The Impact of Discursive Practices on Second Language Learning in the Bilingual Context: An Ethnographic Study of ESL Undergraduate Classrooms

Abstract

The study explores the impact of code-switching, particularly its pragmatic and syntactic functions, on second language learning in the ESL undergraduate classrooms in the universities of Peshawar city. The objectives aimed to investigate the extent to which different categories of code-switching were used in undergraduate ESL classrooms and to explore teachers’ perceptions of code-switching in these settings. The current qualitative research employed a non-probability convenience sampling technique, selecting a sample of forty classes from five universities offering BS English programs. A two-pronged approach—classroom observations and teacher interviews—was used for data collection. The findings revealed that participants’ code-switching hampered second language acquisition in areas such as grammar, vocabulary acquisition and self-expression. Additionally, teachers held diverse views on the practice, with some advocated for it while others opposed it. It is recommended that code-switching should only occur when essential and in minimal amounts, with teachers carefully managing its use. Future research should explore other aspects of code-switching and their effects on second language learning.

       Keywords: Second language learning, ESL classrooms, code-switching, Peshawar, undergraduate