CODE SWITCHING OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHER IN GRADE ONE CLASSROOM INTERACTION AT SD PELITA KASIH TANJUNG MORAWA

The objectives of the study were to find out: (1) the types of code switching used by
Mathematics and Science teacher and (2) the reasons for using code switching by
Mathematics and Science teacher. The study was descriptive qualitative. The subjects of the
study were Mathematics and Science teacher in grade one at SD Pelita Kasih Tanjung
Morawa. The data of the study were the clauses and sentences uttered by Mathematics and
Science teacher recorded from the conversations in the classroom interaction. The data were
identified, analyzed, and categorized based on Poplack’s theory (1980). The findings of the
study show that: (1) there were three types of code switching found in the teachers’
interaction to students namely: intersentential code switching, intrasentential code switching,
and tag switching, and (2) the reasons why teachers switched their language because:
interjection, softening or strengthening request and command, talking about particular topic,
repeating for clarification, and clarifying the speech content for interlocutor. Based on the
findings, the teachers argued that code switching was needed to avoid the misleading
sentences uttered to the students. Some suggestions are directed to those who are interested in
understanding code switching as found in the practice.