ALTRALANG Journal
Volume 5, Numéro 3, Pages 242-258
2023-12-31

Switching Between Two Foreign Languages In English For Medical Purposes Course: Impact On Medical Terminology And Vocabulary Comprehension



Authors : Laggoun Belhoul Rania . Benmoussat Smail .

Abstract

Code-switching (CS) between the mother tongue (L1) and the foreign language (FL) is an embedded practice in the Algerian multilingual society, as it is highly noticed in pedagogical settings like school and university. Yet, switching between two foreign languages seems to gain popularity, mainly, in the English for medical purposes (EMP) course. In the latter, EMP teachers tend to switch between English and French to serve certain pedagogical and non-pedagogical aims. Furthermore, this practice is used as a time-saving strategy and as an instructional tool to enhance students’ skills like; listening and vocabulary comprehension. In an attempt to flesh out an explanatory framework, this study explores the attitudes of students towards their teachers’ use of CS, in addition to their perspective about the reasons behind teachers’ switching between two foreign languages in a medical course. Furthermore, this research reveals the different perceptions of learners about the implementation of English/French CS to enhance their vocabulary comprehension and to promote their medical terminology. To this end, 162 second year pharmacy students, from the faculty of medicine at the university of Sétif 1, formed the participants of the enquiry. Based on a triangulation (quantitative and qualitative) research design, a questionnaire and a focus group discussion (FGD) were used to collect the related data. The findings revealed that teachers switch from English to French to perform different pedagogical functions such as explaining new concepts and difficult expressions, reinforcing and emphasizing a message or an information. Through CS, instructors may create a friendly and a dynamic learning atmosphere by using it as a stopgap to students’ loss of communication and hence to support the learning and teaching process. Moreover, CS is used to boost the learning of medical terminology and to facilitate the comprehension of medical context especially the new and complex vocabulary for learners. Overall CS is regarded as an effective pedagogical strategy, and is recommended in the EMP course, yet it should be used with moderation and in situations where necessary.

Keywords

Code-Switching ; EMP Course ; Foreign Languages ; Attitudes ; Vocabulary Comprehension ; Medical Terminology

Les articles similaires

Code-switching In The Middle School Ef Classes: The Case Study Of The First Year Learners Must It Be Perceived As An Asset To Ease Or As A Constraint To Obstruct Foreign Language Learning? (1) 1 - Efl: English As A Foreign Language /ell: English Language Learning/ 1fl1: Foreign Language 1/fl2: Foreign Language 2 / L: Learner/ Ls: Learners/ Mt: Mother Tongue/ T: Teacher/ Tie: Technological Institute Of Education/ Tl: Target Language.

Ammar Benabed .  Victor Segalen . 
pages 13-30.

El Cuentacuentos En La Enseñanza De Lenguas Extranjeras En El Profesorado Del Primer Curso De Lenguas Extrajeras De La Uat/storytelling In The Teaching Of Foreign Languages: Training The Staff Of The First Course Of Foreign Languages At The Uat

Nadir Rachid .  Sadki Oumaima . 
pages 6-18.

For A Task-based Pedagogy In A Medical Course To Foster Vocabulary And Aural Comprehension

Tebbani Hamza . 
pages 271-279.

Two Types Of English: General English And English For Specific Purposes (esp) What For?

Kaïd Berrahal Fatiha . 
pages 12-18.

The Effect Of Explicit Vocabulary Instruction On Foreign Language Learners’ Vocabulary Development The Case Study Of First Year Students Of English At Setif University

Bouras  Sana .  Grine Nadia . 
pages 335-343.

Formats de citation