Code-Switching English and Thai Used by Intensive English Program Primary School Students

Abstract

This research study examines the types and functions of code-switching observed in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes among Thai students enrolled in an Intensive English Program Primary school. Through the use of video-recording and semi-structured interviews, a purposively selected group of seven fifth-grade students were analyzed. The findings reveal four types of code-switching: extra-sentential switching, tag switching, inter-sentential switching, and intra-sentential switching, Furthermore, six functions of code switching emerged: referential, expressive, directive, phatic, metalinguistic, and poetic (The latter not being present in this particular study). The study concludes that code-switching plays a pivotal role in fostering diverse and meaningful interactions within the classroom, serving various essential purposes.