Code-switching and Learning General Knowledge of Vocabulary in the Iranian University Context

Abstract

This study focused on the issue of code-switching(CS) (brief switches to the first language of the learners) in the classroom and provided insight into the functions and the roles of the first language (L1) in the foreign language (FL) class for the purpose of facilitating vocabulary learning .The question this study tried to answer was whether or not using code switching (CS) affects Iranian EFL university students’ vocabulary knowledge .To this end, one group of 30 junior university students was chosen from among 50 Iranian university students. Their linguistic homogeneity was established through an Oxford Placement Test (OPT). There was only one group which was on two different occasions. Once code switching was forbidden in the classroom in the process of learning foreign vocabulary and then it was allowed. In the first occasion, the teacher taught vocabularies without code switching in six sessions. Then, the whole participants were asked to participate in vocabulary tests (pre-test). In the second occasion, the teacher taught the same content during the six sessions but both the students and the teacher were allowed to shift to Persian when they faced difficulty for better explanation and making sure that they had understood the contents. After three weeks intervals the learners participated in the post-test. For collecting data from the participants on two different occasions paired-samples t-test was used. The results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the two conditions and this revealed that the differences between condition means are likely due to chance. Therefore, the use of mother tongue in foreign language classes cannot facilitate learning and CS environment does not have better learning results, in terms of vocabulary gains, than English-only instruction.