RES 5535: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (summer 2010)

Trish-

I completely agree with you on how important it is to learn to "code-switch". And you are also right by saying that for some people it may not be easy to do this. For Maya, it was not challenging because her mother was a professor and so when Maya was at home she was surrounded by the Standard Dialect, but when she went to school she would speak very informally. The same is true with a lot of people. For example, the way you speak in front of a group of people in an interview is most likely not the way you speak when you are hanging out with your friends. I guess the problem here is just trying to figure out how to teach students how to code switch at an early age, but to try and make it as interesting as possible so they can make a connection with it. At the same time though, as teachers we do not want to make students who do not know the standard dialect feel inferior or seem as if we are disrespecting their heritage/culture. The purpose would be to show them that you can speak both ways, in an informal setting versus a formal setting.

Katy

I don't know if you can teach how to code switch. I think it must be modeled. You can discuss it with students and your children, but will they learn it if they don't see it? Will they learn it if they don't switch and face a negative consequence as a result? Is code switching taught or is it trial and error, learn as you go?

I agree with Jennifer. With my students I do not teach them how to code switch but I do model it. When they are in school my students are required to speak with good English by saying Yes and Pardon etc.... I also teach them please and thank-you as most of them have no sense of manners when I get them. I think if they do not know code switching at an early age they will have a harder time when they are older learning how to do it. I find that throughout the year, my students speak better English and I do not have to correct them as much.

Natalie

I believe that code-switching is a learned behavior as well. I have many students in my class this year who code-switch a ton! At the same time, I have a few who are not as talented at switching as quickly. I think those students who have excellent social skills are the ones who switch quicker than those who do not.

I have one student who speaks heavy Ebonics. She is not a code-switcher by any means. She was written a PEP (personal education plan) for her “speech” last year as a 4th grader. I assumed that she had an impediment or another issue with the speech teacher. This is not the case. It ended up being a PEP for how she spoke Ebonics. I had a hard time continuing that PEP because I feel that her speech is part of her culture. I have spoken with some of my co-workers about the situation and some feel the same way as I do, while others feel that it is necessary to require that child to speak “proper”. What do all think about this situation?

Renee Hennings June 6, 2010

I feel that learning how to code-switch is an essential part of any child's education. I don't think it should taught out right, but if we use it when we are teaching and ask our students to use it when adressing us in the classroom setting then they will pick up on it. Having said that though I think it is critical that students be allowed to express themselves in the dialect or language that they feel comfortable. My Kindergartener's have already picked up on code switching. When we are discussing an idea or topic as a class they use their more formal language skills but when they are at the lunch table or out on the playground they speak to their friends in their native dialect.

I think that we should teach code switching and we should also provide opportunities for our students to practice. For example: I you were taking your students on a field trip to the Opera you would want to explain the dress code, when to appalud and other special event features of the day. This is code switching. Teach them what to expect and expect them to follow through.
Elizabeth Achor

This is a very good and interesting question. I think that maybe code-switching should be taught explicitly since it is so closely related to students’ future success. I want my students to be as prepared for the future as they can be so if teaching children how to switch from their home language to school language would help then I would be willing to try it. Maybe this should be included with our language arts curriculum. Maya in the article could do this naturally but some children are not able to do this without some help. I think it is hard for children who have two parents who speak in a certain dialect and they never hear “proper English” in their homes. I think the question is how can we work this into our curriculum when we have so little time to teach the children everything they are expected to know????

Ashley Caldwell

Trish,
I think you asked a great question about code-switching: should it be taught explicitly? In my opinion, code-switching should be taught explicitly because I think it is the key to solving problems with different forms of English. I think students need to be taught that there are different settings and each requires a specific form of English. I think students should practice or role-play by communicating in various settings using the appropriate form of English. I also think that students should be taught to value all of the different forms of English so one is not perceived more or less important than the others.

Laura Corbello

Trish,
I agree that code switching should be taugh, to whatever extent it can be taught. I feel that is an issue of the teacher having the answer toa child's problem and giving them the key to solve the mystery.WHile some students would struggle with the idea of code switching while they are still learning a new language or learning to engage with new students, with repeated opportunites to practice they could become better at the switching. I wonder what resources are out there to help with this?
Michael

I am not sure code switching can be taught in the traditional sense. I think it should be modeled or taught in a role play type situation. The teacher could use informal language in casual conversation and formal language in the academic setting. The students and teacher could role play the correct language for various settings.

I am not stating whether or not what I do is correct. I do teach my students to code switch though, and I tell them that I am doing it. We talk about the reasons why. I model it as well in my classroom. However, I think it takes more than that really. We talk about their goals and the perception of others. I am careful not to over generalize what I say. We look at very specific examples of what the business world and others see as the most "damaging" grammatical errors. I make sure that they know that I want them to be successful. Most of my students respond very well to this.