Universidad de Manila

College of Education
Manila

Code-Switching Challenges: The L1 and L2 Dilemma for English Majors

An Action Research in
Language, Culture and Society

Submitted by:
1st year BSED English 12

BONGALAN, Rhea May

MACA, Abigail Ann
REMANDO, Cynthia
TADURAN, Stephany Jill
VILLAFLOR, Andrew Oliver

Submitted to:
Joycel Vincent V. Dabalos
Course Instructor

Second Semester, AY 2024-2025

May 31, 2025

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 Abstract

This action research focuses on the real challenges faced by first-year BSEd English
majors at Universidad de Manila when switching between their first language (Filipino) and
second language (English) during academic activities. As future English teachers, students are
expected to use English in classroom discussions and major subjects. However, many still
struggle to express themselves fully in English, often switching back to Filipino without realizing
it. This difficulty is made more intense by the English-only policy followed in most English
major classes, which, while helpful in theory, can feel overwhelming for students who are more
used to speaking Filipino at home or in daily life.

To better understand this issue, the researchers conducted a survey among five English
majors. Results showed that most of them found it hard to stick to English during class and often
slipped back into Filipino. In response, a seminar titled “Level-Up L2!: Improving English
Fluency Through Structured Video-Based Practice Activities” was created. The seminar included
video-based listening, vocabulary, speaking, and shadowing activities to help students become
more confident and fluent in using English.

After the seminar, students shared that they felt more aware of their code-switching
habits and more confident in speaking English. This study shows that short, engaging, and
supportive activities can make a real difference in helping students adjust to using English more
naturally. It reminds us that learning a language takes time, practice, and encouragement—and
that small steps can lead to meaningful progress in becoming better English speakers and future
educators.​

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I. Introduction

The Philippines is a linguistically diverse country, with over different languages spoken
across the islands (Subhadrabandhu, 2023). This rich multilingual environment deeply affects
how language is used in educational settings, especially with teaching profession courses who
are majoring in English. Code-switching is commonly observed among individuals in
multilingual countries, particularly among those learning or mastering a second language that is
widely used or required at the national level (Myers-Scotton, 2006). It is the process of shifting
from one language to another, depending on the social context or conversational setting
(Morrison, 2025). The Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English program strongly
practices the student’s fluency in the language required in the curriculum by requiring their
student to speak using the English Language on academic activities inside the classroom (Burns,
2010). As part of the national education policy, this practice is used by more than just English
majors. English is widely used as the medium of instruction across various academic disciplines
in the Philippines, not just for English majors, but also for students in other fields like science,
math, and social studies (Republic Act No. 12027, 2024).

English majors tend to engage in code-switching more frequently, as consistent use of the
language is expected and emphasized throughout their training. Therefore, they often experience
difficulties when shifting between their first language (L1) and second language (L2),
particularly in academic contexts. This challenge tends to get more difficult because of the
English-only policy implemented in the classroom by most of the professors, especially major
subjects, which is a core requirement of the BSEd English curriculum. It is intended to help
students become more fluent and confident in using English, it can also make them feel
overwhelmed–almost like experiencing culture shock–especially because most of the student’s
language at home is Filipino.

The concept in the book One Speaker, Two Languages: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives
on Code-Switching edited by Lesley Milroy and Pieter Muysken focuses on Code-Switching in
the Classroom. In the 1970s and early 1980s, many researchers focused on how two languages
were used in classrooms. According to Legaretta (1979) and Wong Fillmore (1980) analyzed not
just classroom talk, but also compared this with student test scores to see which methods were

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more effective. Milk (1981) and Guthrie (1984) focused less on how much of each language was
used. Zentella’s Study (1981) observed two bilingual classrooms in New York where both
teachers and students were of Puerto Rican origin. One teacher switched between English and
Spanish 127 times in 8 hours; another only 26 times. Zentella found that switching wasn’t
random—it helped manage classroom tone, soften criticism, or make small comments. These
switches served clear pragmatic functions. Lin’s Study (1988, 1990): Conducted in Hong Kong,
Lin recorded English lessons in Chinese-medium schools and found that teachers used Cantonese
in patterned ways—to explain difficult grammar and then switch back to English to review.
Students also used Cantonese to make the class feel more casual, while teachers returned to
English to signal formality and control. Auer (1990) and Gumperz (1982) argued that
code-switching does much more than that. It acts like punctuation in speech: signaling tone,
mood, emphasis, or changes in classroom activity.

