Iranian EFL Teachers’ Use of Code Switching and Its Impact on Learners’ Learning and Retention of Phrasal Verbs in Intermediate Classes[Latin Thesis]

Nafiseh Sadeghi Mojarad Serajeh

Code-switching may represent a prominent phenomenon in English classrooms located in countries where English constitutes a second or foreign language. According to Mackey (1962), the term CS does not only refer to the simultaneous use of two specific languages but also to the incorporation of two or more different varieties of a single language. As evidenced by the prevailing practice in many Iranian educational institutions, the dominant approach is to require teachers to use English as the primary language of instruction. However, empirical evidence suggests that a strategy involving the integration of the native language, commonly referred to as the L1, can significantly improve students' comprehension and overall learning outcomes. The present study aimed to investigate the use of CS by teachers and its impact on the acquisition and retention of phrasal verbs by students enrolled in intermediate-level courses. In order to achieve this objective, a total of 59 students from a private institute in Tehran, were selected. These participants, aged between 15 and 35 years, were divided into two different groups: the experimental (n=30) and control group (n=29). At the beginning of the study, both groups of students were given pre-tests on phrasal verbs. A phrasal verb test consisting of 15 items, all in multiple-choice format, was used as the data collection instrument. Subsequently, Then the experimental group was taught, the teacher used code-switching in explanation of phrasal verbs, whereas the control group received instruction totally in English. Following the instruction, both groups (experimental and control groups) took a post-test, and two weeks later, the experimental group also took a delayed post-test. Additionally, a sample of 250 teachers was invited to complete a questionnaire regarding their use of code-switching when teaching English phrasal verbs. The age range of these teachers spanned from 18 to 60 years. The questionnaire for teachers included 42 multiple-choice items. Furthermore, twenty teachers were selected from the entire population of instructors to participate in an interview. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to gather data. To analyze the collected quantitative data, paired samples t-tests and ANCOVA were employed. The results revealed a significant impact of teachers' code-switching on the learning and retention of phrasal verbs among Iranian EFL learners. Moreover, the findings indicated that EFL teachers believed that the use of code-switching facilitated students' comprehension of phrasal verbs. These findings suggest that incorporating the first language can be a beneficial tool for language learners.