Exploring Code-Switching Practices of Foreign Teachers in Benghazi, Libya

Abstract

Code switching (CS) can make a substantial contribution to linguistics by allowing access to a range of language features that are impossible to observe in monolingual data. This study investigates the role of code-switching of bilingual educators in Benghazi with particular attention to its implications for English language teaching. To achieve this aim, the current study used a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative data) during data collection to investigate the impact of code-switching on bilinguals and to ensure the credibility of the research. Data were collected from 23 bilingual teachers who live and teach in Benghazi, Libya, during the academic year 2025/2026. The study used a questionnaire to gather precise samples of the types and conditions in which code switching can occur; this was followed by an unstructured interview to learn more about each participant's perspective regrading CS. The results indicated that code-switching is used to accommodate the use of other languages in interactions with different people at various levels and that it helps support productive discussion.