Code switching as displayed by the teachers in the classroom of the English Department of Widya Mandala Catholic University

Practically, every Indonesian is bilingual as he or she speaks one vernacular (local language) and Indonesian. Moreover in the field of education, the educated people may speak more than two languages. Therefore, they have the tendency to switch to other codes or languages. This study examines: (1) what languages are mainly code switched by the teachers when they are conveying the lessons in the classroom and (2) why the teachers switch from one code to another. The theories underlying this thesis are Sociolinguistics, Bilingualism, and Code Switching. As every person is bilingual, therefore; he or she tends to switch to another code influenced by social factors i.e who is the speaker, what is the topic, why is the topic delivered, where, and when the conversation takes place. Using a tape recorder (Casio), the writer records three speeches (all of them are in formal situations), then transcribes and analyzes them under given parameters (such as The languages used, Setting and Scene, Participants, Ends, Act sequences, Key, Instrumentalities, and Norms). Based on the data analyzed, it is found out that the languages mostly code switched are first English and Indonesian, second Indonesian and Javanese. This order shows the degree of their occurances and frequency from the most to the least. The main reason that make the teachers switch their codes are (1) to clarify their messages, (2) to make a joke/to make the situation less formal and relaxing, (3) to communicate with their students, and (4) to change the topic. There are other factors that play an important role in the code switching process: (1) personal emotions of the speakers who switch their codes. In other words, the speakers cannot control their English consistently when they are rather upset and it leads them to change the topic, (2) the fact of being bilinguals also make the teachers feel free to switch their codes during the speeches especially they have a close relationship with their students (3) the other parameters also influence the existence of code switching. This is a preliminary study of the code switching which exists in the classroom where English is still learnt as a foreign language; it is far from perfect. There are many shortcomings in terms of scope, instruments and techniques of data analysis. Therefore, it is suggested that: (a) future research of code switching be done, use more sophisticated instruments and more varied data (b) more languages to be used to deliver lessons in the classes is a great help as the students indirectly got some new vocabularies. Therefore, it is proper to be carried out