Abstract:
In the context of teaching English as a second language, the choice of language for instruction
in the classroom is one of the key decisions that has a huge impact on the success of learning.
Teachers’ code choice in ESL teaching is the decision whether to use only the target language
(TL) or both the TL and the learners’ mother tongue (MT). This study aims to investigate the
students’ beliefs and perceptions of teachers’ code choice in the ESL classrooms of
Sammanthurai education zone. By investigating students’ beliefs and perceptions of teachers’
code choice, it would provide an insight to understand students’ needs and set guidelines on
code choice for pedagogical implications. The study adopted a qualitative approach, drawing
data from 50 junior secondary students using semi- structured interviews. The findings reveal
that students are satisfied with a higher proportion of MT as their perception leans towards
more MT. However, there was variation in their perception of the amount of TL use by their
teachers. In considering students’ perceptions of teachers’ TL use, a negative attitude was
expressed by many. The positive perceptions of MT use are largely due to their reliance on
comprehension and affective factors. A minority influenced by education in the family and
experiences, despite their differences in socio economic status share a positive attitude to TL.
The need of a role model to develop speaking skills shows that there is an urge for some
learners to be recognized as English speakers in the broader bilingual speaking community in
Sri Lanka.
