Code-switching in EFL teacher talk at Chinese universities : a conversation analytical perspective

Abstract

Locating the research setting in EFL classrooms at Mainland Chinese universities, this CA-informed research sets out to uncover the code-switching (CS) patterns and interactional features in teacher talk from the emic turn-taking and sequential development. Despite the blooming interest in translanguaging (Wiliams, 1996; García, 2009; Wagner, 2018) as a similar multilingual phenomena, CS is argued to fit the purpose of this study. This is mainly because the second/foreign language (L2) classroom cannot provide the most unbidden context that translanguaging requires, due to the predominantly unfavourable ideology and policy on free language choice (Canagarajah, 2011; Li and García, 2017). Rather, it is still demanding to understand CS use, particularly in relation to its quality that is foregrounded in the CS re-evaluation trend (Hall and Cook, 2012; 2014). Therefore, classroom interactional competence (CIC), a new perspective to understand classroom teaching (Walsh, 2006; 2011; 2013), is considered to provide an insight into CS quality on a macro-level. The CA methodology, specified as the CA institutional-discourse perspective on L2 classroom interaction (Seedhouse, 2004, p. 95), is adopted to relate the CS use to the goal-oriented teaching. Applying CA allows for understanding the EFL teacher’s language alternation on a micro-level, based on a moment-by-moment analysis. The micro-level analysis is assisted by introducing self-evaluation of teacher talk (SETT) model (Walsh, 2006; 2011; 2013) into this study, in that SETT is not only in a move to understand CIC, but also provides CA context-based analysis on teachers’ CS management within different dynamic modes of L2 classroom (Walsh, 2011). Therefore, this CA-informed study, under SETT, integrates the analysis on CS from both a macro-level (i.e., CIC in relation to CS quality) and micro-level (i.e., CA analysis in a particular mode). Drawing on 14.5 hours of audio/video recordings of nine teachers’ naturally-occurring classroom teaching from six universities in five provinces, this study has originally developed the CS-SETT framework to present a comprehensive picture of CS use in EFL teacher talk. Apart from a newly identified mode, the first primary finding included in the framework is the nuanced ways of teachers’ CS operation in orientation to the pedagogical goals in the related mode, also revealing CS as an (embedded) interactional feature in a particular mode. The developed framework adds understanding to the use of CS in relation to learning opportunities and CIC; in addition, findings highlight the importance of a CS sequential position as well as prosodic cues and/or other speech devices (e.g., try-markers, Chinese modal particles). Finally, the study contributes to our understanding of translanguaging and suggests implications for improving EFL teaching, particularly in monolingual countries.