The Effect of Language Anxiety and Proficiency on Saudi EFL Learners’ Attitudes Towards Teacher Code-Switching

Abstract

This study investigates the attitudes of Saudi EFL learners towards teacher code-switching in the classroom and explores the effect of foreign language anxiety and language proficiency on these attitudes. This mixed-methods study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative part involved the use of a self-reported questionnaire to elicit learners’ attitudes towards teacher code-switching and foreign-language anxiety. Additionally, qualitative data were collected through an open-ended question to explore learners’ perspectives on the role of teacher code-switching in the classroom. The sample comprised 146 Saudi EFL students. The findings indicated that the Saudi EFL learners generally held a positive attitude towards teacher code-switching, perceiving it as a beneficial instructional, communicative tool for language learning. Furthermore, the study revealed that foreign language anxiety had a significant effect on learners’ attitudes towards code-switching, with high-anxiety learners exhibiting more positive attitudes than low-anxiety learners in three dimensions: subject access, classroom management, and interpersonal relations. Language proficiency, however, had no significant influence on learners’ attitudes towards teacher code-switching. These findings have important pedagogical implications that could help language teachers implement code-switching as an effective instructional tool to reduce learners’ anxiety and enhance the language learning experience.