Language Choice and Code-Switching among Sequential and Simultaneous Bilingual Children: An Analysis of Grammatical, Functional and Identity-Related Patterns

Abstract

Over the years, scholars have gained much insight into language choice and code-switching patterns; however, the research in this area on children and second language (L2) learners has been limited with few exceptions (Fuller, 2009; Potowski, 2004, 2009; Reyes, 2001, 2004; Zentella, 1997). In particular, little research has compared simultaneous (2L1) bilingual children, those who acquired both languages before age three, and sequential (L2) bilingual children, those who learned an additional language after age three. In order to draw these beneficial comparisons, the current dissertation investigates the language choice and code-switching patterns of 2L1 and L2 bilingual children from kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classrooms of a Spanish immersion program. The data include over 150 hours of participant observation as well as interviews with students, parents, and teachers and a core dataset of 12 hours of fully transcribed spontaneous classroom audio-recordings. The analysis of language choice patterns yields a Dynamic Model of Social Structures which offers a unique venue from which to consider how various social structures impact language choice as well as how individuals enact social identities through linguistic behaviors. The study of the communicative functions reveals that L2 and 2L1 bilingual children alike use Spanish and English for a wide variety of communicative functions. Finally, a study on the grammatical patterns and strategic discourse functions of code-switching reveals that grammatical switch-points of 2L1 and L2 bilingual code-switching are very similar and that L2 bilinguals code-switch for a variety of strategic purposes, not only to compensate for a gap in knowledge. In conclusion, this dissertation provides substantial contributions to several fields. For the field of linguistics, the study reveals that 2L1 and L2 bilingual children exhibit similar grammatical switch points. For sociolinguistics, the Dynamic Model of Social Structures contributes a conceptual tool for the analysis of language choice, which integrates individual language behaviors and social identities. Additionally, a sociolinguistic analysis reveals how 2L1 and L2 bilingual children code-switch for a variety of discursive functions. For the field of education, the results argue for the reconceptualization of code-switching as a resource, demonstrating that code-switching and diverse language choices are used for strategic purposes which often support language learning. In sum, this study sheds light on language choice and code-switching patterns among 2L1 and L2 bilingual children, contributing to the scarce research on this population and allowing a beneficial comparison between the two groups.