Between Policy and Practice: English Teachers’ Challenges and Functions of Code-switching in Tertiary EFL Classrooms

Abstract

Many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms operate under English-only policies to maximise students’ exposure to the target language. However, these policies often present challenges for teachers, especially when students struggle with comprehension. Therefore, this study investigates how and why tertiary EFL teachers use code-switching despite institutional English-only policies. Data were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with twelve teachers at a private university in China. This study found that teachers’ code-switching practices served discourse functions, including reiteration, message qualification, quotation, addressee specification, and personalisation versus objectivisation. Two key themes emerged regarding the reasons for code-switching: students’ challenges related to language acquisition, learning motivation and limited engagement; and teachers’ challenges concerning their own English expressions (proficiency), classroom management and interaction. These findings suggest that teachers’ code-switching practices are shaped by a range of classroom challenges, many of which stem from an exam-oriented learning environment. This study underscores the need to provide training programs that address teachers’ code-switching practices, particularly in EFL contexts where exam-driven approaches and limited pedagogical support prevail.