The concept of Bilingualism edited by Jubin Abutalebi and Harald Clahsen focuses on
the influence of cross-speaker code-switching and language ability on inhibitory control in
bilingual children. The ease with which bilingual speakers switch between their languages seems
like an astounding feat of mental agility, and yet in children, code-switching (use of two
languages in discourse) is often perceived to signal lapses in language control (Giesbers,
Reference Giesbers, Kroon, Liebrand and Cheshire1989). Green and Abutalebi (Reference Green
and Abutalebi2013) define bilingual language control as the ability to effectively maintain
separation between languages and relate language control to domain-general cognitive control.
Their Adaptive Control Hypothesis (ACH; Green & Abutalebi, Reference Green and
Abutalebi2013) states that bilinguals are faced with extra cognitive demand as compared to
monolinguals due to the presence of multiple languages, and thus they regularly practice
domain-general cognitive control to manage their language use. Given this hypothesis, studies
linking language control to domain-general cognitive control should find a positive correlation,
such that bilinguals who demonstrate better language control demonstrate better cognitive
control skills. In past studies, language control has been operationalized in terms of
code-switching (Soesman et al., Reference Soesman, Walters and Fichman2022).

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 Yet, if we consider code-switching to be a natural aspect of bilingual behavior (Cheng &
Butler, Reference Cheng and Butler1989), it is unclear whether increased or decreased rates of
switching would reflect language control. Additionally, one must consider what types of
code-switching, if any, reflect language control. Code-switching can take numerous forms, such
as intersentential code-switching, where a bilingual uses different language from utterance to
utterance; intrasentential code-switching, where a bilingual mixes their languages within an
utterance (i.e., “look at the \[English] perro \[Spanish]”); and cross-speaker code-switching,
where a bilingual responds in a different language than the one used by the interlocutor. Different
types of code-switches may be grounded in distinct strategies and control mechanisms. For
example, increased rates of intra sentential switching have been linked to lower levels of
language-specific proficiency (Ribot & Hoff, Reference Ribot and Hoff2014; Green et al.,
Reference Greene, Peña and Before 2013; Kapantzoglou et al., Reference Kapantzoglou, Brown,
Cycyk and Fergadiotis2021) but not to lower levels of cognitive control skills, while higher rates
of cross-speaker switches have been linked to lower broad language skills (Gutiérrez-Clellen et
al., Reference Gutiérrez-Clellen, Cereijido and Leone2009), and to lower cognitive control skills
(Kuzyk et al., Reference Kuzyk, Friend, Severdija, Zesiger and Poulin-Dubois2020). The vast
majority of prior studies has used laboratory-based switching paradigms to study adult
bilinguals; few have tested switching in naturalistic discourse to examine links between linguistic
and cognitive control in children. The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship
between language control and cognitive control in Spanish-English bilingual children. We tested
how children’s omnibus language ability and language control, as defined by frequency of
cross-speaker code-switches in a naturalistic, play-based interaction with their bilingual parent,
predicts their domain-general inhibitory control skills.

The concept of Challenges of Computational Processing of Code-Switching by Özlem

Çetinoglu, Sarah Schulz, and Ngoc Thang Vu (IMS, University of Stuttgart, Germany) focuses
on challenges of Natural Language Processing (NLP) on non-canonical multilingual data in
which two or more languages are mixed. It refers to code-switching which has become more
popular in our daily life and therefore obtains an increasing amount of attention from the
research community. The data includes mixing of two or more languages, which finds more
place in the Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks over the last few years.

