Dr Andrie Yiakoumetti

The study deals with the sociolinguistic phenomenon of codeswitching as manifested in community-based ethnic-language classes. More specifically, it focuses on teachers’ codeswitching from students’ second language (Mandarin Chinese) to students’ first language (English). The empirical study was conducted at one Chinese community school in the United Kingdom to investigate the instances in which teachers switch to students’ first language and to explore teachers’ introspection regarding their codeswitching behavior. Twelve types of codeswitching were identified and categorized in accordance with functions recorded in other studies. Discrepancies between teachers’ beliefs on the choice of language medium and their actual practices were found. Teachers were not always aware of their codeswitching and they generally held positive attitudes towards their conscious codeswitching and negative attitudes towards subconscious codeswitching. Conscious switches were used mainly for pedagogical, interpersonal, and interactive purposes. A sense of guilt was found to be associated with their unconscious codeswitching. This study suggests that raising teachers’ awareness of the potential usefulness of codeswitching within ethnic-language education is paramount.

This study deals with teachers’ language use as it is manifested in communitybased heritage-language classes. Specifically, it focuses on the functions of students’ dominant variety (L1, English) when harnessed by teachers for the purposes of teaching their ethnic language (L2, Mandarin Chinese). Empirical investigation was conducted at two Chinese community schools in the United Kingdom and data demonstrate that students’ L1 was utilised naturally and systematically by teachers to facilitate students’ L2 learning. Various L1 facilitative functions were identified and these generally accord well with functions recorded in other studies. In addition, this study underlines the potentially unique characteristics of community-based heritagelanguage education: while the target variety of students (Mandarin Chinese) is routinely the native variety of teachers, teachers struggle to explain new linguistic information in Mandarin because of students’ low proficiency while they concurrently struggle with at least some elements of students’ native or dominant variety (English). Teachers explained that the fact that students’ dominant language of English is a global language makes their use of it all the more likely. Teachers demonstrated a strong tendency to feel ill-prepared for their language teaching role. There is thus a clear need for heritage-language teachers to receive training that is sociolinguistically informed. This training should emphasise the potential utility of exploiting students’ full linguistic repertoires by drawing in particular on the crosslinguistic similarities and differences between the varieties of which students are cognisant. Teacher training programmes that promote such awareness may well hold the key to better heritage-language education which will continue to have a crucial role in maintaining and developing minority community languages.

The sociolinguistic phenomenon of bidialectism can significantly influence foreign-language learning. This study provides empirical evidence (drawn from the Greek Cypriot bidialectal community) for this influence and it supports the recommendation that foreign-language educators be trained in language-variation issues. The study's methodological basis consisted of observations of lessons in which English is taught as a foreign language and of students' written tests in the Passive Voice (PV). The findings revealed that, despite the policy that the standard variety (Standard Modern Greek) should be the only first-language variety used, the nonstandard variety (the Greek Cypriot dialect) is also commonly used alongside English by teachers. This usage was adopted by students who then tended to form the PV erroneously because they systematically avoided grammatical aspects (such as the Perfect aspect) which do not occur in the grammar of their nonstandard variety. The study contributes to the emerging realisation that first-language bidialectal issues need to be addressed in foreign-language classes.

The sociolinguistic phenomenon of bidialectism can significantly influence foreign-language learning. This study provides empirical evidence (drawn from the Greek Cypriot bidialectal community) for this influence and it supports the recommendation that foreign-language educators be trained in language-variation issues. The study's methodological basis consisted of observations of lessons in which English is taught as a foreign language and of students' written tests in the Passive Voice (PV). The findings revealed that, despite the policy that the standard variety (Standard Modern Greek) should be the only first-language variety used, the nonstandard variety (the Greek Cypriot dialect) is also commonly used alongside English by teachers. This usage was adopted by students who then tended to form the PV erroneously because they systematically avoided grammatical aspects (such as the Perfect aspect) which do not occur in the grammar of their nonstandard variety. The study contributes to the emerging realisation that first-language bidialectal issues need to be addressed in foreign-language classes.