CODE-SWITCHING IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO GRADE NINE STUDENTS OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AT PERGURUAN SISINGAMANGARAJA TANJUNGBALAI.

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CODE-SWITCHING IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO GRADE

NINE STUDENTS OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AT

PERGURUAN SISINGAMANGARAJA TANJUNG BALAI

A THESIS

Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Magister Humaniora

By:

BERLIANA.R.BR.NAIPOSPOS

Registration Number: 809111027

ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM

POST GRADUATE SCHOOL

STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN

2015

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i Abstract

Naipospos, Berliana.R. Registration Number 809111027. Code-switching in Teaching English to Grade Nine Students of Junior High School at Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjungbalai. A Thesis. English Applied Linguistics Study Program. State University of Medan. 2015.

The objective of this research was to find out the types, the dominant type of code-switching uttered by English teachers of grade nine of Junior High School and also to find out the reason why the English teachers of grade nine of Junior High School switch the language when teaching. The subjects were represented by two English teacher of grade nine of Junior High School at Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjungbalai. This research applied qualitative research design. The instruments used were observation and interview. The observation were conducted by recording the code-switching utterances while they taught English at grade nine of Junior High School. The interview was aimed to get the reason which caused them switch their language from English to Bahasa Indonesia and vise versa. The data collected were the language uttered by the subjects in teaching English of grade nine of Junior High School. The data were analyzed by using the theory of code-switching.

The findings of this research were : Intra-Sentential Switching, Inter-Sentential Switching, and Emblematic Switching uttered by English teachers of grade nine of Junior High School at Tanjung Balai. The dominant type was uttered by the teachers were Inter-Sentential Switching. translating unknown vocabulary items, explainning grammar, managing the classroom, emphasizing some points, expressing a stance of empathy

and solidarity, facilitating students’ understanding by quoting others’

words, softening or strengthening request or command, expressing group identity, clarifying the lecture contents for interlocutor, and fitting to lexical need caused the teacher switched their language.

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ii ABSTRAK

Naipospos, Berliana.R. Nomor Registrasi 809111027. Code-switching in Teaching English to Grade Nine Students of Junior High School at Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjungbalai. Sebuah Tesis. Linguistik Terapan Bahasa Inggris. Universitas Negeri Medan. 2015.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan jenis-jenis alih kode (bahsa) dan jenis dominan dalam pengalihan kode (bahasa) yang diucapkan oleh guru pelajaran bahasa Inggris dalam pembelajaran bahasa Inggris pada siswa kelas Sembilan SMP, serta alasan guru tersebut melakukan pengalihan kode (bahasa) tersebut. Subjek penelitian ini adalah dua orang gurur yang mengajar di Perguruan Sisingamangaraja kelas Sembilan SMP kota Tanjungbalai. Penelitian ini menerapkan desain penelitian kualitatif. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah observasi dan wawancara. Observasi dilakukan melalui perekaman alih kode yang diujarkan dalam penjelasan guru selama proses pembelajaran bahasa Inggris berlangsung. Wawancara terhadap subjek dilakukan untuk memperoleh alasan subjek melalukan pengalihan kode (bahasa) dalam pembelajaran bahasa Inggris pada siswa kelas Sembilan SMP. Data yang dikumpulkan adalah bahasa yang diujarkan oleh subjek dalam dalam pembelajaran bahasa Inggris pada siswa kelas Sembilan SMP. Data tersebut dianalisa melalui teori peralihan kode (bahasa). Hasil penelitian ini adalah : Intra-Sentential Switching, Inter-Sentential Switching, dan Emblematic Switching diucapkan oleh guru dalam pembelajaran bahasa Inggris pada siswa kelas Sembilan SMP di Tanjung Balai. Jenis dominan yang diucapkan oleh guru adalah Inter-Sentential Switching. Menerjemahkan kosakata, menjelaskan tata bahasa, mengelola kelas, menekankan point penting, mengutip kata-kata lain, memperhalus atau memperjelas permintaan atau perintah, mengaktualisasikan identitas kelompok, memperjelas isi pelajaran, dan mencocokkan dengan arti sebenarnya adalah hal yang menyebabkan guru melakukan pengalihan kode (bahasa).

