The Use of Code-Switching Between Igbo and English in Secondary School Classrooms in Onitsha, Anambra State

This research investigates the patterns and motivations for code-switching between Igbo and English among secondary school teachers and students in Onitsha, Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Code-switching, defined as the alternation between two or more languages within a single communicative episode, has attracted considerable scholarly debate regarding its pedagogical implications in multilingual African classrooms. The study employs a qualitative ethnographic approach, using classroom observation schedules and semi-structured interviews with fifteen teachers and sixty students drawn from four government secondary schools. Data analysis follows thematic coding procedures anchored in conversational analysis theory. Results indicate that teachers primarily code-switch to clarify abstract concepts, maintain discipline, and establish socio-emotional rapport with learners. Students, conversely, code-switch to express peer solidarity and compensate for limited Igbo vocabulary. The findings suggest that code-switching is not merely a language deficiency but a deliberate, functional communicative strategy that enhances comprehension in bilingual instruction contexts. However, overreliance on English in Igbo language classes was noted as counterproductive to mother-tongue literacy development. The study recommends structured bilingual pedagogy training for teachers and a revisit of language policy implementation at the classroom level. Keywords: code-switching, Igbo, English, secondary school, bilingual classroom.