 16 2.4.1 Arguments for avoiding the First Language 16 2.4.2 Pedagogical functions of CS in teaching grammar 19 2.5 Code-switching in teaching English in Vietnamese context 22 2.6 Research gap 25 2.7 Conceptual framework 26 VI CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 29 3.1 Context of the study 29 3.2 Research design 30 3.3 Participants 30 3.4 Research instrument and pilot study 32 3.5 Data collection procedure 34 3.5 Data analysis scheme 35 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 37 4.1 Introduction 37 4.2 Teacher’s background information 37 4.3 Teachers’ attitude and teachers’ self-reported reality of using codeswitching in three groups of level 38 4.3.1 The preference for language of instruction in teaching grammar 38 4.3.2 The frequency of using code-switching to teach Beginners and the reasons behind teachers’ preference of language use 45 4.3.3 The frequency of using code-switching to teach Elementary and Preintermediate learners and the reasons behind teachers’ preference of language use 48 4.3.4 The frequency of using code-switching to teach Intermediate and Upper-intermediate learners and the reasons behind teachers’ preference of language use 51 4.4 Teachers’ attitude towards the amount, frequency and situations applied CS to teach grammar 54 4.4.1 Pedagogical factors influencing the teachers’ decision of using codeswitching 54 4.4.2 Teachers’ self-reported frequency of using CS in particular situations 56 4.4.3 Grammatical structures that teachers find necessary to use CS in instruction 58 4.4.4 Teachers’ reflection about their amount of CS used in instruction 59 4.5 Teachers’ suggestions on efficiently employing code-switching in teaching grammar while avoiding overusing L1 68 4.5.1 Suggestions to avoid using too much Vietnamese in teaching grammar 68 VII 4.5.2 Broader recommendation to use code-switching efficiently in teaching grammar 71 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 73 5.1 Summary of findings 73 5.2 Implications 74 5.3 Limitations of the study 75 5.4 Recommendations for further study 75 References 76 APPENDICES 80 VIII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CS: Code-switching L1: First language L2: Second language TL: Target language ELT: English Language Teaching VUS: Vietnam USA Society Language Centers IX Desoyo (2021) Code-Switching as a Language Teaching Strategy Based on the Grammar-Translation Method for Comprehension Enhancement 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L2 learners' use of the L1 during consciousness‐raising, form‐focused tasks The Modern language journal, 92(1), 100-113 Stake (2000) Case studies In N K Denzin & Y S Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research Thousand Oaks,CA: Sage Swain and Lapkin (2000) Task-based second language learning: the uses of the Language Teaching Research 4, 3, 251–274 Tang (2002) Using L1 in the English classroom English Teaching Forum, 40 (1), p 36-43 Ur (1996) A Course in Language Teaching 2nd edition Cambridge: Cambridge Willis (1996) A Framework for Task-Based Learning Harlow: Longman 79 APPENDICES Appendix A: Interview questions Is there any regulation at your work place about using L1 in class? What you think about this regulation on using English only in English language teaching classroom? Do you agree that using 100% English when teaching grammar brings full benefits for Ss of all levels? Why? What you think can be the benefits of switching from English to Vietnamese in teaching grammar? How often you use L1 during grammar lessons? How much code-switching you think is the most helpful? When (which stage) you think the first language could be used profitably in teaching grammar? How? What level you often use more Code-switching than other levels when you teach grammar? Why? What grammatical structure you think is difficult to teach without code-switching? Which stage of the lesson you find difficult to teach without code-switching? (presenting new grammar point, managing students’ practice, correcting Ss mistakes…) What difficulties you have when teachers have to balance code-switching with English-only policy from VUS language centers? 10 What techniques or strategies you suggest in teaching grammar to solve the above difficulties? 11 What can you to face the situation that your students make grammatical mistakes because of being influenced by L1? 12 How you avoid using too much L1 when you teach grammar? 80 Appendix B: Questionnaire Hello everyone, my name is Tran Thi Kim Anh I am an M.A TESOL student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities I am conducting the survey to identify the attitudes of teachers at the language centre towards the use of codeswitching between English and Vietnamese in teaching grammar in classroom instruction The participation in this survey is entirely voluntary You also have the rights to withdraw at any time All responses to the survey will be treated anonymously and for this research only.  