A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

Abstract

This study looks at the Tagalog-English code-switching practices of teachers and

students in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom in Los Baños National Highschool-Poblacion to

describe and analyze the functions and of teachers and students use of Taglish and

examined the pros and cons of using Tagalog English code switching in the classroom.

The English content-based classes whose discourses have been recorded and

transcribed were analyzed to determine functions of the code-switches of both the

students and the teacher. The analysis of the data reveals that students in the sample

code-switch to Taglish for an easy comprehension. It showed that the teacher allowed

Tagalog-English code-switching as an aide to students’ participation in classroom

interactions based on the recorded utterances. The study showed that code-switching

helps the students to cope up with the lesson, hence they it is evident that students

need to change their view of learning the English language beyond communication

purposes and enrich their knowledge to comprehend fluent English Language

discourses and serves it academic purposes.

A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

Introduction

Code-switching is a linguistic phenomenon that involves mixing of two or more language

varieties in one conversation or utterance (Lesada 2017). In the Philippines, a country

with a vast linguistic diversity, Taglish is a widely used code-switching system.

According to Tangco and Ricardo (2002), Taglish is “a very widespread predominantly

spoken ‘mixed’ language variety, whose phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics

have been greatly influenced by English and Tagalog” (391 from Lesada 2017). Goulet

(1971) proposes that it is the “normal acceptable conversation style of speaking and

writing” (83) throughout the Tagalog-speaking region of the Philippines.

A Sociolinguistic Approach in code-switching.

From a sociolinguistic perspective, choosing one linguistic variety over another indexes

‘the communicative context (e.g. the social status ofthe speaker or the social

relationship betweena speaker and an addressee)’ (Ochs 1990, 293). That is, code-

switching functions as a contextualization cue in bilingual conversation which is similar

to a gestural or prosodic cue in monolingual conversation,through which speakers

signal their emotions, affects, and identity (Gumperz 1982). This perspective allows

multiple interpretations of code-switching of the same languages according to its context

and the social relationship between the speakers (Zentella 1990; Heller 1992; Stroud

1992, 1998; Sebba and Wootton 1998).

Code-switching can establish a specific indexical meaning through an association

between a code and a stance (Jaffe 2007). Jaffe (2007) shows how a Corsican–French

bilingual teacher’s use of Corsican in evaluative language expresses and establishes an

A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

authoritative stance in Corsican, privileging Corsican as a language of discovery and

learning in the classroom. Similarly, Smith-Christmas (2013) applies the same

framework to analyzing adult Gaelic–English bilinguals’ code-switching and shows how

code-switching is used as a means to explicitly highlight certain stance. In the context of

education, there is a contention among educators whether the use of Taglish inside the

classroom will positively or negatively affect students’ learning process. Studies in the

Philippines and abroad show that the use of bilingualism or code-switching between the

native language and foreign language have positive outcomes in students’ performance.

In the US, a study by Cloud, Sienesse and Hamayan (2000) showed that students in

bilingual programs outperform their monolingual counterparts in analogical reasoning

ability, metalinguistic awareness, and concept formation. Another research shows that

students in bilingual programs outperform their monolingual peers in standardized

achievement tests in both languages (Howard et al 2005 from Cortez et al.).

Code-switching in the Philippines

Taglish or “Tagalog-English,” as a code switching tool, started its pervasiveness in

education when former President Ferdinand Marcos proclaimed the bilingual education

policy in the 1970s (Thompson, 2003). Before the introduction of a bilingual education,

Tagalog was taught only as a subject in the curricula. Other areas of education were

taught using English.

Today, the implementing 1987 Constitution, Article IV, Sections 6-9, has this to say:
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

Section 6. The national language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be

further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages.

Subject to the provisions of law and as the Congress may deem appropriate, the

Government shall take steps to initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as a medium of

official communication and as language of instruction in the educational system.

Section 7. For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the

Philippines are Filipino and, unless otherwise provided by law, English. The regional

languages are the auxiliary official languages and shall serve as auxiliary

media of instruction therein. Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and

optional basis.

Section 8. This constitution shall be promulgated in Filipino and English and shall be

translated into major regional languages, Arabic, and Spanish.

Section 9. The Congress shall establish a national language commission composed of

representatives of various regions and disciplines which shall undertake the, coordinate,

and promote researches for the development, propagation, and preservation of Filipino

and other languages.

And the Bilingual Education Policy of 1987 – originally promulgated in 1974 – in

particular aims for an enhanced learning through English and Filipino and the

development a bilingual nation competent in the use of both English and Filipino. A

clear separation of the use of English and Filipino in schools was made: English is to be

used as the language in teaching English, mathematics, and science while Filipino is for
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

other subjects. The only difference of the 1987 promulgation from that of 1974 is that

the latter allows for the use of major vernaculars in Grades I and II.

Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has once again highlighted (the importance

of) English by issuing Executive Order 210, an order establishing the policy to

strengthen the use of English as the language of instruction as she deemed it

necessary “to develop the aptitude, competence and proficiency of our students in the

English language to maintain and improve their competitive edge in emerging and fast-

growing local and international industries, particularly in the area of Information and

Communications Technology [ICT]”.In the Philippines, though studies have shown that

the use of Taglish facilitates learning (Martin 2006a, 2006b; Liwanag & Labor 2016),

these studies have mostly analysed discourses occurring in content-based or non-

language classes like mathematics and science. There is a lack of studies investigating

the use of Taglish in a language or ESL class, a setting that involves different

considerations for educators.

Code-switching has specific functions in social groups. Teachers and students, whether

they are aware or not, use code-switching to achieve a goal or purpose.

Mattson and Burenhult (1999) studied the functions of code-switching in a French class

and observed three functions of code-switching for teachers: topic switch, affective

functions, and repetitive functions (61). Likewise, Eldridge (1996) names four functions

of code-switching of students: equivalence, floor-holding, reiteration, and conflict control

(305-307).
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

The Present Study

The Philippines is considered a melting pot of different cultures and languages. It has

over a hundred languages and dialects that are used by the inhabitants in formal and

informal conversations. Filipinos could incorporate at least two to three languages in an

utterance (Bautista, 1989 as cited in Bautista, 1991) so switching and mixing seems to

be a “natural” communicative process. Interestingly, the Tagalog language –a major

language of Filipinos who inhabit the Luzon Island - perhaps by virtue of political and

economic reasons, appears to have made a significant impact on the code choices in

the country. This puts the Tagalog language a major contributor to the construction of

the national language in the Philippines. This seemingly dominant major language in the

Philippines will be the first language to be characterized in this study

On the other side of the coin, the English language is highly regarded in the Philippines

as shown in the number of English speakers and its evident presence in popular culture

(Bolton and Bautista, 2004). It is also the co-official language of the land (Philippine

Constitution, 1987). Since the introduction of the English language in the country

during the period of American colonization, there is an eminent use of it in formal set-

ups such as in educational institutions (Gonzales, 2004). English, too, is used in

deliberating issues, delivering news, advertising, and asserting an educational

background (Pascasio; 1984) and even as source of linguistic capital (Probyn, 2009).

Another contributing factor that reinforces the usage of the English language in the

Philippines is through the country’s legal structure. Government policies are crafted

using the English language. These government policies endorse English as the medium
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

in formal communication in Philippine educational institutions (Bolton and Bautista,

2004; Reid, 2008)

In effect of this high regard for the English language, the Filipino language, upon the

introduction of English as a formal and professional language in the country, has been

used in informal communication. Agoncillo (1990) stated that the use of the English

language was so pervasive in the Philippines that several English words already made

their way into the local language and consciousness such as in the Tagalog vocabulary:

bistik (beef steak), kendi (candy), ispiker (speaker), and many more.

Objectives

The current research aims to observe the students’ and teacher’s use of Taglish in a

naturally occurring discourse in an ESL classroom setting. It aims to:

1. Analyze the Tagalog-English code switching observed in an ESL classroom

setting in Laguna;

2. Describe the functions of the teacher’s and students’ use of Taglish;

3. Examine possible advantages and disadvantages of using Taglish in an ESL

classroom setting.
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

Data

The current study is a qualitative study wherein the researcher will observe the

students’ and teacher’s discourse in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom in Los Baños National

Highschool-Poblacion The observation will be conducted once with audio recording.

The audio recording will be transcribed, and the data will be analysed using thematic

coding and interpreted using the functions of code-switching as proposed by Mattson

and Burenhult (1999) and Eldridge (1996).

This study analyzed the Tagalog-English code-switching practices of teachers and

students in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom in Los Baños National Highschool-Poblacion to

describe and analyze the functions and of teachers and students us of Taglish and

examined the pros and cons of using Taglish in the classroom.

As for the recording, an audiotape recorder was placed either on the teacher’s table

located in front of the classroom or on the observer’s table at the back of the classroom.

There were only one of the recorders was used to record the classroom observation. Of

course, much of the quality of the recording was affected by how far the microphone

attached to the recorders was strategically located to capture the teacher’s voice, as

well as the students‟

Since it is only concerned with Tagalog-English code-switching in English language

teaching, there were, no relevant information on the teachers such as their age, sex,

educational attainment, years of teaching experienc, and the like as well as the

demography of the students were collected. The only known information about the

participants is that they all belong to same school and in the same grade level.
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

Analyzing the functions of students and teacher in Code-switching.

