Code-Switching and Code-Mixing During Speaking among Tertiary Level Learners in Bangladesh

Abstract

The paper aims to investigate the challenges teachers and learners have in developing learners’ English-speaking skills at the tertiary level in Bangladesh. The analysis of the study has been supervised by pursuing a mixed-method approach. The survey was conducted on thirty tertiary-level learners to obtain quantitative data and four in-person interviews were carried out with the four tertiary-level educators to accumulate qualitative data. The findings of the study revealed that learners with a lack of confidence, practice, anxiety, fear of criticism, motivation, supportive environment, insufficiency of language lab, and negative judgment are some of the significant challenges learners and teachers are forced to contend with in developing their speaking competency. Additionally, the exercise of only reading and writing skills-oriented exams at the secondary and higher secondary levels provides less attention to speaking skills and is also an indispensable challenge in developing learners’ speaking skills. To evolve learners’ speaking skills, instructors should impart appropriate suggestions and a supportive environment for learners to exercise speaking skills to the fullest extent.