For most questions, you should select the answer which best reflects your view.  For some questions, you should write a short answer if you have other suggestions Please be aware that the teaching knowledge mentioned in the questions below is teaching grammar If you need any further information, please feel free to contact me via the email address below Thank you for participating in this survey Best wishes, Kim Anh Email: ttkimanh4494@gmail.com - Section 1: Background Information What is your gender? Tick one  Male  Female say What is your age group? Tick one  22–30 31–35 36–40 41–45  Please not to 46–50 51+ How many years of experience as an English language teacher you have?  0–1 2-4 5-10 10-15  15+ What is your highest relevant qualification to English Language Teaching? Select one  Certificate (TESOL, CELTA, TEFL, TKT, etc)  Diploma 81  Postgraduate Certificate  Bachelor’s  Master’s  Doctorate Section 2: Teachers’ attitudes towards code-switching *Code-switching (CS) is defined as using words or phrases from one language while speaking in the other language It‘s the teachers’ act of integrating the students’ first language (L1) into the target language (TL) instruction FOR TEACHING BEGINNERS 1) Do you use Vietnamese to teach grammar for beginners? A YES  B NO  If your answer to Question is A, please answer question to If your answer to Question is B, please answer question 2) How much code-switching you use in your beginning-level grammar class?  40% 3) How much code-switching you think is the most efficient in a beginning-level grammar class?  40% 82 4) What are your main reasons for using BOTH English and Vietnamese when teaching grammar for beginners? You may tick more than one ☐ It makes students understand the context and concepts of English grammar more easily ☐ It helps students and teachers to create more active discussion than using English only ☐ It helps teachers to save time in explaining what he/ she is teaching ☐ It helps learners be aware of the possible mistakes ☐ It helps learners be aware of the similarities and differences between their native language and the target language ☐ It helps learners be more confident and better produce the target language ☐ If I use 100% English to teach grammar for beginners, students will be confused and demotivated ☐ Others: Please specify:…………………………………………………………………… 5) What are your main reasons for using ONLY ENGLISH when teaching grammar for beginners? You may tick more than one ☐It gives students more opportunity to be exposed to English ☐It allows students to understand the teaching without any mother tongue’s interference ☐It gives students more listening practice in English ☐It is very helpful to students in improving spoken English ☐It boosts students’ needs to learn a particular grammar structure ☐The use of code-switching will increase the students’ reliance and dependency on the teacher ☐Other Please specify…………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………… ……… 83 For teaching ELEMENTARY&PRE-INTERMEDIATE learners 6) Do you use Vietnamese to teach grammar for students at elementary and pre-intermediate levels? A YES  B NO  If your answer to Question is A, please answer question to If your answer to Question is B, please answer question 10 7) How much code-switching you use in your elementary-preintermediate grammar class?  40% 8) How much code-switching you think is the most efficient in an elementary-pre-intermediate grammar class?  40% 9) What are your main reasons for using BOTH English and Vietnamese when teaching grammar for elementary and pre-intermediate learners? You may tick more than one ☐It makes students understand the context and concepts of English grammar more easily ☐It helps students and teachers to create more active discussion than using English only ☐ It helps teachers to save time in explaining what he/ she is teaching ☐ It helps learners be aware of the possible mistakes 84 ☐ It helps learners be aware of the similarities and differences between their native language and the target language ☐ It helps learners be more confident and better produce the target language ☐ Others: Please specify:…………………………………………………………………… 10) What are your main reasons for using ONLY ENGLISH when teaching grammar for elementary and pre-intermediate students? You may tick more than one ☐It gives students more opportunity to be exposed to English ☐It allows students to understand the teaching without any mother tongue’s interference ☐It gives students more listening practice in English ☐It is very helpful to students in improving spoken English ☐It boosts students’ needs to learn a particular grammar structure ☐The use of code-switching will increase the students’ reliance and dependency on the teacher ☐Other Please specify:…………………………………………………………………… For teaching INTERMEDIATE AND UPPER-INTERMEDIATE learners: 11) Do you use Vietnamese to teach grammar for students at intermediate and upper-intermediate levels? A YES  B NO  If your answer to Question 11 is A, please answer question 12 to 14 If your answer to Question 11 is B, please answer question 15 12) How much code-switching you use in your intermediate and upper-intermediate grammar class?  