Philippine E-Journals

The Effects of Code-switching to the Communicative Competence of 21st Century Learners: A Case Study

Nhel Pauline G. De Castro | Geralden P. Parajito | John Michael B. Realco | Jose Ronilo C. Dacara

 

Abstract:

Code-switching (CS) is a perennial socio-linguistic phenomenon used in communication that has been present in bilingual countries like the Philippines. With this, the researchers aimed to determine the effects of code-switching on the communicative competence of 21st century learners in speaking English. A standardized speaking activity was administered to 30 participants from a HUMSS section in Higher School ng UMak (HSU) and the activity was recorded, transcribed and analyzed. Eventually, the transcriptions, along with an analytic rubric, were sent to the inter-raters to grade the learners’ level of communicative competence in speaking English. The results revealed that tag-switching was the most frequently used type of CS and aiding the lack of register was its main function in speaking then followed by habitual experience. Moreover, the learners’ communicative competence in speaking English was rated and classified as somewhat effective. Finally, the researchers proved that there is a negative significant relationship between the learners’ use of different types of code- switching and their level of communicative competence in speaking English. This concludes that expressing ideas through code-switching negatively affected the learners’ communicative competence in speaking English. The more frequent they code-switch, the lower the level of their communicative competence becomes. Therefore, teachers and students should yearn to minimize CS and to attain proficiency and fluency in English through different activities, exercises, and policies to be able to achieve higher communicative competence.