Code Switching vs. Translanguaging: A Guide to Language Teaching

In families raising bilingual or multilingual children, it's common to see them mix English and Korean when speaking. This switching from one language to the other is called code-switching.

But when children are a little older and you want to help them with their schoolwork or develop bilingualism while reading books, the strategy you usually use is called translanguaging.

I think it will be helpful to clearly distinguish between these two concepts when understanding or guiding children's language development, so today I will discuss the main differences and how to utilize them.

 

What are code switching and translanguaging?

1) Code-switching is the practice of saying certain words or phrases in another language during a conversation. For example , in a sentence like "I ate sundubu jjigae for lunch," Korean and English are seamlessly blended.

2) Translanguaging is a strategy for conveying meaning by integrating two languages into a single linguistic resource , rather than "dividing" them. For example, it deepens learning by freely moving between two languages, such as explaining concepts learned in English at school in Korean or asking questions in one language and responding in the other .

Since both are strategies designed to enrich a child's diverse language abilities, understanding them and actively utilizing them will greatly help a child's bilingual abilities, right?

Below, we'll briefly compare the differences between these two concepts, drawing on research evidence, and provide examples of specific activities you can try at home.

 

The Difference Between Code Switching and Translanguaging

division	code switching	Translanguaging
definition	Alternating between two languages in a sentence or conversation	A strategy that uses two languages in an integrated manner to convey meaning
Main purpose	Supplement your vocabulary or change your language to suit the other person to express yourself more effectively.	Leverage the resources of both languages to deeply understand concepts and expand thinking.
characteristic	It can appear unconsciously and 'switch' from one language to another.	Intentionally mixing two languages for explanation, discussion, and learning.
Research basis	Code-switching is a natural developmental process and a sign of bilingual proficiency.	Alternating between home and school language homework assignments promotes deeper understanding of words and concepts.

 

Code-switching is a natural language phenomenon that begins as early as 8–10 months of age and is commonly observed in infants as young as 39 months as well as in early elementary school children (Schott et al., 2020; Smolak, 2020). Translanguaging is a strategy that can be used with children after kindergarten , and it is said to be effective in supporting language comprehension and expression when intentionally utilized by teachers or parents (Aleksić, 2022).

 

Why It Matters: Research and Case Studies

One of the common misconceptions about code-switching and translanguaging is the belief that it is detrimental to children's language development. Even kindergarten teachers who were advised to use "translanguaging" in their schools expressed concern that it might harm children's language development (Aleksić, 2022).

However, recent studies show that both phenomena play a positive role in bilingual language acquisition.

Code-switching aids vocabulary learning. In a study of French-English bilingual families, one of the reasons parents code-switched during conversations was to help their children understand and teach them new vocabulary ( Kremin, LV, 2022). ) This vocabulary emphasis helps the child connect and remember the meanings of the two languages.

Translanguaging deepens understanding. According to a learning model presented by Multilingual Parenting, when children explain homework in their own language, discuss it with their parents in their home language, and then write it in their school language, they develop a deeper understanding of words and concepts ( multilingualparenting.com ) . This means that the process of thinking across two languages reinforces learning.

An environment that recognizes both languages is necessary. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) also recommends activities that respect all of a child's language resources, such as reading environmental letters together at home and in the community or expressing colors and shapes in both languages during art activities ( naeyc.org).

 

Code-switching book activities you can try at home

Code-switching is a natural phenomenon, and parents can leverage it to expand their child's bilingual vocabulary and expressions. Consider the following activities.

1. Change the language according to the scene

What you need: Your child's favorite picture book.

Where's Spot by Eric Hill

How to use:

Try using different language depending on the character in the story.

Example: One person only speaks English, one person only speaks Korean

🏞 Puppy (English):
“Is he in the box?”

🏡 Hidden 00 (Korean):
“No no!!”

This activity will be a code-switching exercise that will develop your ability to choose your language according to the location and situation.

 

Translanguaging Activities You Can Do at Home

Translanguaging is a strategy that integrates two languages to expand learning and thinking. Here are some activities you can try at home.

1. Doing homework through translanguaging

method:

1) Have your child first explain the homework content in a language they're comfortable with. For example, if the homework is in English, have them explain the concepts in Korean.

2) Parents should re-discuss the content in their home language (e.g., Korean) to ensure understanding.

3) Finally, please make sure your homework is written in the school language (English).

As children explain, discuss, and write tasks in both languages, they develop a deeper understanding of words and concepts. Various studies have shown that this learning model enhances language development!

2. Reading books and reconstructing stories

Materials: The same story in multiple languages (including translations).

This book is in English and German. It's more effective to spend time reading the same book in different languages!

How to read a book:

1) Read the same story in English, Korean, or another language you use at home (such as German). Rather than reading all the stories on the same day, consider reading in different languages on different days, or have a parent who speaks that language read to their child (e.g., Mom in Korean, Dad in German).

2) When discussing what you've read with your family, encourage them to freely mix the two languages. For example, if your child speaks in English, you can respond in Korean!

The process of reading and retelling a story in two languages helps improve language comprehension and expressiveness, and deepens your understanding of the story structure.

So today, we learned about code-switching and translanguaging. Above all, nothing is more important than a child's positive attitude toward language and having fun using it. :)

Providing your child with an environment where he or she can freely use both languages, and providing consistent daily opportunities through activities he or she enjoys, will go a long way toward helping him or her develop confidence in both languages!

 

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Reference

Aleksić, G, (2022). Misunderstanding translanguaging in preschoolers. Research Outreach , 134.

Kremin, L. V., Alves, J., Orena, A. J., Polka, L., & Byers-Heinlein, K. (2022). Code-switching in parents' everyday speech to bilingual infants. Journal of child language , 49 (4), 714–740.

Schott, E., Mastroberardino, M., Fourakis, E., Lew-Williams, C., & Byers-Heinlein, K. (2020). Fine-tuning language discrimination: Bilingual and Monolingual infants' detection of language switches.

Smolak, E., de Anda, S., Enriquez, B., Poulin-Dubois, D., & Friend, M. (2020). Code-switching in young bilingual toddlers: A longitudinal, cross-language investigation. Bilingualism (Cambridge, England) , 23 (3), 500–518.