Codeswitching amongst zulu‐speaking teachers and their pupils: Its functions and implications for teacher education

Abstract This article explores the codeswitching behaviour (into Zulu from English) of three senior teachers and the principal of a KwaZulu boarding school in their interactions with pupils. Following Gumperz (1982), codeswitching is treated as a ‘contextualization cue’. In other words, switches from English to Zulu are interpreted as delineating the context for those involved and as guiding the participants’ interpretation of what takes place in the interactions. Switches into Zulu are shown to have important academic and social functions of different kinds in the classroom, guiding academic activity and interpretation, and guiding the interpretation of social, relationship‐related information. The implications of these findings for teacher eduction in South Africa (as well as more generally) are then considered. It is argued that priority needs to be given to consciousness‐raising as a means of developing sociolinguistic sensitivity on the parts of aspirant teachers—and essential knowledge for such a programme is suggested. Also offered is a range of activities, including discovery procedures, which teacher trainers can profitably encourage trainees to employ as they, in the role of ethnographers, explore and come to a better understanding of codeswitching as an interactional resource.