The influence of Code Switching and Code Mixing on written English essays among Students in secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya

Abstract

English language in Kenyan education system has faced and still faces many challenges, with the issues usually revolving around the place and development of the local indigenous languages. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of code switching and code mixing on written English essays among students in secondary schools. The specific objectives of the study were to: describe the nature of code switching and code mixing among the selected secondary schools in Kenya, identify reasons for engagement of code switching and code mixing among students in selected secondary schools in Kenya, find out the morphological influence of code switching and code mixing on students written English essays in, establish the semantical influence of code switching and code mixing on students written English essays and lastly, to find out the syntactical influence of code switching and code mixing on students written essays. This study was based on constructivism theory developed by Jesse Delia and his associates at the University of Illinois in 1970s. The study targeted 2,424 students and 80 teachers. Out of the total population, 260 students and 24 teachers were sampled. It adopted a cross-sectional survey research design and questionnaire and written tasks were used as the principal data collection instruments. Data analysis was done using quantitative methods and the information presented in frequencies and percentages in tables and figures based on the study objectives. Data was presented descriptively and thematically based on the study objective. It is hoped that the findings of the study would go a long way to ensure that the correct language is adopted while writing essays in secondary schools to facilitate proper development of writing skills in English language. The findings established that both students and teachers use code switching and code mixing spontaneously and as a mode of learning, the learning environment needs to be created in such a way that the students are able to use consistent language both in the learning environment and in writing essays. Thus the study recommends that, teachers and other stakeholders in language education should come up with other ways of ensuring that understanding during classroom discussions and lessons are reinforced using other means other than code switching and code mixing. Use of code mixing and code switching should be limited to social contexts and environments and the same should not be carried to the academic avenue. This means that teachers and students need to develop an understanding that classroom is a formal environment and such proper languages should be used especially at the form four level, and be limited to social contexts and environments and the same should not be carried to Academic Avenue.