Chona Cabugnason-Quitevis,

Negros Oriental State University (NORSU)

Gina Fontejon-Bonior, Silliman University (SU)
The Philippines as a multilingual country
- estimated 171 languages are spoken in the
Philippines (www.ethnologue.com)
- Code switching as indication of our hybrid
identity
“When two or more languages exist in a
community, speakers frequently switch from one
language to another.” (Sridhar, in McKay and
Hornberger, 1996, p.56)

- Code switching and MTB-MLE

 A code is a “relatively neutral conceptualization
of a linguistic variety – be it a language or a
dialect.”

Code-switching is “the phenomena of

alternating between two languages or dialects of
the same language within the same conversation”
(Bostepe, 2007 p. 4).
Code-switching occurs when one shifts from
one language to another in the course of a
conversation (Parker & Riley, 1994) or in the
same discourse (Numan & Carter, 2001).
Code switching vs. code mixing
Blom and Gumperz (1972)

 Situational
-interlocutor/new participant, setting, topic

 Metaphorical
-stylistic/textual
 socially and linguistically rule-governed” (Yamada,
2003, p.16)
 strategic (Pascasio, 1978).
 is “a developmental aspect in acquiring a second
language and as a reflection of the community’s
language use” (Kachru, 1990, p.62).
 demonstrates identity marking (Holmes, 1992)
A speaker may similarly switch to another
language as “a signal of group membership and
shared ethnicity with an addressee.”
“speakers switch to manipulate or influence or define
the situation as they wish, and to convey nuances of
meaning and personal intention” (Trudgill, 2000,)
 analyzes the types and conversational functions
of code-switching in teacher talk in classes at a
state university in Central Visayas, Philippines.
 provides insights on the use of code-switching in
teacher talk in the classroom, particularly in
English, Science, and Mathematics classes.
 identifies the attitude of English, Science, and
Mathematics teachers; students; and
administrators toward the use of code-switching
in the classroom.
 How often do teacher respondents code-
switch in their classes?
 What are the types and conversational
functions of code-switching in teacher talk
during classroom discussion?
 What are the teachers,’ students’, and
administrators’ attitudes toward their use of
code-switching in classroom discussions?
First year BEEd and BSEd students in the
College of Education at a state university in
the southern Philippines.
Code-switching in Teacher talk
Research in the Foreign Setting
 Chung (2006) examined the purposes of code-switching and
how it is used as a communicative strategy between Korean-
English bilinguals and found that CS functions as a
communicative strategy for facilitating family communication by
lowering barriers as well as by consolidating cultural identity
(p.293).

 Myers-Scotton (1995) found that choosing a particular language

or opting to mix languages in a particular social context signals
group solidarity or ethnic identity.

 Mattson and Burenhult (1999) identified 3 functions (topic

switch, affective functions, and repetition) of code-switching
from the perspective of the teacher.

 Cole (1998): “A teacher can exploit students’ previous L1

learning experience to increase their understanding of L2”.
Five important language shifts in the Philippines
(Sibayan, 2003)

1. language shift was to Arabic, with the introduction

of the Muslim religion at the end of the 14th
century in the southern islands of the Philippines
2. introduction of Spanish language when Spaniards
came in 1565.
3. introduction of English in 1898 which has had
great effects on Philippine life and thought
4. the shift to the national language which is Filipino
5. the shift to Taglish which was first called “mix-
mix” in the post-World War II
Pascasio (1978)
- analyzed tape-recorded studies of actual
conversations from selected business
establishments

Findings: Business negotiations rely so much

on communicative strategies,
which includes code-switching.
B. Local
Dinopol (1982) investigated the code-switching
patterns and the sociolinguistic variables of the
Cebuano-speaking high school students of Silliman
University and Negros Oriental High School,
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental in their verbal
interactions.
 This study combined exploratory-qualitative-
statistical and exploratory-quantitative-interpretive
types of research design (Grotjan, 1988).

Sources of Data
 Questionnaires
 Discourse Analysis of Teacher Talk in English,
Science, and Math classes

Respondents
 Teachers
 Students
 Administrators
 The study was conducted at one of the external
campuses of a state university in Central Visayas,
Philippines.
 Data-gathering Instrument
Tape recorder and questionnaire
 Data-gathering Procedure
Audio recording of classroom discussions done
by teachers was analyzed and transcribed.

Member checking and debriefing were done to

ensure the reliability and validity of the analysis
of CS functions.
Subject Teacher Frequency of Ratio Between
Turns Code- No. of Turns
switching and Frequency
of CS

ENGLISH 46 25 9:5

SCIENCE 101 60 17:10

MATH 109 49 11:5

Conversational Description Sample
functions
and CS type
Focusing giving Situation: The teacher informed the students…
(Metaphorical) importance to T: But when the Earth is far from the Sun, ang (the) motion
a part of the is slow. Mao na’ng (That is) Kepler’s Law of Motion. Ang
ngalan diay niya (Its name is…) Earth is closer to the Sun is
sentence called perihelion. When the Earth is far from the Sun,
Aphelion. The Earth is closer to the Sun during January,
faster ang (the)
movement sa (of) Sun during July, hinay (slow) ang (the)
movement sa (of the) Earth….
SS: (wrote notes)
(See TRANS. 2, TT 67)

Suggestions/Al Giving Situation: The teacher gave suggestions to

ternative- suggestions students…
giving T: …And then what you are going to do… after
(Metaphorical) writing your unforgettable experience no?
(expression), you are going to…you fasten it ha? i-
fasten (you fasten) ha? (expression) or make a hole
so that you can put it here ha? (expression) No need
of buying another folder because you’ll be buying
again.
SS: (nodded their heads)
Conversational Description Sample
functions
and CS type
Inquiry asking Situation: In a Science class, the teacher
(Metaphorical) questions, asked students…
directions, or
T: Di ba ako na ning gihatag ninyong
instructions
(Have I not given you this as your)
assignment?