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This is the time to express the writer’s gratitude to Jesus Crist my almighty God for what has been poured to the writer in completing her academic studies and the individuals who helped in the preparation of this thesis. First, the writer would like to thank Prof.Hj.Tina Mariany Arifin, M.A.,Ph.D, being first adviser, should be addressed and thanked with deep appreciation because of her much valuable time that has been given in terms of comments, corrections, and suggestions for shaping the content and its format of this thesis.

Second, Prof.Dr.Lince Sihombing, M.Pd her second adviser who have patiently spent countless time for advising, guiding and giving great help in the clarification of important ideas to complete this thesis.

Third, Prof.Dr.Busmin Gurning, M.Pd., the head of English Applied Linguistics Program, for his encouragement in finishing this thesis and Farid, the administration staff, for assisting the administrative procedures.

Foutrh, Prof.Dr.Busmin Gurning, M.Pd., Dr.Siti Aisyah Ginting, M.Pd., and Dr.Sri Minda Murni, M.S., the reviewers and examiners for the valuable suggestions to be included in this thesis. A special expression of gratitude is directed to Chandra, SPd, coordinator of Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjung Balai for permitting the writer to leave the school in finishing her thesis and helping her duty during the writer in Medan. A warm expression of thank to Dra.Nurhaida, AR, principal Junior High School of Perguruan Sisingamangaraja Tanjungbalai for allowing the writer to do the research. The writer would also like to thank her subjects Madam Herlina Napitupulu and Madam Cut Azizah, S.Pd

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who have allowed her to observe them when they were teaching and given their prcious time to help her in collecting the data. Her thank goes to Herlina Novira, S.P., the first vice principal, Dudi Iswadi, S.Sos, the second vice principal and Murnyati Sihombing, the counseling teacher for their support and help in handling all athmosphere and activity at the school during the writer in Medan.

The writer wishes to express profound gratitude to her mother Atik Silalahi,her husband Manahan Sitanggang and to her children Eklesia Santa Sere Sitanggang and Jeremian Didascou Sitanggang for the support, patience and understanding they showed during the whole enterprise. The writer has benefited greatly support from her close and best friends Nurhijjah Pane, S.Pd, M.Hum and Ani Deswita Chaniago, S.Pd, M.Hum who have the same problem in finishing this study.

Medan, March 2015. The writer,

Berliana.R.Br.Naipospos

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...v

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ... 1

1.1 Background of The Study ... 1

1.2 Problems of The Study ... 4

1.3 Objectives of The Study ... 5

1.4 Scope of The Study ... 5

1.5 Significance of The Study ... 6

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE... 7

2.1 Bilingualism ... 7

2.2 Code Mixing and Code Switching………..9

2.3 Code Mixing ………...…9

2.4 The Nature of Code- switching ...10

2.5 The Process of Code- switching ... 12

2.6 The Types of Code- switching ... 13

2.6.1 Intra- sentential Switching ... 14

2.6.2 Inter-sentential Switching ... 15

2.6.3 Emblematic Switching ... 16

2.7 The Concept of Teaching English As a Foreign Language... 17

2.8 The Fundamental Reasons of Code-Switchingin Foreign Language Teaching... 25

2.9 Some Factors Affecting Code-Switching in Foreign Language Teaching... 29

2.10Conceptual framework ………. 31

2.11Relevant Studies ... 32

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY... 35

3.1 Research Design ... 35

3.2 Subject of The Research ... 36

3.3 Instruments of Data Collection ... 36

3.4 Techniques of Data Collection ... 37

3.5 Procedures of Data Analysis ... 38

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CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS, AND

