Teach your kids how to code switch

What is code switching?
​Code switching is the practice of switching the languages you use or the way you express yourself in conversations depending on your environment.

This is most popularly used in bilingual communities when someone switches between two languages, for example Spanglish- the combination of using Spanish and English words in a sentence. Code switching is also utilized to switch between dialects, registers, styles, tone of voice, slang, etc. It is essentially the ability to switch between professional language and "home" language.

The second most common use of code switching is by people who speak nonstandard or a dialectal English.  For example, African American English (AAE) or Southern American English.  Both of these English dialects have their own set of consistent grammatical rules that they follow.  They have to learn to code-switch to a more standard form of English in a formal or academic setting.

WE ALL CODE SWITCH
Any time we switch the language we use to fit the audience we are talking to, we are code switching!

Smaller examples of code switching:

• The language you use to talk to your boss vs. talking to your best friend
• The language and tone of voice you use to talk on the phone to the bank vs. talking to your mom
• Even the language you use when texting is code switching from English to texting abbreviations

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
It is expected in schools and in professional settings that we already know how to use Standard American English and can code switch independently. 

BUT we are first exposed to language before we even enter school! Toddlers learn language at home.  At home we use a different, more casual language then we do at school or at work.  Therefore, many toddlers are never exposed to Standard American English until they enter school.  They have also never learned or had the need to code switch.  Over time, some kids are able to learn to code switch independently, but this isn't always an easy task.

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Academic settings often treat features of nonstandard dialects as if they are "errors". When children are using the language they learned in their homes and come to school to be told they are wrong, it makes no logical sense for them because they are correctly using the features of their home language.

When kids aren't taught early on how to code switch to Standard American English, it can cause a lot of problems in the academic setting.  They have difficulty adapting to the grammatical rules, difficulty with reading literacy, anxiety, apprehension about participating in class and social situations, and trouble with other academic standards that are set for them.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

• Code switching (CS) has been found to be a natural occurrence and approach to language use
• CS speakers have higher competencies in both languages and a healthy balanced brain
• CS maximizes learning and decreases anxiety
• CS in the classroom creates more relevance to students, it allows the classroom to become more realistic and personalized
• CS students are allowed to explore target language in regards to personal interests
• CS students are more likely to invest in their own language
• They gain confidence in speaking and understanding language

So teach your kids early on how to code switch! Explain that we use a different language at home and a different language at school.  Teach them when to use their "home" speech and when to use their "school" speech while encouraging them to explore both!  Code switching isn't a negative concept- it is a celebration of our different cultures and a natural occurrence.   It is an effective way for all individuals to communicate across a variety of audiences.

​Have fun exploring the fluidity of language!