In an EFL or ESL context, code-switching is prevalent and common in both teachers’ teaching and students’ learning. Code-switching can be defined as the use of the first language in the second language utterance, and this phenomenon frequently occurs in bilingual and immigrant contexts. Just as Belz’s (2002, p. 61) words, code-switching refers to “the use of more than one language or code in a single stretch of discourse.” Hagen (1992) even justified code-switching as being a fundamental language skill that needs to be developed because code-switching is a normal part of interacting in multilingual situations.
As Stern (1992, p. 282) pointed out, “The L1-L2 connection is an indispensable fact of life”, and learning a new language through students’ existing language system can help the learning process to resemble the acquisition process of the mother language
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(Celik, 2003). Cook also argued that excluding the first language in language teaching goes against the natural process in students’ minds, and for this reason, to make sure that learners can learn a language cognitively, emotionally, or socially, the second language should not be isolated (Cook, 2001). Translation makes use of learners’
schema, i.e., first language, to acquire a second language, and this process is what the code-switching refers to.
It has also been recognized that in the teaching environment, teachers often use written text in the target language to teach spoken language to learners. Therefore, to translate written texts into speakers’ language is important for language learners. As Lemke (1989, p. 136) pointed out, “When we approach written text, we need to be able to do more than just decode letters to sounds.” We should have the capacity to infer the meaning from the written text and then find the equivalence of the target language, which is similar to the translation. Teachers and students translate written texts of the second language into spoken texts of the first language, which is a process that should be encouraged.
Also, teachers usually have reasons for using code-switching. Studies show that code-switching has different aims in the language teaching, and these can be divided into cognitive, affective, and classroom managing domains (Samar & Moradkhani, 2014).
According to Samar and Moradkhani (2014), the first aim could be discussed from the cognitive domain. Improving and checking students’ comprehension and avoidance of breakdowns in communication are two frequently cited reasons for using the first language. By explaining, elaborating, paraphrasing, and reiterating, teachers can evaluate students’ understanding by using students’ native language.
To further improve and monitor students’ comprehension, teachers can refine the meanings of their language by providing contextualization cues and to check students’
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understanding. Furthermore, when teaching grammar or sentence structure, technical and abstract concepts can be explained in students’ first language in order to achieve the simultaneous goals of explanation and understanding (Samar & Moradkhani, 2014).
Since it is more complicated and difficult to explain terminology in the target language, at this given time, code-switching can be observed in the classroom. It is likely that some tasks and technical terms need more elaboration from teachers (Kim & Elder, 2005), and for this reason teachers might avoid using the target language so that students’ comprehension will not be impeded (Samar & Moradkhani, 2014). Another common functional use of the code-switching is for comparing and contrasting the first language and the target language, also known as the concept of Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis which maintains that students can learn better when they are conscious of the similarities and differences between the first language and the target language (James, 1981). Stern (1992) pointed out because the first language can serve as a reference to help learners recognize differences and similarities between first and second languages, the status of the first language should not be denigrated. By comparing the two languages, translation can also be used to predict areas of difficulty that a language learner might encounter (Eckman, 1977) which Lado (1957) had in mind with his Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis that can be used to predict learners’
errors and to select items to teach. According to this logic, the new language will be easier to learn when the linguistic elements are similar to the learners’ native language and more difficult to learn when the elements are different (Lado, 1957). When teachers highlight the differences between two languages, therefore, they help students overcome difficulties and increase their retention of the target language material (Samar
& Moradkhani, 2014).
To avoid breakdowns in communication, when moving on to the next section or going back to the course, translation can help students pay attention to the course again.
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And as a form of code-switching, translation can help learners compensate for communication breakdowns (Macaro, 2001) and overcome comprehension problems.
Regarding the second of the four domains, the affective domain, code-switching has positive effects on establishing the student’s identity and stabilizing the learner’s emotions. Many scholars maintain that code-switching can promote students’ learning motivation and success as well as being able to facilitate a sense of class unity and shared identity (Addendorff, 1996; Camilleri, 1996; Dornyei & Murphey, 2003) by creating the second language identity. “Translation is an integral part of creating dual language identity texts. Translation also plays an important role in enabling bilingual and newcomer students to participate actively in instruction” (Cook, 2010). Therefore, translation, part of code-switching process is an important teaching and learning resource in the classroom. By providing learners a sense of comfort zone, proper use of translation can help them ease their learning anxiety. Translation can also encourage students to consider themselves as true language users in both languages (Cook, 2001).
Levine found that when students’ used more of their own language, they felt less anxious about the new language (Levine, 2003). Code-switching can thus ease students’
in-class anxieties, which is especially essential for low-proficiency level students. As Krashen realized long ago when students learn a new language with high level of motivation and self-confidence, a good self-ego, and a lower anxiety, they will be more likely successful in second language acquisition. Giving students’ assistance in their own language can help them “feel solidarity and overcome the stressful situations”
(Samar & Moradkhani, 2014) which usually happen in the second language classroom.
Mitchell (1988) similarly observed that using the new language all the time is too overwhelming for lower level students. When the students’ proficiency level are lower, it is common for the teacher to predominantly use the students’ own language (Duff &
Polio, 1990). And this can establish a genuine and friendly relationship with students
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(Lin, 1996).
The third, function of code-switching is classroom management. Teachers usually employ the first language to discipline students or show disapproval of their behavior (Samar & Moradkhani, 2014) to maintain discipline (Cook, 2001) and to keep control of the group (Levine, 2003).When teachers undertake classroom management, the native language is the most efficient way to show the teachers’ teaching pause and to change their focus on students’ behaviors. Not only can the first language be used to establish classroom rules, but it can also be used to praise students and to establish a cozy and friendly atmosphere (Lin, 1996). The appropriate deployment of translation strategies can give students encouragement, praise, or reproof to individual pupils (Gumperz, 1982).
Lastly, but very importantly, when learners are outside of the classroom, do they employ translation during self-study with bilingual dictionaries or when watching second language films with the first language subtitles? If they do, translation is useful in learning at any time, and it is common for them to exploit the first language or code-switching to process the meanings for the second language (Cook, 2001).
In all, translation is a moving activity which integrates the language teaching and learning process as a whole. Especially for second language learners, leaners can draw upon students’ first language, which is their innate ability, to help them communicate in the target language. Through translation, learners can convert two languages and improve learning in the long run.
Translation can not only improve a successful learning but also facilitate an effective teaching. Teachers make use of translation to help learners notice similarities and differences of two languages. Based on Interdependence Hypothesis, first language knowledge can be positively transferred during the process of second language acquisition. Teachers’ teaching can arouses leaners’ conscious awareness to
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differentiate similarities and differences of two languages. By the process of noticing, leaners activate the mechanism of code-switching to help them learning.
In Taiwan, translation is a testing method in advanced subject tests and general scholastic ability tests, which are two high-skate tests. When the translation becomes a testing method, the rater issue becomes very important.