Stakeholders’ Opinions on the use of Code Switching/ Code Mixing as Coping Strategies and its Implications for Teaching and Learning in Tanzanian Secondary Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61538/huria.v11i0.505Abstract
This paper focuses on the opinions of stakeholders on the use of code switching for teaching and learning in Tanzania secondary schools although examinations are set in English. English-Kiswahili code switching is employed intensively in the classrooms by both teachers and learners, as a coping strategy to attain meaningful learning. This practice is not permitted officially in Tanzania even though it may be the only possible strategy at the moment to move away from the difficulty faced in using English only to communicate in teaching and learning. Specifically the study used interviews, observations and documentary analysis. Major findings from the stakeholders indicate that code switching appeared to be a very natural, obvious and necessary practice. There were various reasons advanced for teachers and students code switching practices. In addition there were different manners in which the two languages were used; reasons for this are explained. Code switching was employed unsystematically despite stakeholders’ preference to use code switching. Code switching as it is used currently does not lead to competence in either Kiswahili or English. It is stressed in this paper that competence in English and Kiswahili is beneficial. It is thus recommended to improve the teaching of English and Kiswahili by using qualified language teachers. It is also recommended that multilingualism rather than bilingualism through code switching is worth encouraging and facilitating. It is important for Tanzanian students to learn several languages apart from English and Kiswahili and gain reasonable competence in them.References
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