Code-switching in the spoken English classroomLiu YangIntroductionThis article studies how code-switching functions as a means of communication tool between students in a spoken classroom at Hubei University in China. The results indicate that code switching in oral form enabled effective communication between students in a way that was natural and comfortable for all students involved.Literature Review1.Definition of Code SwitchingCode switching has been studied systematically for the first time in the 1960s and 1970s. There are many more or less specific definitions, as well as several theoretical models aimed at describing and explaining its many characteristics and manifestations. As in any area of ​​scientific research, definitions vary depending on the objective of the research. Although different in focus and purpose, two definitions would likely find agreement among a large number of researchers: “Code-switching is the systematic, alternating use of two or more languages ​​in a single utterance or conversational exchange. use of linguistic material from two or more languages ​​in the same sentence or conversation. (Glen L., 2011, p. 50)2. Functions of Code-Switching Much research has been postulated to study how code-switching works in interactions between people and it is presented in the following lines. In attempting to show uniformity among bilingual linguistic exchanges, Gumperz (1982) proposed six discourse code-switching functions: citation, addressee specification, interjection, reiteration, message qualification, and personalization versus objectification. The code-switching functions in Gumperz's list encouraged later researchers to refine the function...... middle of article ......e students may feel sorts of affinities with each other because that they are sitting in the same boat. They may ask a question to a friend or classmate in their native language because they find it strange to communicate in English and they also expect to get the quickest answer.5.ConclusionAlthough in nature preliminary, this article attempts to explain and highlight the four functions of code switching in spoken English classrooms. Code-switching functions in a spoken English classroom are presented in transcription form with a deeper analysis of its types and possible reasons in order to clarify the phenomenon from different perspectives. The results of the study indicated that code-switching primarily occurred in the classroom to meet the needs of students. (2002 words）