Effect of Code-Switching in Teaching Among Filipino Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

Language plays a vital role in education, serving as the primary tool for teaching, learning, and communication between teachers and students. In a multilingual country like the Philippines, teachers navigate multiple languages to ensure learners’ comprehension. One strategy widely used in classrooms is code-switching, or the alternation between two or more languages during instruction. Numerous studies have explored code-switching in English instruction; however, limited research has examined its pedagogical impact in Filipino language teaching, particularly among pre-service teachers in local colleges. Most existing studies focus on sociolinguistic aspects rather than their implications for instructional clarity and classroom management. This gap underscores the need to examine how code-switching affects teaching effectiveness in multilingual settings. This study determined how pre-service teachers at Tagoloan Community College use code-switching in teaching and its effects on instructional clarity and classroom management. It employed a descriptive research design with 82 participants using a Likert-scale survey questionnaire. Results showed a high positive impact of code-switching on teaching (M = 4.61, SD = 0.45), particularly in clarifying concepts and supporting classroom management. Findings indicate that code-switching is not merely a matter of convenience but a deliberate pedagogical choice that responds to learners’ linguistic and cognitive needs. Overall, the study affirms that code-switching is a practical and pedagogically sound strategy in preparing future teachers for multilingual classroom settings.