Instructors’ Code Switching, Use and Functions in the ESP Classes: A case Study of the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Aden

Abstract

This paper attempts to investigate the functions of instructors’ code witching in the ESP class of the first level at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Aden. This aspect is investigated through data collection through a mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) through a questionnaire, for the students and an interview, for the instructors, techniques. The study demonstrates a number of functions of code-switching used by instructors. These functions are: explaining ideas, emphasizing important ideas, giving students advice, caution, notification, and direction, clarifying speech, saving time, discussing information that could be more similar to that in Arabic, repeating messages, making difficult topics more interesting, improving students' participation, drawing students' attention, adding explanations, bridging the social gap, and filling in pauses caused by memory lapses. All of these functions are primarily strategies to meet students' communication needs for facilitating the comprehension of medical courses. This study provides a number of recommendations and suggestions to improve the quality of teaching and benefit the students and get along with the use of English as a medium of instruction.