40% 13) How much code-switching you think is the most efficient in an intermediate and upper-intermediate grammar class?  40% 14) What are your main reasons for using BOTH English and Vietnamese when teaching grammar for students at intermediate and upper-intermediate level? You may tick more than one ☐ It makes students understand the context and concepts of sophisticated grammar points more easily ☐ It helps students and teachers to create more active discussion than using English only ☐ It helps teachers to save time in explaining what he/ she is teaching ☐ It helps learners be aware of the possible mistakes ☐ It helps learners be aware of the similarities and differences between their native language and the target language ☐ It helps learners be more confident and better produce the target language ☐ Others: Please specify:…………………………………………………………………… 15) What are your main reasons for using ONLY ENGLISH when teaching grammar for students at intermediate and upperintermediate? You may tick more than one ☐It gives students more opportunity to be exposed to English ☐It allows students to understand the teaching without any mother tongue’s interference ☐It gives students more listening practice in English 86 ☐It is very helpful to students in improving spoken English ☐It boosts students’ needs to learn a particular grammar structure ☐The use of code-switching will increase the students’ reliance and dependency on the teacher ☐Other Please specify:…………………………………………………………………… 16) Which pedagogical factors you think influence the teachers’ decision of using code-switching in teaching grammar? You may tick more than one ☐ Students’ level ☐ Students’ ability to understand difficult concepts in grammar rules ☐ Linguistic gap resulting from the difference between English and Vietnamese of the grammatical points ☐ Amount of lesson content teachers have to cover in the allotted time ☐ Importance of the teaching points ☐ Students’ feeling (bad mood, misunderstanding, confusion, etc.) ☐Others: 87 17) For each statement below, please tick on ONE option which best reflects your view Do not select more than one answer per row 1= Strongly disagree, 2= Disagree, 3= Neutral, 4= Agree, 5= Strongly agree No Statements Code-switching should only be used as a last resort when all other options have been exhausted The more English that is used, the better the results for the learners I want to limit my Vietnamese use in teaching grammar, but I sometimes use Vietnamese more than I expected when my students have much trouble with English instruction I can always control the amount of code-switching I intended to use when I teach grammar 88 18) The following statements indicate the situations in which teachers are likely to code-switch between English and Vietnamese For each statement below, please tick on ONE option which best reflects your view Do not select more than one answer per row No In teaching grammar, I switch English to Vietnamese when: presenting new grammar points monitoring students’ practice correcting mistakes for the whole class correcting mistakes for individuals reviewing old grammar points before moving on the new grammar points giving instruction for unfamiliar activities giving support to individuals checking students’comprehension Never Rarely Sometimes Often Very often 19) What grammatical structure you think are difficult to teach without code-switching? ☐ Relative clauses ☐ Inversion ☐ Mixed conditional 89 ☐ Passive voice ☐ Modals verbs ☐ Tenses ☐Possessive pronouns/ reflexive pronouns ☐ Others Please specify:…………………………………………………………………… 20) How you avoid using too much Vietnamese when you teach grammar? You may tick more than one ☐ Use visuals (draw timelines, animation, etc.) ☐ Make use of CCQs (Concept checking questions) ☐ Simplify my English for instruction ☐ Teach vocabulary which is necessary for speaking and writing practice in the production stage so that I don’t need to use L1 for individual support ☐ Create sentences that link to my students’ character and interest as examples to introduce grammar points ☐ Others Please specify:…………………………………………………………………… 21) What you suggest to use code-switching efficiently to teach grammar? You may tick more than one ☐ Find out learners’ needs in each class to decide the appropriate amount of code-switching ☐ Modify and adapt the text book’s tasks to fit learners’ level in order to avoid relying much on Vietnamese 90 ☐ Observe learners’ use of grammar in productive skills, then use codeswitch to support them when needed ☐ Be flexible to use code-switching based on learners’ needs and levels and avoid idealizing English-only policy ☐ Others Please specify:…………………………………………………………………… 91