The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between MA English students’ personality traits (PT) and their attitudes toward university teachers’ code switching (CS) in Urmia, Iran. In addition to that purpose, the correlation between each sub-scale of PT, including extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience, and teachers’ CS is analyzed. Finally, the overall attitudes of MA TEFL English students toward CS behavior are discussed, as well.
To this end, 150 MA English students (70 males and 80 females) from State and Azad universities of Urmia City participated in this study. Two instruments were used for data collection: In order to measure students’ PT, the Big Five Inventory designed by John & Srivastava, 1999, was administered. Secondly, to measure students’ attitudes toward teachers’ CS, the questionnaire developed by Mingfa Yoa (2011) was used.
According to the results, no significant relationship was found between the PT of students and their attitudes toward teachers’ CS. Furthermore, there was no significant relationship between students' PT and their attitudes toward CS regarding the five sub-scales of PT. The findings of the study indicate that the majority of students have similar attitudes toward the CS phenomenon. Their overall attitudes were positive toward teachers’ CS, and the majority of students agreed with CS in EFL settings. As a result, it was revealed that CS is an acceptable behavior in the EFL context from MA TEFL students’ perspectives.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Purpose of the Study
3. Statement of the Problem
4. Methodology
4.1 Participants
4.2 The Description of Participants in Term of PT
4.3 Data Collection Instruments
5. Procedure of the Study
6. Research Design
7. Data Analysis
8. Results
8.1 The Relationship between the Students’ Extroversion Sub-scale of PT and their Attitudes toward CS
8.2 The Relationship between the Students’ Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness Sub-scales of PT and their Attitudes toward CS
8.3 The Overall Attitudes of Students toward CS Regarding their Gender
9. Discussion
9.1 The Relationship between the Five Main Sub-scales of Students’ PT and their Attitudes toward CS
9.2 The Relationship between the Students’ PT and their Attitudes toward CS Regarding Gender
9.3 Overall Attitudes of Students toward CS Regarding their Gender
10. Conclusion
Research Objectives & Topics
This study aims to investigate the potential correlation between the personality traits (PT) of MA English students and their specific attitudes toward university teachers' code-switching (CS) behavior within the EFL context of Urmia, Iran.
- The relationship between the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness) and attitudes toward code-switching.
- The influence of student gender on the acceptance of code-switching in language classrooms.
- The evaluation of students' general attitudes toward the pedagogical use of code-switching in EFL settings.
- The identification of effective classroom communication strategies from the learners' perspectives.
Excerpt from the Book
Introduction
Nowadays, learning English is considered as a necessity almost all around the world (Hamers & Blanc, 2000), and the ability to communicate in English as an international Language (Sharifian, 2009) or global Language (Crystal, 2003) has turned into one of the significant objectives of people for different reasons. As a result, English is the distinguished language of the contemporary century in the variety of subjects throughout the world (Crystal, 2003).
Since English is an international language, there is a big trend among people to learn English as a second language (SL/L2) or foreign language (FL) for a variety of reasons, respectively (Crystal, 2003; McKay, 2002). With regard to English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts, Richards and Schmidt (2013) clarified that EFL context refers to a setting in which people learn English in a formal setting without any contact with the target language (TL) outside, while in ESL context, English is routinely used in daily life. Iran is one of the countries where English is learned as a foreign language. In fact, it is not only the foreign language in schools (Rahimi & Eftekhari, 2011) but also the medium of instruction in university (Khajavi & Abbasian, 2011).
In EFL or ESL contexts, there are some situations that speakers may combine some or more segments of first language (L1) and L2 together for several possible reasons. As Hamers and Blanc (2000) stated, the combination of linguistic items between L1 and L2 are the concern of many researchers who deal with the issue of CS phenomenon in bilingualism contexts. According to Trudgill (2000), switching among speakers is a means to handle the situation as they prefer, and to convey a subtle difference in or shade of meaning in their interaction.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the context of English language learning globally and specifically in Iran, while defining code-switching as a prevalent phenomenon in bilingual settings.
Purpose of the Study: Outlines the research intent to analyze the connection between student personality traits and their attitudes toward teacher code-switching.
Statement of the Problem: Discusses the ongoing pedagogical debate regarding the use of L1 in L2 classrooms and identifies gaps in current research regarding individual differences.
Methodology: Describes the selection of 150 MA TEFL students and the administration of the Big Five Inventory and Mingfa Yoa's (2011) questionnaire.
Procedure of the Study: Details the random sampling method, the pilot study conducted for instrument validation, and the data collection process in Urmia universities.
Research Design: Explains the quantitative, ex post facto correlational design utilized to analyze non-causal variables.
Data Analysis: Details the use of SPSS 21 and non-parametric Spearman correlation tests to evaluate the non-normally distributed data.
Results: Reports the statistical findings, demonstrating no significant correlation between any of the five sub-scales of PT and attitudes toward code-switching, while highlighting overall positive student attitudes.
Discussion: Compares the current study's findings with existing literature, noting inconsistencies with some previous research and alignment with others regarding the acceptability of code-switching.
Conclusion: Summarizes that code-switching serves as a valuable facilitator in the classroom and recommends its sensible use by teachers to support student comprehension.
Keywords
personality traits, MA students, attitudes, code switching, university teachers, Iran, EFL, Big Five Inventory, language learning, bilingualism, teacher-student interaction, sociolinguistics, pedagogy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The study focuses on the relationship between MA English students' personality traits and their attitudes toward the code-switching behavior of their university teachers in EFL settings.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The core themes include code-switching as a pedagogical tool, the Big Five personality model, individual differences in language learning, and students' perceptions of L1 use in university classrooms.
What is the core research question?
The study primarily asks whether there is a significant relationship between the five sub-scales of students' personality traits and their attitudes toward code-switching, as well as how gender influences these attitudes.
What scientific methodology was utilized?
The researcher employed a quantitative, ex post facto correlational design, using the Big Five Inventory and an attitude questionnaire, analyzed through non-parametric Spearman correlation tests.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical background of code-switching, the description of participants, statistical data analysis of personality sub-scales, and a discussion of findings compared to prior studies.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include personality traits, code-switching, EFL context, MA students, and language attitudes.
Did the study find a significant correlation between personality and code-switching attitudes?
No, the results showed no statistically significant relationship between any of the five sub-scales of the Big Five personality traits and the students' attitudes toward code-switching.
What was the general sentiment of students regarding code-switching?
The majority of students (over 85%) expressed positive attitudes toward teacher code-switching, viewing it as a beneficial tool for classroom communication and comprehension.
How does this study compare to the work of Dewaele and Li (2014)?
The findings are generally inconsistent with those of Dewaele and Li, who reported stronger links between personality traits and code-switching attitudes, whereas this study found no such correlation.
What is the author's final conclusion?
The author concludes that code-switching is a valuable, acceptable pedagogical tool in Iranian EFL contexts, provided teachers use it sensibly to clarify information without hindering language progress.
- Citation du texte
- Ismail Baniadam (Auteur), 2018, Code Switching. The Relationship between personality traits and attitudes toward switching behaviour, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/429168
