Applying statistical analysis to qualitative data: Student's mother tongue in mathematics classrooms

The survey method employs self reporting on the extent of the use of students' mother tongue (L1) in mathematics classrooms where English (L2) is used as the medium of instruction shows two advantages. Firstly, it is easy to conduct; secondly, it is more likely to achieve a generalization when the sample size is big. However, the major shortcoming of this method has, more often than not, a gap of accuracy when the result is reviewed against the real situation of language use in the classroom. The present paper proposes an alternative way of investigating the extent as well as the pattern of L1 and L2 used in mathematics classrooms. The quantitative analysis on the extent and the pattern of code switching in mathematics classrooms is done on utterances, the qualitative data of video transcripts. As each utterance carries the mark of language types, it also carries marks of various factors such as types of school, location of school, class levels, and types of class according to student performance levels. The nature of the use of L1 and L2 is further investigated according to these four factors. The research findings suggest that mathematics teachers may be more likely to utilize extra use of students' L1 to communicate mathematically within the primary classrooms while communicating with the lower level and with weak students.