4 comprehension of a text. In one instance, to introduce new words, the teacher used
Mandarin to translate, explain and review the key words. Moreover, there are occasions in the data where it was not possible to provide one-to-one translations for an English lexical
item. If there are no equivalent meanings for English and Mandarin, the original English lexical item or phrase is often utilized. Tien 2009 also observe that, when explaining
grammar rules, Mandarin was used much more than English. The intention of such a swi
tch made by teachers is to assist students’ comprehension. Based on their teaching experience, they find that students understand grammar rules better when they are taught
in Mandarin, not English. Accordingly, a switch from English to Mandarin was also made when cultural issues are taught Tien, 2009. It is significant to note that teachers used a
switch from English to Mandarin to accommodate learners’ linguistic needs and to foster their English learning.
2. CS for classroom management
CS also plays important roles in classroom management; teachers often used CS to give instructions, to regulate students’ behavior and to maintain the flow of the class.
First, many researches revealed that teachers tend to use L1 to give instruction to the students to ensure that every student comprehend the instruction correctly and do the
intended activity precisely. A study by Macaro 2001 indicates that instruction is more effective to be done by L1 or code switch, because instructions are sometimes complicated
and giving them in L2 will make it more complicated. Mugla 2005 also confirms that the teachers typically use L2 for giving instruction but then give L1 translation to ensure all
students have understood them and applied them correctly. Tien 2010 seems agree with those statements by stating that teachers switch from L2 to L1 to give explicit classroom
instructions such as directing students to be engaged in pair or group discussions or to perform certain classroom activities. Considering the complexity of the instruction and
5 level of
the students’ L2 competence, using CS to give instruction may sometimes be more effective and practical.
The next function of CS in classroom management is to regulate students’ behavior. Teachers may often use L1 to maintain order in the class, for example if in some
occasions students refused to work on a certain activity. Teachers use L1 to maintain order in their class, because they presume that the students will understand the instruction better
in L1 Macaro, 2001. It is also speculated that teachers intentionally adopt L1 to demonstrate their authority in the classroom when tension occurs Tien, 2009.
Besides, teachers also use CS to maintain the flow of the lesson. It is often observed that teachers switch to L1 to repeat a question after a long pause by the students
that signal trouble in the interaction. The teacher uses L1 to present the question that is easier to understand by the learners, so that the teacher can elicit appropriate answers
Mugla, 2005. By simplifying the comprehensible input for learners, the use of L1 for this purpose may sometimes encourage students to participate and produce the desired L2
responses Mugla, 2005; Raschka, Sercombe, Chi-Ling, 2009. The use of L1 may also serve as assurance that no students will be left out confused that may affect the lesson
flow; and by ensuring that all students are on board with the lesson, teachers may encourage the students to perform better in the lesson Macaro, 2001. Raschka et al.
2009 also observed that the teachers use CS to highlight the move from the socializing sequence to the lesson itself by switching into the L2. Thus, teachers may maintain the
non-threatening environment created in the opening sequence but skillfully move the classroom discourse on to the next level.
3. CS for interpersonal relation