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 This changing picture induces its own challenges as well. The analysis of mixed
language is not a new field, and has been extensively studied from several sociological and
linguistic aspects (Poplack, 1980; Myers-Scotton, 1993; Muysken, 2000; Auer and Wei, 2007;
Bullock and Toribio, 2012). This has also brought different perspectives on the definition and
types of mixed language. Switching between sentences (inter-sentential) is distinguished from
switching inside of one sentence (intra-sentential). Poplack (1980) defines code-switching as ‘the
alternation of two languages within a single discourse, sentence or constituent’. Muysken (2000)
avoids this term arguing that it suggests alternation but not insertion, and prefers code-mixing for
intra-sentential switching. Myers-Scotton (1993) employs the cover term code-switching for the
use of two languages in the same conversation, sentence, or phrase. In this paper we use
code-switching (CS) as a cover term for all types of mixing.

The terminology is still controversial among researchers, but there is no doubt that all
types pose challenges for computational systems built with monolingual data. Computational
approaches in the analysis of CS data are quite recent as compared to linguistic studies. The first
theoretical framework to parse code-switched sentences dates back to the early 1980s (Joshi,
1982), yet few studies are done in the 2000s (Goyal et al., 2003; Sinha and Thakur, 2005; Solorio
and Liu, 2008a; Solorio and Liu, 2008b). With the beginning of the last decade, this picture has
changed due to increasingly multicultural societies and the rise of social media. Supported with
the introduction of annotated data sets on several language pairs, different tasks are applied on
CS data. The characteristics of mixed data affect tasks in different ways, sometimes changing the
definition (e.g. in language identification, the shift from document-level to word-level),
sometimes by creating new lexical and syntactic structures (e.g. mixed words that consist of
morphemes from two different languages).

Thus, it is clear that mixed data calls for dedicated tools tailored to the specific problems
and contexts encountered. In order to take these specialties into account, these different cases
have to be understood. This way, differences in techniques for monolingual and mixed language
processing can be unfolded to yield good results. In this paper, we view CS processing from a
variety of perspectives, and discuss the unique challenges that one encounters. We redesign NLP
tasks under the assumption that the data contains more than one language.

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 For tasks that are studied more compared to others we compile approaches taken by
previous work. Examples from different language pairs highlight the challenges, supporting the
need for awareness about the nature of mixed data for successful automatic processing.

This action research explores the code-switching challenges encountered by BSEd English
majors when shifting between their first language (L1) and second language (L2), particularly in
subjects that require English-only communication. Specifically, this study seeks to answer the
following research questions:

Research Questions:
1.​ What challenges do English majors face when shifting between their first language (L1)
and second language (L2) in academic settings?
2.​ How does limited English vocabulary affect English majors' ability to express their ideas
clearly in academic discussions?
3.​ How often do students unconsciously shift back to L1 during academic discussions or
recitations?
4.​ How often does the students feel pressure from the English-only policy affect English
majors' confidence to speak in academic settings?

II. Methodology

​ This action research employed a qualitative approach, supported by quantitative data

collection through surveys, to explore and address students’ difficulties in code-switching from
their first language (L1) to their second language (L2), with a particular focus on vocabulary
development through multimedia activities. The method was chosen to focus on gaining
understanding and opinions of respondents because the Qualitative Method gathers participants'
experiences, perceptions, and behavior to explore and provide deeper insights into the problem
facing by the participants (Tenny, J. Brannan, & G. Brannan, 2022). In order to prove the
existence of the research problem, the researchers used Google Forms in order to conduct survey
questions containing open-ended qualitative inquiries that are based on the research problem.

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The survey was conducted among five respondents from the Bachelor of Secondary Education
major in English, Section 12, at Universidad de Manila.

