LLSS 556: First and Second Language Development

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April 24, 2008 (class #14)
Topic: Misconceptions about second language learners: code-switching

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Class Outline:

	Announcements: Observation paper due today -- don't forget to turn it in at the break. Final essay assignment due in 2 weeks (last week of class). Don't leave it to the last minute. Please come and see me if you have questions or contact me via e-mail.
	Time to share: Please describe some of the differences in patterns of language use that you observed between contexts. Did you notice any instances of either “IRE” or “Instructional Conversation” during your classroom observation?
	Quick write: "Many teachers feel that concurrent translation is an appropriate method of instruction for bilingual students. What is your stand on this issue and why?"
	Interactive presentation on code-switching
	Small group discussion: Considering what you learned via the observation assignment and what you learned regarding code-switching, how would you now describe the optimal learning environment (for language) for second language learners?
	Minute paper

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Overheads:
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Readings

Note: All of the readings, required and recommended, can be found on the electronic reserves at Zimmerman library. Please contact the instructor for the course password.


Author: Timm

1)

The author states that she will answer several questions in her article. Identify, in general, what her answers to these questions (rephrased from page 96) are: Is there a relationship between level of proficiency and code-switching? (What is it?) Can we make any predictions about when code-switching will or will not occur? Why do people seem to code switch? Does code-switching occur only in oral speech? If not, then what seems to be the purpose for code-switching in written text? What are the instructional implications of code-switching, for this author?

2)

Now that you've read this article: ...what are some new terms for you from this chapter? ...what seem to be some important concepts in this reading? ...what new questions do you have?

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Extra Resources

Web Sites:

• Check out this dissertation on code switching by Jeff MacSwan. In Chapter 6 (there is an index with links to the various chapters a bit down the page which I've linked to), the author discusses educational implications of code-switching for our assessment of the language competence of bilingual students. He specifically addresses Cummins' notion of Threshold Hypothesis, which has direct roots in the now defunct notion of "semilingualism."