Code-Switching
In order to effectively use the home language as a tool in the classroom it is imperative to understand the different language practices. Children growing up bilingual use their linguistic resources in a variety of ways, and one of these many ways is code-switching. Code-switching is the alternate use of two languages. It can occur within the discourse, between sentences or even within sentences (Brisk & Harrington, 2007). One of the most common types of code switching is code-mixing or single-word borrowing due to lexical gaps; however, this is not the sole reason for children to make use of more than one language.
In their study, Vu, Bailey and Howes (2010) examined the code-switching patterns in young Mexican heritage preschool …show more content…
This study examined the code-switching patterns in the writing-related talk of emergent Spanish-English bilingual first grade students. Transcripts of classroom observations during writing workshop and writing artifacts of the first graders were analyzed to determine the incidence, form, content and function of oral code switches. The findings indicated that children’s code switching represent strategic uses of two languages to capture and detail their lives and experiences in multiple worlds. The findings also indicated that children use code switching for reflective, evaluative, and regulatory purposes to address problems across different domains of writing. What is more, emergent bilingual children’s development of biliteracy is influenced and mediated by their sociocultural …show more content…
However, often code switching occurs subconsciously between two advanced learners with a common first language, who are not necessarily compensating for language weaknesses. Brown (2014) and Martinez (2014) examined this topic. Martinez’s study explored the awareness of Spanish-English code-switching among bilingual Latina/o students in a sixth-grade English language arts classroom in a public school in Los Angeles, California where the students were observed in the classroom and on the playground. Subsequently, students were asked to reflect on their code-switching in order to find evidence of language awareness. The results indicate that awareness of code switching varies from student to student and intra-individually. That is, one student’s awareness of code-switching is not fixed. According to Martinez, the students in the study tended to be less explicitly aware of their code switching. Although, the findings further indicated that explicit forms of awareness do not necessarily imply less skillful or complex
In order to effectively use the home language as a tool in the classroom it is imperative to understand the different language practices. Children growing up bilingual use their linguistic resources in a variety of ways, and one of these many ways is code-switching. Code-switching is the alternate use of two languages. It can occur within the discourse, between sentences or even within sentences (Brisk & Harrington, 2007). One of the most common types of code switching is code-mixing or single-word borrowing due to lexical gaps; however, this is not the sole reason for children to make use of more than one language.
In their study, Vu, Bailey and Howes (2010) examined the code-switching patterns in young Mexican heritage preschool …show more content…
This study examined the code-switching patterns in the writing-related talk of emergent Spanish-English bilingual first grade students. Transcripts of classroom observations during writing workshop and writing artifacts of the first graders were analyzed to determine the incidence, form, content and function of oral code switches. The findings indicated that children’s code switching represent strategic uses of two languages to capture and detail their lives and experiences in multiple worlds. The findings also indicated that children use code switching for reflective, evaluative, and regulatory purposes to address problems across different domains of writing. What is more, emergent bilingual children’s development of biliteracy is influenced and mediated by their sociocultural …show more content…
However, often code switching occurs subconsciously between two advanced learners with a common first language, who are not necessarily compensating for language weaknesses. Brown (2014) and Martinez (2014) examined this topic. Martinez’s study explored the awareness of Spanish-English code-switching among bilingual Latina/o students in a sixth-grade English language arts classroom in a public school in Los Angeles, California where the students were observed in the classroom and on the playground. Subsequently, students were asked to reflect on their code-switching in order to find evidence of language awareness. The results indicate that awareness of code switching varies from student to student and intra-individually. That is, one student’s awareness of code-switching is not fixed. According to Martinez, the students in the study tended to be less explicitly aware of their code switching. Although, the findings further indicated that explicit forms of awareness do not necessarily imply less skillful or complex