Code Switching As Language Acquiring StrategyBackground and
Code Switching As Language Acquiring Strategy
Background and rationale
Control processes are what govern speech comprehension and production. In most cases, code-switching has been utilized by language speakers to achieve a particular objective, and in most cases, code-switching is influenced by recurrent demands dictated by the context of interaction (Auer, 2013). The globe is tremendously changing and given the fact that it is becoming a global village, learning foreign language especially international ones like English, Spanish, French and even mandarin is growing inevitable.
In the course of the conversation, it is necessary to decide on a particular code and change between various languages by either code-mixing or code-switching. In some instances, when multilingual or bilingual people converse, their first language influences them to a greater extent yet there is a way to control the first language’s influence. For the people, not very conversant with international foreign languages, cognitive control of code-switching may be the most effective way of enhancing their understanding of foreign languages. Myers?Scotton (2017) states that most monolingual speakers view multilingualism as unimportant as they fail to understand the real essence of multilingualism or bilingualism in real life and this has been found to be the primary holding back factor against them developing interests in learning foreign languages.
Aims and Objectives
The primary objective of this research is to understand the more excellent details of how cognitive code-switching may be utilized as a strategy for enhancing multilingualism. Other goals to be satisfied by this research include; determine the perception the community has towards code-switching and the impact of code-switching on learning foreign languages.
Research questions
Research questions that are aimed at guiding this research include;
a. What is the impact of cognitive code-switching on conversations?
b. What perceptions do the people have on code-switching and learning foreign languages?
c. What influence does code-switching have on learning foreign languages?
Theoretical framework and methodological approach
The focus for the research revolves around institutions of higher learning in China, explicitly selecting Chinese students. The main reason behind the selection of this group of people is the exposure they have gained in foreign languages that have molded their unique view of the society, politics and ethic portions of the different people in China.
Data collection, analysis, and discussion are the major considerate activities to be undertaken for the research to be complete. The primary source of data would be reviews from literature and the responses made by the study sample of 100 students selected randomly from Chinese students in institutions of higher learning within the country.
The principal method of data collection to be utilized for the research is questionnaires with standardized Likert scale format. The scale comprises of indexes labeled 1-5. Where 1- strongly agree, 2- agree, 3- undecided, 4- disagree, 5- strongly disagree. Instructions ought to be offered before the respondents are included in the research to ensure that validity is observed.
The main collaboration deemed essential in this research is support from the languages department of the university. The lecturers and other stakeholders in the department are considered the main consultants in this case and their support would be highly appreciated.
On matters ethics, safeguarding the respondent’s information, using the data for the right intended purpose and seeking informed consent before incorporating respondents into the research would be the key factors to consider.
Analytic discussion of scholarly research to date
The issue of cognitive code-switching has been the focus for most researchers recently, and this may be as a result of the increased intercultural interaction being experienced all over the globe currently. Thanks to contributions by Shana Poplack and Carol Myers-Scottons contributions in the area of linguistic code-switching as their models form the basis for most researches in the sector and formation of strategies that facilitate second language acquisition. The research apart from contributing to the literature in the sector, also play a role in the coining of strategies that aim at effectively utilizing cognitive code-switching in learning foreign languages.
References
Auer, P. (Ed.). (2013). Code-switching in conversation: Language, interaction and identity. Routledge. Retrieved from http://catalogtxtgin.info/peter-auer-code-switching-in-conversation-language-interaction-and-identitypdf-archive-gin-book.pdf
Myers?Scotton, C. (2017). Code?switching. The handbook of sociolinguistics, 217-237.