DISCUSSIONS... 41

4.1 Data Analysis ……... 41

4.1.1Types of Code Switching... 42

4.1.1.1 Intra-Sentential Switching...42

4.1.1.2 Inter-Sentential Switching... 44

4.1.1.3 Emblematic Switching... 45

4.1.2 The Dominant Code-Switching Type uttered by English teachers of Grade Nine of Junior High School ... 49

4.1.3 The Fundamental Reasons of Code-Switching in Foreign Language Teaching………. 51

4.1.3.1 Code-Switching to translate unknown vocabulary items………...…52

4.1.3.2 Code-switching to explain grammar ………...53

4.1.3.3 Code-switching to manage the classroom ………..… 54

4.1.3.4 Code-switching to emphasize some points …………55

4.1.3.5 Code-switching to express a stance of empathy and solidarity……… 56

4.1.3.6 Code-switching to facilitate students’ understanding by quoting others’ words ………... 57

4.1.3.7 Code-switching to soften or strengthen request or command ………..… 58

4.1.3.8 Code-switching to express group identity ………….. 60

4.1.3.9 Code-switching to clarify the lecture contents or interlocutor ………...… 60

4.1.3.10 Code-switching to fit to lexical need ………..…… 62

4.2 Research Findings ... 63

4.4 Discussions ... 65

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS... 68

5.1 Conclusions... 68

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REFERENCES... 71

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LIST OF MATRICES

Page

Matrix 4.1... 43

Matrix 4.2... 45

Matrix 4.3... 48

Matrix 4.4... 49

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LIST Of APPENDICES

Page

Appendix 1... 74

Appendix 2... 83

Appendix 3... 91

Appendix 4... 94

Appendix 5... 98

Appendix 6... 101

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of The Study

Language is used to convey ideas, thoughts, needs, and feelings. To use language in everyday life is as natural as breathing and walking. It happened automatically when people communicate with others. When people undertake communication to achieve its purpose, they must select the language form. Harmer (2001) highlights many variables which affect the choice of language forms namely; setting, participants, gender, channel, and topics. Commonly, setting refers to the situation or place where the conversations take place. It means that people might use different language style and variety in conversation, depends on the situation or place. Then, participants refer to people involved in conversation. It can be in form of spoken (speaking) and written (writing) communcations. Whereas, gender refers to man and woman differences in inflecting when addressing the members of the same or opposite sex in conversation. Channels and topics also affect the selection of language form. Channel refers to the tools used in exchanging the communication while topics refer to areas being discussed in conversation. Those variables determine language process and products.

Code-switching is a sociolinguistic phenomenon and linguistic product of language contact. Nowadays, it is considered as normal and natural products of interaction. It has been existed as a result of language varieties in multilingual and multicultural communities. According to Meisel (1994: 415), code-switching is

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the ability to select the language according to the interlocutor, the situational context, the topic of conversation, and so forth.

Based on this definition, it is clear that code-switching generally occurs to draw language varieties among the societies. In English as Foreign Language (EFL) setting, for instance, English teachers not only use English as a medium of instruction in the classroom, but they sometimes also switch the codes or terms to native language to facilitate language learning, manage the class, and express empathy to the students. Particularly, in Indonesia, code-switching is extensively used by English teachers based on the assumption that the students cannot fully comprehend the materials if they only use English. Besides, code-switching could also ease the teachers to give and clarify instructions for classroom activities, to give feedback to students, or to check students’ understanding.

Those assumptions come along the difficulties faced by EFL teachers in Indonesia. Since English, in indonesia, is still being foreign language, students have lack of competence in developing four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). If they are not competent enough to listen, speak, read, and write the teaching materials, the transmitting of knowledge in teaching and learning process will progress slowly while the teachers have to chase the target of curriculum in language learning. Referring to this, the teachers in EFL setting, including in Indonesia, tend to switch from English to Bahasa Indonesia or vice versa in order to alleviate the students’ apprehension in learning English.

