Code-switching in Saudi EFL contexts: attitudes, perceptions, and motivational implications

Arabic-English code-switching is common in Saudi EFL classrooms, where instructors and students alternate between the two languages to support learning. This study investigates Saudi EFL learners' attitudes toward code-switching, their perceptions of instructor practices, and how these influence motivation to learn English. The three objectives are: (1) to investigate students' attitudes toward Arabic-English codeswitching, (2) to analyse their perceptions of instructor code-switching practices, and (3) to evaluate how these attitudes influence their motivation. A mixed-methods design was used: a questionnaire with 150 students and semi-structured interviews with five participants. Myers-Scotton's Markedness Model and Dörnyei's L2 Motivational Self System guided the analysis. Quantitative results showed that 88.8% of students agreed that Arabic aids comprehension, and 78.1% preferred teachers who code-switch. Significant positive associations were found between positive attitudes toward codeswitching and motivation (χ² = 8.46, p = .004), and between perceptions of instructor code-switching and motivation (χ² = 5.60, p = .018). Qualitative findings confirmed that code-switching enhances comprehension, reduces anxiety, and encourages participation, but students cautioned against excessive use. The study makes two theoretical contributions: it refines the Markedness Model by adding pedagogical purpose as a moderating variable, and it refines the L2 Motivational Self System by distinguishing between external and internal forms of the Ought-to L2 Self. A context-specific pedagogical model, Scaffolded Bilingual Circulation, is also proposed. The study concludes that balanced, strategic code-switching supports learning and motivation. Instructors should align code-switching with instructional goals to maintain comprehension while ensuring sufficient English exposure.