Is code switching complementary to English as medium of instruction in Namibian English second language classrooms?
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Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
In Namibia most teachers and learners are not conversant enough to
teach and learn school subjects, including English, through the English
medium. Poor learner performance in the year-end examinations in
English has been attributed to the use of only English as medium of
instruction. Despite such poor performance, English has remained the
official medium of instruction in all subjects in Namibian schools. The
objective of this study was to investigate whether code switching
complemented the English Language in English medium classrooms.
The mixed method design was used for this study, using both
quantitative and qualitative methods. Questionnaire and an observation
checklist were the two research instruments that were used to collect
data. The sample comprised 12 English Second Language teachers at
12 schools in the Zambezi Educational Region, Namibia. The results
showed that English Second Language teachers were of the view that
the use of English as the only medium of instruction in the English
Second Language classrooms, impacted negatively on the year-end
results.
Description
Keywords
Code Switching, Language acquisition, Literacy, Biliteracy
Citation
Simasiku, L. (2016). Is Code switching complementary to English as medium of instruction in Namibian English Second Language classrooms?. JULACE: Journal of the University of Namibia Language Centre, 1(1), 12- 26.