Richards (1985; 43) hinted code-switching in the field of teaching English as foreign language when the situation demands. Simply, he illustrated that EFL teachers switch the codes in their attempts to communicate and accomodate

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students’ understanding on learning English while students use their own codes to make sense of communicative contribution of learning process of something they still do not understand. In short, code- switching, in learning English, is a means by which language users, in this case, the teachers and the students, may contextualize communication to achieve the goal of curriculum.

In EFL classroom of Grade Nine students, the teachers know English more than the students. The students cannot expand something about the language because they only get models of language from textbooks and teachers. Textbooks can do nothing when the students are difficult to understand English but teachers are really helpful when they face such problem. The teachers are able to give feedbacks, answers to ununderstood questions, and clarification to vague problems when teaching and learning process takes part. That is why there are a lot of teachers did code-switching in the classroom to facilitate learning new language (English). It means that when teaching English, the teachers use Bahasa Indonesia, as well.

The phenomenon of code-switching in foreign language classroom has been an area of interest for some researchers. They came up with different conclusions. Liu Aichun (2003), for example, made a research in EFL classroom in Beijing. He concluded that code-switching represented one of the strategies that EFL teachers often use to accomodate the students’ level of foreign language proficiency. Another researcher, Martin (1996) made a research in Grade 4 and 5 of Primary School In Brunai Darussalam. He inferred that code-switching is used to repair trouble or silence in the classroom. Then, Yang (2004) investigated code-switching at secondary school in China. She concluded that code-code-switching is a

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strategy for teachers to adapt to students’ English proficiency, teaching goals, and a teacher’s role.

So, the process of code-switching in EFL setting has become a widespread phenomenon since many years ago. Typically, in multilingual communities, like Tanjung Balai, code-switching extends to teaching and learning activities. In a certain situation, code-switching occurs naturally; the teachers explain English as the subject by using English and somehow they may switch some codes or terms into Bahasa Indonesia. In the classroom, it is usually found that both teachers and the students are bilingual. They use two languages (English and Bahasa Indonesia) at the same time by switching the codes one to another.

In accordance with such condition, code-switching uttered by EFL teachers of Perguruan Sisingamangaraja in Tanjung Balai was worth investigated in terms of how teachers switch the code, whether they switch the code because of particular reasons, whether they follow some patterns in doing code- switching, or what language is most often used by them when switching the codes; target language (English) or native language (Bahasa Indonesia).

1.2 Problems of The Study

Based on the background above, the problems of the research are briefly formulated as follows:

1. What types of code-switching are uttered by the teachers in teaching English to Grade Nine students of Junior High School?

2. What is the dominant type of teachers’ code-switching when teaching English in the classroom?

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3. Why does the teacher of Grade Nine of Junior High School switch their language when teaching English?

1.3 Objectives of The Study

Based on the problems formulated above, the objectives of the research are intended to find out:

1. The type of code-switching uttered by teachers when teaching English to Grade Nine of Junior High School

2. The dominant type of code-switching uttered by English teachers of Grade Nine of Junior High School, and

3. The reason why the English teachers of Grade Nine of Junior High School switch the language when teaching.

1.4 Scope of the Study

This study is limited to two languages (English and Bahasa Indonesia) switched one to another or vice versa by two EFL teachers of Grade Nine at Perguruan Sisingamangaraja, Tanjung Balai in the classroom when learning and teaching English take parts. Although there are so many types of code- swiching classified by some linguists, this research only focuses on intra- sentential switching, inter- sentential switching, and emblematic switching uttered by English teacher when teaching English as the subject in the classroom setting in consideration that these types of code-switching possibly occur in EFL teaching.

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1.5 Significance of The Study

The findings of this research are expected to be useful theoretically and practically.

Theoretically, this research is expected to give valuable information and contribution to education practitioners, linguistic students, and other researchers related to the theory of code-switching in EFL setting.