SS: (answered in chorus) Wala (No), ma’am.

Proving/Justify establishing Situation: The students in the class argue

ing truth on on the solutions to mathematical problems
(Metaphorical) something
written on the board. Then…
T: Positive man na! (That’s positive!)
S1: Giunsa man na (How was it done),
ma’am ?
T: Kay (Because) positive to positive man
na siya (that is…).
Conversational Description Sample
functions
and CS type
Addressee directs the Situation: Teacher (T) asks about the
Specification utterance to a definition of “revolution” in their Science
(metaphorical) specific Class and calling Serafin (student)…
person/s in the T: Next, Serafin… simple word revolution. Don’t
group tell me you don’t know! (T challenges the
student).
Serafin: (stood up) Revolution,ma’am?...Gatuyok
(It turns around), ma’am… ga-rotate, ma’am.
T: (asked Serafin in a jokingly manner) Unsa
nang gatuyok dong? (What is really turning
around?)
SS: (laughed) Ha! Ha! Ha!
T: Unsa man nang (What is…) revolve?
Serafin: (explained) Nagrevolve (It…) siya sa (in
the) Sun , ma’am.
T: But what is ga-revolve? (it…) (T addressed her
question still to Serafin.)
(See TRANS. 2, TT 46)
About the Use of English and Cebuano in Weighted Description
Mean
the Classroom
Teachers who speak English very well use 3.43 Strongly
Cebuano Agree

Students interact effectively using Cebuano 3.29 Strongly

Agree
Group activities are understood better using 3.22 Agree
English and Cebuano
Students prefer teachers who use both English 3.19 Agree
and Cebuano

Students are encouraged to participate 3.13 Agree

classroom activities using both English and
Cebuano
 About the Use of English and Cebuano in the Classroom Weighted Description
Mean
Teachers who speak English very well use 3.44 Strongly
Cebuano Agree
Students interact effectively using Cebuano 3.29 Strongly
Agree
Group activities are understood better using 3.21 Agree
English and Cebuano
Students prefer teachers who use both 3.21 Agree
English and Cebuano
Students are encouraged to participate 3.19 Agree
classroom activities using both English and
Cebuano
 About the Use of English and Cebuano in the Classroom Weighted Description
Mean

Teachers who speak English very well use 3.78 Strongly

Cebuano Agree

Students interact effectively using Cebuano 3.67 Strongly

Agree

Group activities are understood better using 3.56 Strongly

English and Cebuano Agree

Students prefer teachers who use both English 3.56 Strongly

and Cebuano Agree

Students are encouraged to participate 3.38 Strongly

classroom activities using both English and Agree
Cebuano
 QUESTIONS
1. How often do teacher
respondents code-switch
in their classes?
2. What are the types and
conversational functions of
code-switching in teacher
talk during classroom
discussions?
ANSWERS
Teacher respondents i.e. English, Science, and
Mathematics frequently code-switched in their
classes. In fact, out of 256 turns taken by teachers
in English, Science, and Mathematics classes, 134
or 52 percent had code-switching.
The types of code-switching identified in the
study are: situational and metaphorical. Moreover,
seventeen (17) conversational functions were
identified according to the frequency of their
occurrence in the classes observed:
• Inquiry
• Proving/Justifying
• Focusing
• Suggestions/Alternative-giving
• Addressee Specification
Attention Attraction; Amplification/Repetition of Given
Messages; Expressions of Politeness; Personalization and
Objectivization; Joking/Teasing; Side-Comments;
Interjections; Quotation; Vague/Generalized
Explanations; Definition-giving Function; Formulaic
expressions to yes/no questions, & Invitation
 QUESTION ANSWER
3. What are the teachers’ Teachers have a positive attitude
attitudes toward their toward the use of English and
use of code-switching in Cebuano in the classroom. This is
classroom discussions? indicated in the aggregate mean of
2.85, which has a description of
AGREE.
4. What are the Students have a positive attitude
students’ attitudes towards their teacher’s use of code-
toward the use of code- switching from English to Cebuano.
switching in teacher talk This has an aggregate mean of 2.96,
in the classroom? which has a description of AGREE.
5. What are the Administrators have a positive
administrators’ attitudes attitude toward code-switching in the
toward the use code- classroom. This is shown in the
switching of teachers in aggregate mean of 3.00, which has a
their classes? description of AGREE.
 Code-switching from English to Cebuano is
prevalent in the classes observed.
 Teachers code-switched for pedagogical and social
purposes, i.e., code-switching marks the identity
of both teachers and students and establishes
solidarity.
 Students, teachers, and administrators agree on
the use of English and Cebuano in the classroom
and have positive attitude toward CS in the
classroom.
 The place of “English only” approach to
teaching vs. the role of CS in our classrooms
 The need to replicate this study
 The need to conduct experimental studies
that focus on correlating learning gains when
content courses such as science and
mathematics classes are conducted in English
only and those where CS is used.
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You may contact us for further discussion on this subject.

MS. CHONA R. CABUGNASON-QUITEVIS, NEGROS ORIENTAL

STATE UNIVERSITY, BAIS CITY
chonaquitevis@yahoo.com (09186593655)

PROF. GINA A. FONTEJON-BONIOR, SILLIMAN UNIVERSITY,

DUMAGUETE CITY
ginabonior@gmail.com (Mobile:09173141344)