LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 26:4 April 2026
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Selvi M. Bunce, M.A., Ed.D.
         Nathan Mulder Bunce, M.A., Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Honorary Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

Celebrate India!
Unity in Diversity!!

HOME PAGE

Click Here for Back Issues of Language in India - From 2001

Poetic Encounter
Available in https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09TT86S4T

Poems
Naked: the honest musings of two brown women
Available in https://www.amazon.in

Decrees
Available in https://www.amazon.com

BOOKS FOR YOU TO READ AND DOWNLOAD FREE!

REFERENCE MATERIALS

BACK ISSUES

  • E-mail your articles and book-length reports in Microsoft Word to languageinindiaUSA@gmail.com.

  • PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES GIVEN IN HOME PAGE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LIST OF CONTENTS.

  • Your articles and book-length reports should be written following the APA, MLA, LSA, or IJDL Stylesheet.

  • The Editorial Board has the right to accept, reject, or suggest modifications to the articles submitted for publication, and to make suitable stylistic adjustments. High quality, academic integrity, ethics and morals are expected from the authors and discussants.

Copyright © 2025
M. S. Thirumalai

Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
11249 Oregon Circle
Bloomington, MN 55438
USA
Custom Search

Breaking the Silence: Teachers' Code-Switching as a Sociolinguistic and Pedagogical Strategy for Reducing Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety in Multilingual EFL Classrooms

Md. Abu Abdullah

Abstract

Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) remains a major barrier to effective communication in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, particularly in multilingual and resource-constrained contexts such as Bangladesh. This study investigates the role of teacher code-switching (CS)?the strategic use of both English (L2) and Bangla (L1)?as a pedagogical and sociolinguistic tool for reducing speaking anxiety and enhancing classroom participation. Adopting a convergent mixed-methods design, data were collected from 200 undergraduate students and 14 English instructors across seven National University-affiliated colleges in Bangladesh. Quantitative data were obtained through a modified Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), while qualitative insights were gathered via semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The findings reveal that strategic code-switching significantly reduces learners? anxiety, improves comprehension, and increases willingness to communicate. Furthermore, CS functions as an affective scaffold that lowers psychological barriers and fosters a supportive learning environment. However, excessive reliance on L1 may limit target language exposure. Based on the findings, the study proposes the S.A.F.E. Model, a balanced bilingual pedagogical framework that integrates strategic language use, affective support, and sustained exposure to English. The study contributes to the growing body of research advocating flexible multilingual pedagogies in global EFL contexts.

Keywords: Code-switching, Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety, EFL, Multilingual classrooms, Bangladesh, Sociolinguistics, Bilingual pedagogy

Introduction

English has emerged as a global lingua franca, playing a central role in academic, professional, and socio-economic mobility worldwide (Crystal, 2003; Graddol, 2006). In multilingual societies, particularly in developing countries, proficiency in English is often associated with access to better educational and employment opportunities (Erling et al., 2012; Hamid, 2011). Despite its importance, learners in many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts continue to struggle with speaking skills, largely due to psychological barriers such as Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) (Horwitz et al., 1986; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1994).

In Bangladesh, this challenge is particularly evident within the National University (NU) system, which serves a large population of students from Bangla-medium backgrounds. These learners often experience linguistic insecurity, limited exposure to English, and an examination-oriented classroom culture that discourages active communication (Hamid & Baldauf, 2008; Sultana, 2012). As a result, many classrooms remain characterized by silence, hesitation, and low participation. In Bangladesh, this challenge is particularly evident within the National University (NU) system, which serves a large population of students from Bangla-medium backgrounds. These learners often experience linguistic insecurity, limited exposure to English, and an examination-oriented classroom culture that discourages active communication (Hamid & Baldauf, 2008; Sultana, 2012). As a result, many classrooms remain characterized by silence, hesitation, and low participation.

While previous pedagogical reforms have emphasized communicative language teaching, relatively little attention has been paid to the affective dimensions of language learning. In particular, the role of classroom language practices in shaping learners' emotional experiences remains underexplored. One such practice is teacher code-switching (CS), defined as the strategic alternation between the target language (English) and the learners' first language (Bangla) (Cook, 2001; Macaro, 2005).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Md. Abu Abdullah
M.A. in ELT, M.A. in Literature, M.G.S.
Assistant professor
Department of English
National University Bangladesh Affiliated
Panchrukhi Begum Anowara Degree College
Araihazar, Narayanganj, Bangladesh
Email: abdullahmdabu@gmail.com

Custom Search
  • Click Here to Go to Creative Writing Section

  • Send your articles
    as an attachment
    to your e-mail to
    languageinindiaUSA@gmail.com.
  • Please ensure that your name, academic degrees, institutional affiliation and institutional address, and your e-mail address are all given in the first page of your article. Also include a declaration that your article or work submitted for publication in LANGUAGE IN INDIA is an original work by you and that you have duly acknowledged the work or works of others you used in writing your articles, etc. Remember that by maintaining academic integrity we not only do the right thing but also help the growth, development and recognition of Indian/South Asian scholarship.