Filipino – English Code Switching Attitudes and Practices and Their Relationship to English Academic Performance among Freshman Students of Quirino State University

Abstract

The pedagogical and communicative functions of classroom code switching has always been a controversial predicaments among multilingual nations especially along language teaching and learning contexts. This study describes the socio-linguistic phenomenon of code switching among Freshmen students of Quirino State University considering Quirino as a multi-dialectal and multi-cultural Province. This study dealt with the following objectives : (1) to determine the profile of the respondents in terms of course, gender, ethnic affiliation ;and type of high school the respondents have graduated from;( 2 ) to determine the respondents’ attitudes toward Filipino language; toward English as the second language; toward English Code-switching; and toward Code-Switchers; (3) to determine the reasons of code switching among students;(4) to assess the significant differences on the attitudes of the respondents toward code switching if they will be grouped according to their profile. (5) to determine the respondents’ academic performance in English; (6) to determine the respondents’ academic grades in their Filipino subjects; and (7) to assess the significant relationship between the respondents’ attitude toward code switching to their English academic performance.

This study is anchored with Jacoby’s Psycholinguistics theory (Jacoby, 1983): The Linguistic Priming Theory. This theory states that code switching should not be encouraged in second language classroom because: (a) code switching either by the instructor or by the learners can heighten the use of non- target forms producing deviant linguistic patterns and (b) learners are sensitive to variations in these patterns.

The researcher used questionnaires to obtain the necessary data needed including the respondents’ profiles. The respondents’ attitudes towards code switching and their grades in English subject were correlated together. Stratified random sampling was used to determine the number of respondents. The profile of the respondents as to course, gender, type of high school they graduated from; and ethnic affiliation were determined using frequency count and percentage. Mean was used to describe the attitudes of the respondents toward English as the second language; toward Filipino language; attitudes regarding Filipino - English Code-switching; toward Code-switchers; and the reasons for code switching. ANOVA and T- test were used to assess the significance difference on the attitude toward code switching when the respondents were grouped according to their profile. Chi - square test was used to correlate the respondents’ attitude toward Filipino language to their Filipino academic grades and to determine the significant relationship between the respondents’ academic English performance and their attitudes toward code switching.

The following are the highlights of the study: (1) Majority of the respondents are taking up Information Technology and Computer Science courses; females; Ilocanos and most of them were graduates from public high schools. (2) Majority of them have projected affirmative attitudes toward English language as their second language; (3) Majority of them agreed that they also preferred Filipino language as part of their linguistic practice during classroom discussions; (4) They have positive notions for code switchers because they themselves are code-switchers ,too. These have been supported with their prevailing reasons for practicing code-switching; (5) There is no significant differences on the respondents’ attitude towards code switching when they were grouped according to their gender and the type of high school they graduated from; (6) There are significant differences on their attitudes toward code switching when they were grouped according to their ethnicity and course. (7) There is significant relationship between the respondents’ English academic grades and their attitudes toward code switching; (8) there is significant relationship between their Filipino academic performance and their attitudes toward Filipino language.