Abstract:

Abstract: Code-switching (switching in-and-out from one language to another) has been an international debate whether it is a simply language avoidance or a communication strategy. It is thus crucial to see in what way and in what situations students made use code-switching in the classroom. The study was conducted in an English Medium Instruction at vocational tertiary level in East Java, Indonesia involving six students in the classroom observation and semi-structured interview in three content-subject classrooms. This study reported that students’ code-switching functioned for transmitting information to their peers, managing their interaction and building interpersonal relations. This study argues that code-switching is not merely done due to a language deficiency rather is an intentional strategy to make a meaningful communication. Students’ code-switching also showed a collectivist behaviour among the participants when their switching into a particular language for showing solidarity and concern to their peers.  

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