Practically, this research is supposed to provide references for English teachers when switching the language. It is very important for them to be selective in choosing the language when doing code- switching. It means that they have to take consideration before doing that. They might have very strong reasons when switching the language. So, the findings of this research, hopefully, can be a guidance for other EFL teachers and these findings, of course, can be expanded in different setting by other researchers.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

1.1 Conclusions

After analyzing the data measuredly, the conclusion can be drawn as follow:

1. The three types of code-switching, namely Intra-Sentential Switching, Inter-Sentential Switching, and Emblematic Switching are discovered in the process of teaching English in Yayasan Perguruan Sisingamangaraja, Tanjung Balai. Among these three type, the most frequent code-switching uttered by the teachers is Inter-Sentential Switching while the Emblematic Switching is infrequently uttered by them.

2. Inter-sentential switching was the dominant types occured in

teachers’ code-switching.

3. The teacher of grade nine of junior high school switched their language to faciliate their understanding on the subject (English). Since the target language (English) is rarely used in their daily life, to emphasize some points, to soften requests or command, to clarify the content of teaching materials, to fit to lexical need, to explain grammar, to translate unknown vocabulary items, soften or strengthen request or command, and express group identity.

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1.2 Suggestions

In relation to the conclusion described above, this research suggest the teachers and other researchers to:

1. Analyze the students’ prior knowledge before doing code- switching.

If the students have good competence in English, there is no need for the teachers to translate all explanations into the students’ native language. Instead, the teachers paraphrase the teaching materials by using simple and perceivable words. This alternation will help them learn the target language meaningfully. Then, if the students have lack of competence in understanding, code-switching may be applied in the classroom. However, the sense of learning English as the subject is to make them understand it. In such condition, English may be functioned as the Matrix Language while students’ native language is functioned as the Embedded language.

2. Avoid assuming that EFL students must have low proficiency in English since this assumption will encourage the teachers to switch English into students’ native language more often. Such condition, of course, will make the students dependent to their teachers in learning process.

3. Investigate another classifications of code-switching since it is usually found in any context, content, situation, and motivation either in academic or non- academic circumstance.

4. Minimize the attitude towards native language when teaching English in the classroom for the more positive attitude the teachers have

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towards their native language, the more frequent they switch FL to NL. This will cause the students less progressive in learning English. However, the target language input uttered by the teachers play an important role in foreign language learning.

5. Clarify students’ understanding after switching FL to NL or vice

versa because if code switching occurs in inappropriate context or content, it will create fuzziness for the students.

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REFERENCES

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Azwani, M. 2012. Code-switching in teaching English to Grade Eleven Students. Unpublished Post Graduate Thesis, State University of Medan.

Beardsmore, H. 1982. Bilingualism: Basic Principles. Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Tieto, Ltd.

Bogdan, R. & Biklen, S. 1992. Qualitative Research for Education. United State of America.

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Jinxia, L. 2010. Teacher’s Code-switching to L1 in EFL Classroom. The Open Applied Linguistic Journal, Vol 3, 10-23.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

1.1 Conclusions

After analyzing the data measuredly, the conclusion can be drawn as follow:

2. Inter-sentential switching was the dominant types occured in teachers’ code-switching.

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1.2 Suggestions

In relation to the conclusion described above, this research suggest the teachers and other researchers to:

1. Analyze the students’ prior knowledge before doing code- switching. If the students have good competence in English, there is no need for the teachers to translate all explanations into the students’ native language. Instead, the teachers paraphrase the teaching materials by using simple and perceivable words. This alternation will help them learn the target language meaningfully. Then, if the students have lack of competence in understanding, code-switching may be applied in the classroom. However, the sense of learning English as the subject is to make them understand it. In such condition, English may be functioned as the Matrix Language while students’ native language is functioned as the Embedded language.

3. Investigate another classifications of code-switching since it is usually found in any context, content, situation, and motivation either in academic or non- academic circumstance.

4. Minimize the attitude towards native language when teaching English in the classroom for the more positive attitude the teachers have

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5. Clarify students’ understanding after switching FL to NL or vice versa because if code switching occurs in inappropriate context or content, it will create fuzziness for the students.