In the bilingual classrooms of higher education institutions of Pakistan, instructors and learners of English language tend to apply two or more than two languages alternatively and competently for diverse reasons and multiple functions. The study aimed at exploring the functions of code switching between English to Urdu languages, employed by English instructors and students in the English Language Teaching (ELT) classrooms’ discourse. In the present quantitative study, survey research method was brought into play. Simple Random Sampling was used. The study unearthed the fact that majority of students alter language code to overcome their incompetence in English language, whereas instructors utilized code switching strategy to deal with students’ language incompetence and to explicate concept that does not have an equivalent match in English language. The study recommended formulating explicit policies for the proportionate switch between Urdu and English languages at all diverse levels of education in the higher institutions.
Keywords: Code Switching, ELT classrooms, English language teaching, bilingual classrooms, classroom discourse
