An analysis of the use of code-switching as a teaching strategy in the L2 Spanish classroom

Resumen

This study focuses on the practical effects of the use of code-switching as a teaching strategy in the L2 classroom. Specifically, it investigates the attitudes of language educators and students toward its use in the L2 classroom and it verifies its effectiveness as a teaching strategy. Linguistic attitudes were tested through an anonymous online survey, while the effectiveness of code-switching was tested during two practice-oriented assessments. According to previous studies, code-switching is beneficial to L2 learners because it enhances the learning experience by making it less of a cognitive burden. The findings of this study, namely ambivalent attitudes toward code-switching and improved final scores after its strategic use during assessments, contribute to the larger pool of studies confirming the positive effects of strategic use of L1 in the L2 classroom.