The results of the initial survey confirm that the problem of code-switching among
English majors exists. Graph result below:

​ The first response chart presents evidence confirming the existence of the general
problem addressed in this study. One (1) participant shared that they often switch back to
Filipino unconsciously, even when required to speak in English in class. This emphasizes the
automatic nature of code-switching when students are not fully confident or fluent in L2. One (1)
participant expressed that nervousness and lack of confidence stop them from using English,
even when they know the right words, showing that fear of making mistakes can affect how they
speak. Another participant (1) said that they are feeling pressured by the strict English-only
policy which shows that strict language rules can make students uncomfortable and less willing
to participate. The fourth participant expressed that limited vocabulary leads students to
unintentionally use Filipino words when they cannot think of the appropriate English term.
Lastly, the Fifth participant shared that making mistakes in front of classmates makes them
hesitant to speak English during group work or discussions.

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 The next step of confirming the existence of the research problem involved a follow up
series of Likert-Scale Survey related to the three specific research questions of the study. The
first set of surveys is the frequency of code-switching from L1 to L2 with three (3)
items/statements. Graph results below:​

The first statement, “I often switch to Filipino without realizing it during class
discussions,” a majority with three (3) participants responded with “Often”, and two (2)
participants answered “Always” which indicates that unconscious code-switching is a common
occurrence. In the second statement, "I start speaking in English, but end up finishing my
thought in Filipino," a majority of four (4) respondents answered “Often” and one (1) respondent
answered “Always” proving the difficulty of maintaining English throughout their responses.
The last statement, “I code-switch more often when I’m trying to explain something difficult in
class.” Most of the participants (4) answered “Always” and one (1) remaining participant
answered “Often” confirming that language complexity prompts students to revert to their first
language.

The results of this survey further supported the presence of code-switching challenges
among the participants, confirming that involuntary or situational code-switching is a frequent
behavior among English majors. This tendency is especially evident during academic
discussions, where students often shift back to their first language.

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​ The second part of the Likert-Scale Survey is related to the second specific research
question of the study with the use of the words “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree.” It
focuses on the difficulties related to limited English vocabulary. Graph result below:​

​ In the first statement, “I sometimes struggle to express my thoughts in English because I

lack the right words,” the majority of five (5) participants responded “Strongly Agree”
confirming that they struggle to express their thoughts in English due to a lack of the right words.
In the second statement, “Limited vocabulary affects my confidence when I participate in class
discussions,” a majority of four (4) participants responded “Strongly Agree” while the other one
(1) remaining participant responded “Agree” still confirming that limited vocabulary negatively
affects their confidence during class discussions, which may lead to reduced participation and
hesitation when using English. Lastly, for “I switch to Filipino when I can’t find the English term
that fits my idea.” has the same result with the second statement, four (4) participants responded
“Strongly Agree” while the remaining one (1) participant Agreed. The last statement shows that
the students often switch to Filipino when they cannot find the appropriate English term to
convey their ideas.

​ The results from the second part of the Likert-Scale Survey, which focused on difficulties
related to limited English vocabulary, confirmed that vocabulary limitations significantly affect
students’ ability to maintain English-only communication and are a key contributor to the
code-switching challenges they experience in academic settings.

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​ The last part of the Likert-Scale Survey titled, “Enforcement of English Only Policy”
addressed the impact of the English-only policy on students' comfort and participation in class.
Graph result below: ​

​ The first statement, “English-only policy makes me feel uncomfortable expressing my

ideas,” three (3) participants answered “Often” while the two (2) answered “Always,”
confirming that the policy creates a sense of discomfort that limits expression. In the second
statement, "It sometimes stops me from joining class activities," a majority of four (4)
participants responded “Often” and the remaining one (1) answered “Always,” showing that the
policy can discourage active participation. Lastly, for "I worry more about making mistakes in
English when the English-only policy is enforced," three (3) responded “Always” and the other
two (2) selected “Often” which indicates that the rule increases fear of making errors.

​ These results confirm that the strict enforcement of English-only communication

contributes significantly to students’ hesitation, reduced involvement, and heightened pressure in
academic interactions. This pressure can lead to increased anxiety, discouraging them from
participating in discussions or class activities, and ultimately hindering their language
development and overall academic performance.

