TEACHERS’ CODE-SWITCHING IN CLASSROOM TALK: A CASE STUDY AT AN ENGLISH CENTER

Abstract

Using a first language (L1) in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) has been an intriguing topic
with scholars. Accordingly, this study explores teacher codeswitching's functions in Vietnamese online EFL
classrooms for adult learners and the factors that motivate those switches. This study adopted a qualitative
research method with a case study approach. First, the researcher asked the participant teacher to provide
video recordings. Afterwards, data was gathered from a semi-structured interview with open-ended
questions with the teacher participant and the teacher’s self-reflection on her practice of code-switching
between L1 and L2 in the recorded lessons. The findings comprise the functions the teacher code-switching
serves, including linguistic, social, and classroom-related functions. Additionally, the findings showed that
numerous factors might lead to this phenomenon. The implications of the findings were discussed.