The Effects of Code-Switching on the Speaking Performance of English Majors during Oral Presentations: An Integrative Approach

In multilingual educational contexts, code-switching is frequently observed in oral academic tasks, yet its role in speaking assessment remains contested. This study investigated the effects of codeswitching on the speaking performance of pre-service English teachers during classroom oral presentations in a Philippine higher education setting. Employing an integrative mixed-methods design, the study examined the frequency and functions of code-switching, its influence on fluency, coherence, and grammatical accuracy, students’ perceptions of its use, and performance differences across year levels. Quantitative data were obtained from rubric-based speaking assessments adapted from the IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Welch’s independent samples t-test. Qualitative data were drawn from classroom observations and a focus group discussion and analyzed thematically. Findings indicate that students employed codeswitching strategically to clarify complex ideas, sustain fluency, and engage the audience, with minimal negative impact on grammatical accuracy. Although third-year students obtained slightly higher mean speaking scores than second-year students, the difference was not statistically significant. Qualitative findings further revealed that students perceived code-switching as a facilitative communicative resource that reduced anxiety and reflected bilingual identity, while remaining mindful of its appropriate use in formal contexts. The study argues that code-switching should be recognized as a legitimate component of communicative competence and calls for contextsensitive speaking assessment frameworks in multilingual English language classrooms.