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 There are recent studies that have proposed several approaches to help learners manage
code-switching and improve fluency in L2. According to the Philippine Journal of Language
Teaching, peer-assisted oral practice is an effective strategy to strengthen second language (L2)
communication among students enrolled in teacher education programs. The study shows that it
not only improves their fluency and confidence in using English but also creates a supportive
learning environment where students can correct each other, model language use, and reduce
their reliance on their first language (L1) during academic interactions (Bautista, 2018).
According to a Journal, the implementation of task-based instructional strategies, such as
role-playing, collaborative problem-solving, and simulated real-life scenarios, has been found
effective in minimizing students’ reliance on their first language (L1) while encouraging more
consistent, purposeful use of English (L2) during class discussions, especially in academic
settings where English serves as the primary medium of instruction (De Guzman, 2017).

In response to these previous findings and the specific challenges observed among BSEd
English majors, the researchers propose an intervention, a brief seminar titled “Level-Up L2!:
Improving English Fluency Through Structured Video-Based Practice Activities” following the
confirmation of the existence of the problem, the primary objective of this intervention is to
support the participants in improving their fluency, vocabulary, and confidence in academic
English. It consists of four targeted tasks, Listening Practice, Vocabulary Building,
Listen-and-Answer, and Shadowing; it will be guided based on a short, conversation-focused
video. The seminar was held in a single session, with all five participants attending together. This
format was purposefully selected based on the related research which highlights the value of
peer-oriented activities in creating a more supportive and interactive learning environment for
language learners.

The activity will be given to the same five (5) participants who took part in the initial
survey that confirmed the existence of the problem, which made them suitable for both the
diagnostic and intervention phases of the research.

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III. Result and Discussion

Before conducting the seminar intervention, the research process began with identifying a
relevant and pressing issue faced by fellow English majors—specifically, the challenge of
code-switching from their first language (Filipino) to English in academic settings. The
researchers observed that many participants struggled to maintain English during classroom
discussions or spontaneous recitations, often unconsciously switching to Filipino. To better
understand these challenges and work toward addressing them, the researchers formulated
research questions focused on the causes and frequency of code-switching.

Once the research questions were finalized, the researchers selected five participants from
English 12 (1st Year BSEd English 12) at the Universidad de Manila. A survey was conducted
using both open-ended and Likert-scale questions to gather detailed insights into the participants’
language experiences and struggles. Based on the results of the initial survey, it became evident
that there was a genuine need for an intervention. In response, the researchers developed and
implemented a seminar titled “Level-Up L2!: Improving English Fluency Through Structured
Video-Based Practice Activities.” The seminar was designed to address the most common
challenges identified in the survey, particularly limited vocabulary and lack of confidence in
speaking English.

During the implementation of the seminar titled “Level-Up L2!: Improving English
Fluency Through Structured Video-Based Practice Activities,” the five selected participants
engaged in a series of interactive and structured language tasks. The seminar was carefully
designed to address the key issues identified in the pre-seminar survey, particularly difficulties
related to limited vocabulary, lack of speaking confidence, and frequent code-switching during
academic discourse.

The session began with a listening comprehension task, where participants watched a
conversation-focused English video. While watching, they answered comprehension questions in
real time using a Google Form. This activity served as a warm-up, helping students attune their
ears to English speech patterns and become more comfortable processing spoken English.

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Following this, the vocabulary-building activity introduced new English phrases and expressions
contextualized within the same video. Participants were asked to use the new vocabulary in their
own example sentences, also submitted via the Google Form. This task aimed to reinforce their
understanding and application of unfamiliar words, directly tackling one of the main causes of
code-switching: limited vocabulary.

In the third activity, the Listen-and-Answer task, the format shifted from written to oral
interaction. After watching a dialogue section in the video where one speaker asked a question
and the other answered, participants were asked similar questions by the researchers in person.
This oral activity emphasized real-time thinking and speaking in English, simulating classroom
recitation and reducing reliance on Filipino during academic interactions.