Discourse No. 1

Teacher: “Who’s assigned today for our power quotation?”

Student: “Ako po, Mam.” (Mam, I am)

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Teacher: How can we apply this in our daily lives? Paano nga ba no? (How can that

be?)

Student: “Mam, for me basta maging masaya ka lang whatever people will say”

(Mam, for me just be happy whatever people will say)

Discourse No. 2

Teacher: “Yesterday, I left you with an assignment, right?”

Students: “Yes Mam, meron po” (Yes mam, we have)

Teacher: Get your notebook to check and let me check who did their assignment.

Pipirmahan ko yan as a proof”. (I will sign it as a proof)

You need to look for pronouns. This is just a review, napagpagaralan niyo na ito since

Grade 7. (This is just a review; you have tackled this since you are Grade 7)

Ano nga ang pronoun in Filipino? (What is pronoun in Filipino?)

Student: Mam, Panghalip po. (Pronoun is Panghalip in Filipino)

A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

If in the implementing policy, the understanding is that teachers of the English language

should deliver instruction only in English, that students in English language classes

should use only English in their classes, and, implicitly, that English language teachers

and students of these teachers should never code-switch. Nevertheless, it is still in the

strategy of the classroom teachers how to deliver here lessons on way her students will

understand the lessons effectively.

Meanwhile, students also have their share of code-switching in class sessions. All

classes recorded at least more than one instance of code-switched utterances. Most of

their utterances contained at least one instance of code-

One of the major function of code-switching based on the data analysis is to engage

students on discussion and making it more personal for the assurance of

comprehension.

Code-switching helps both the teacher and learners to crack the barriers of an

unfamiliar language to understand the given topic all the more. It is evident that students

made a way for themselves too to secure that the learning will take place.

On the other side, teacher used to code-switch to establish that connection to the

students and teach based on their level of knowledge and eventually bring them to an

upgraded level of discourse and understanding.

A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

Examining Taglish Code switching’s advantages and disadvantages.

Situation 1:

Teacher: Today we’ll do your Monthly Reading Assessment. Read the instruction. This

is reading comprehension test you need to analyze it very carefully.

Student: Mam, ano po yung consecutive? (Mam, what is consecutive)

Teacher: Sunod-sunod. (Consecutive in Filipino is sunod-sunod)

Situation 2:

Student 1: Ano nga yung younger? (What do you mean by younger?)

Student 2: Tanong mo kay Mam. (You ask Mam)

Student 2: Eh yung fewer? (How about fewer?)

Student 2: Mas unti nga ba? (Is it something that is less of value?)

Though aware of the policy that they should deliver their English language instruction in

the target language, there were instances in the English language teachers‟ delivery of

instruction that they code-switched. On the

On the two discourses above we can see that code switching from English to Tagalog

have become students’ habit that led them violate the implementing policy. And it

affected their English Language comprehension and vocabulary. This situation needs

an extra attention for the teachers as an implementer of the curriculum on how to weigh

code switching instances, when code switched and when it will be prohibited.

Conclusion
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

Medium of communication is an important factor to consider in enhancing students’

participation and attitude in a classroom. However, proper usage of code switching must

be realized to serve both cognitive and sociological purposes. With more studies that

pertain to Taglish a pedagogical tool, there can be variations in the teacher strategies.

For the teachers to be able to maximize the participation of the students, the following

strategies are recommended:

1. Guided tolerance of Taglish in a classroom set-up because using it as a medium will

enhance the students’ performance in conveying information or messages due to its

comfort and efficiency.

2. Encourage minimal code switching pertaining on word by word translation so that

students will still have the greater chance to be proficient in oral and written discourses

in both Tagalog and English language

A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

Recommendations

Future researchers on the matter should consider the following:

1. Students’ separate proficiency in both English and Tagalog languages should be

determined using some pedagogical standards to analyze if code switching is

proficiency or deficiency driven.

2.Video cameras, aside from a sound recorder, should be used in recording the

classroom discussions because facial expressions of students are useful inputs in data

gathering. Non-verbal are equally important indicators of participation.

The study offers strong indications that code-switching with proper guidance by

teachers should not be deduced as incompetence in teaching and for the students it is

not ineffectiveness to understand because codeswitching in content subjects is a great

way to teach lesson and make the students understand. However, they need to draw an

effective boundary when to code switch and when not to secure compliance with the

implementing policy.
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

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A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL Classroom Setting…

A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Taglish Code Switching in a Grade 10 ESL

Classroom Setiing in Los Baños National Highschool-Poblacion: A Case Study

Michelle E. Gecale

2012-0866

Laguna State Polytechnic University- Los Baños

December 2019