Code-Switching
Insights and strategies for
assessing and teaching
reading in minority
classrooms
Rachel Swords
rachel.swords@nn.k12.va.us
Interventionist
National Board Certified Teacher
Newport News Public Schools
A path of
Teacher
&
Student
Transformation
© Wheeler 2008
A Typical Running Record
One linguistic insight…
When students read…
“the pines was about to hold council” or
“they built a fire to warm theirselves,” etc.
They are not
Making mistakes inside Standard English
Instead, they are CORRECTLY following grammar
patterns of the community language variety
© Wheeler 2008
That one linguistic insight…
transforms classroom practice
Build on students existing knowledge of
their own community grammar patterns
Add new knowledge of Standard English
Empower students to make grammatical
choices
For reading assessments, this
means…
• Remember the purpose of the
assessment
• Recognize existing knowledge
• Understand the grammar patterns of
the students
Home Speech Patterns
The student accuracy score is 84%
when home speech patterns are
penalized.
The student accuracy score is 90%
when home speech patterns are NOT
penalized.
Assessment:
Teacher sees
Assessment:
Teacher sees
grammar error
vernacular features
Teacher Response:
compare /contrast
Standard and
vernacular
Student Response:
Ignore correction
Why?
Misdiagnosis of
vernacular student
grammar
© Wheeler 2008
After
Before
Teacher Response:
Correct “Error”
Student Response:
Code-Switch
Why?
Teacher building on
familiar grammar
patterns
What does this look like in the
classroom?
• View student dialect as an asset
• Use home speech as a springboard for
teaching Standard English
• Introduce literature that is rich in a
variety of dialects
• Encourage discussions pertaining to
dialect
Exploring character and setting in
literature
Flossie
in the reading
group:
Students listen
for language
keys to
character
© Wheeler 2008
Code-Switching 12
Students locate examples of
informal language in literature
Code-switching charts
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT






Informal
I run quickly
You sing well
He respect_ me
Respect smell_ like …
It just feel_good
We paint in art






Formal
I run quickly
You sing well
He respects me
Respect smells like…
It just feels good
We paint in art
The informal pattern is
The formal pattern is
Subject + bare verb
He/she/it + –s
Otherwise, subject
(I/you/we/they) + bare verb
© Wheeler 2008
Code switching students command
language choices
David and Spy Mouse
Uses
Informal
English to
create
voice,
character
© Wheeler 2008
Code-Switching 15
Code switching students command
language choices
David’s
author’s
note in full
Standard
English
© Wheeler 2008
Code-Switching 16
Thank you!
Rachel Swords
Rachel.swords@nn.k12.va.us