Finally, the shadowing activity encouraged students to repeat lines from the video
immediately after the speaker. Done in pairs with researcher guidance, this task helped improve
their pronunciation, intonation, and fluency by mimicking native-like speech. It also aimed to
reduce hesitation when speaking English by providing a safe, supportive setting for repeated
verbal practice. Overall, the seminar provided participants with varied opportunities to practice
and apply English through structured, purposeful tasks. Each activity was rooted in real-life
academic communication contexts and designed to help students build fluency while becoming
more mindful of their code-switching tendencies.

After completing the seminar titled “Level-Up L2!: Improving English Fluency Through
Structured Video-Based Practice Activities,” all five participants were asked to answer a
post-seminar reflection form. This form included both open-ended questions and Likert-scale
statements to help us understand how each activity affected their English fluency and their
awareness of code-switching habits.

The result of the Post-Seminar Reflection chart below:

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​ As it is shown in the chart, in the first graph, all five (5) participants (100%) strongly
agreed that they were able to follow and comprehend the English used in the video, indicating
that the material was both linguistically appropriate and suitable for their current proficiency
level.

​ In the second graph, three (3) participants strongly agreed that the vocabulary activity
helped them become more confident in using new words, while the remaining two (2) responses
varied between neutral and agree, suggesting that while the activity was generally effective,
some participants are still struggling and may still need further exposure to reinforce vocabulary
retention.

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 In the third part of the post-seminar reflection, there are two (2) participants who
Strongly Agreed that the overall impact of the seminar/video activity boosted their confidence in
speaking English, another two (2) participants Agreed, and the remaining one (1) answered
Neutral.

In the fourth statement, which asked whether participants felt their vocabulary improved
through the activity, four (4) participants strongly agreed, while one (1) participant agreed. This
shows that most of the students clearly recognized the value of the vocabulary task in helping
them learn and use new words.

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 Lastly, in response to whether the seminar helped them become more aware of their
code-switching habits between Filipino and English Language, four out of five participants
strongly agreed, while one selected agreed. This suggests that the intervention was successful in
increasing the self-awareness of the participants regarding language use, one of the key
objectives of the study.

The responses from the reflection showed that the seminar had a positive impact. Most of the
participants said they were able to follow and understand the English used in the video, which
means that the material was at the right level for their learning. The vocabulary activity helped
them feel more confident using new English words in sentences, and several participants said
they were now more conscious of how often they switch between Filipino and English during
class discussions.

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 In terms of speaking confidence, most of them shared that they felt more comfortable
using English after the seminar, especially during the oral activities like the listen-and-answer
and shadowing parts. These results suggest that practicing English through short but focused
tasks can really help students become more fluent and reduce their need to code-switch. Overall,
the reflection data showed that the activities were effective and meaningful for the participants. It
also confirmed that using interactive and student-centered approaches—like video-based
tasks—can be a helpful way to support English majors in developing stronger communication
skills in academic settings.

Conclusion

​ The researcher conducted a survey to identify the challenges English majors face in
maintaining English-only communication in academic settings. The data strongly indicated that
code-switching remains a significant concern among students at Universidad de Manila. Many
participants shared that they often revert to their first language, Filipino, during class discussions,
even when they intend to speak in English. This behavior highlights the ongoing struggle with
fluency and confidence in using English in formal classroom situations.

Following the initial survey, the researcher conducted a seminar titled “Level-Up L2!:
Improving English Fluency Through Structured Video-Based Practice Activities” with five
participants. After the intervention, the participants completed a reflection form to assess the
seminar’s effectiveness. The responses showed promising results: all participants were able to
follow and comprehend the English used in the video, and most shared that the vocabulary
activity helped them become more confident in using new words. The overall experience also
contributed to an increase in their speaking confidence and vocabulary retention. Additionally,
participants noted that they became more aware of their code-switching habits, which is an
important first step toward managing language use more intentionally.

These outcomes suggest that short, structured, and engaging activities can have a
meaningful impact on English majors' ability to use English more consistently and confidently in
academic settings. become more aware of their code-switching habits between Filipino and
English Language.

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IV. Recommendations

Based on the results of this action research on code-switching problems among BSEd
English majors, the following recommendations are made for resolving the problem through
sustainable and inclusive means. The recommendations are grouped based on future projects
or actions and are addressed to major stakeholders—students, faculty members, and the
university administration.

Recommendations by Other Projects or Actions

In order to assist English majors in improving their second language (L2) fluency and
reducing the use of code-switching, the following measures are suggested:
1. Conduct periodic video-based speaking clinics and peer-directed language circles
that offer low-stakes settings for real English communication.
2. Organize interactive English immersion days that mimic actual settings in which
students need to depend on their L2 communicating abilities.
3. Launch mobile app-based vocabulary builders and gamified English challenges for
extra-classroom practice in interactive and accessible forms.
4. Create follow-up programs to the "Level-Up L2!" seminar through the integration
of long-term student-centered approaches with a focus on speaking fluency as well as
confidence improvement.

Recommendations to the Stakeholders

Considering the impact of educational systems and institutional policies on language
use in educational institutions, the following are advised to stakeholders like language
researchers, curriculum developers, and education policymakers:
1. Re-evaluate and re-write the English-only policy in teacher education programs
taking into account the linguistic backgrounds and developmental stage of the
learners.
2. Suggest a context-sensitive and flexible language policy permitting learners to tap
into their L1 as a means to learning L2, particularly in handling complex academic
ideas.

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 3. Endorse professional development courses for teachers that discuss multilingual
pedagogical approaches, such as translanguaging and strategic code-switching, to
promote inclusiveness and effectiveness in teaching languages.

Recommendations to the Students

In order to be more confident and fluent English speakers, students need to actively
own their own language acquisition process. Thus, the following are suggested:
1. Practice regularly by listening to English podcasts, viewing English-language
videos, and reading English materials in order to acquire vocabulary and listening
skills.
2. Create or join peer practice groups to enhance speaking fluency and confidence in a
supportive and non-threatening environment.
3. Accept language learning as a process and recognize that errors are an essential part
of the process, and constant practice of English, no matter the constraints, will result
in improvement in due course of time.

Recommendations to the Faculty

It is faculty members who significantly influence the language learning environment.
With a view to enhancing support for the students, the following steps are suggested:
1. Design flexible classroom settings that give students permission to use English in
speaking without risk of embarrassment or punishment for mistakes.
2. Implement scaffolded instructional strategies that provide controlled L1 use to
facilitate understanding, followed by reinforcement and application in English.
3. Incorporate interactive, student-centered activities like group discussions, debates,
and presentations that encourage real English use.
4. Regular vocabulary testing to determine the students' needs and adjust instruction
as a result.

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Recommendations to the Administration
The administration of the university stands in a strong position to make policy
decisions and grant the resources required for language development. The following is
recommended:
1. Grant institutional resources for the establishment of an English Resource Center
where students can have access to learning materials, practice aids, and tutoring
assistance.
2. Fund English-related extracurricular activities, like language clubs, competitions,
and workshops, to encourage English learning outside the classroom.
3. Assess current English language policies and guarantee that they are consonant
with students' linguistic lives and psychological well-being, fostering an environment
of inclusiveness and support.

It is, therefore, in these ways that all stakeholders within the world of academia ought
to work together to solve the problems posed by code-switching. By implementing these
suggestions, students will be empowered to use English with greater confidence, ultimately
leading to better academic performance and preparing them for classroom teaching as a
future profession.

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References:

Subhadrabandhu, P. (2023b, May 12). Languages of the Philippines: a rich tapestry of cultural
heritage.

Tenny, S., Brannan, J. M., & Brannan, G. D. (2022, September 18). Qualitative study. StatPearls.

Morrison, & D, C. (2025, April 3). Code-switching | Linguistic benefits & challenges.

Burns, A. (2010). Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching: A Guide for
Practitioners. Routledge.

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