by Sophia Brown
The students of today’s classrooms come from varying backgrounds with a mixture of different languages and dialects. Unfortunately, teachers and the subsequent education system do not always take this fact into consideration when it comes to learning. As a result, many students are forced to master material from a curriculum that does not cater to their linguistic and cultural diversity. Such a lack of inclusivity inevitably leads students to feel as though their language is “incorrect” and does not belong in an educational environment. Instead of simply forcing learners to comply with the rigidity of monolingualism, it is important that teachers and educators actively implement strategies to promote the use of an assortment of languages and dialects. In other words, teachers should encourage the concept of code-meshing, defined by author Vershawn Ashanti Young as the mixing of “dialects, international languages, local idioms, chat-room lingo, and the rhetorical styles of various ethnic and cultural groups in both formal and informal speech acts” (114). These strategies contribute not only to the general enrichment of students’ educational experiences, but also encourage students to embrace their unique language and most natural way of speaking. Through the application of multiple methods of linguistic diversity in schools, teachers can directly invite the use of multiple languages in the classroom. In this blog post, I will examine the implementation of multilingual code-meshing in specifically early education via a three-pronged approach: reading activities, writing techniques, and affirmation of students’ languages.
To encourage code-meshing in classrooms, it is vital that teachers take an active role in mixing different languages during learning experiences, especially through reading exercises. By incorporating multiple languages during readings, teachers are able to teach their young students comprehension skills that go beyond the English language. For instance, a study titled “Code-Meshing and Writing Instruction in Multilingual Classrooms” notes the significance of providing readings to students that mix languages. This can be accomplished through the usage of bilingual picture books, such as books that involve both Spanish and English. Books like these are especially effective during class read-alouds, as it encourages students to think critically about language. Ultimately, having books in the classroom that incorporate multiple languages is beneficial because it can help students learn about various concepts involved in reading, such as composition, syntax, and semantics (164). Similarly, in an academic journal that examines code-meshing methods used by instructors in early and higher education, a teacher by the name of Tom emphasizes the importance of using texts that are “linguistically and culturally relevant” in his instruction (Michael-Luna and Canagarajah 61). He uses books that are primarily in English, but include Spanish dialogue and vocabulary. In particular, he makes sure to select books that contain narrative elements that both his Spanish-speaking students and English-speaking students are familiar with. By selecting multilingual texts, Tom’s students are able to learn themes, structure, rhetoric, and grammar that are present in multiple languages and cultures. In this way, readings that include two or more languages cater to a variety of students and avoid conforming to monolingualism. Students’ reading skills are greatly enhanced because children have an opportunity to learn about the beauty of other ways of speaking and their attached cultures rather than exclusively learning about the rules of standard English.
Additionally, code-meshing can also be achieved through writing exercises in the classroom. Using multi-language strategies in writing is effective because it puts learning into practice and enables students to express themselves via code-meshing. In the previously mentioned source “Code-Meshing and Writing Instruction in Multilingual Classrooms,” the authors discuss an example involving a fourth grade bilingual class. The students were tasked with creating stories that followed a similar form to the text Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask: A Bilingual Cuento, a children’s story that involves both Spanish and English narration. The students mixed English and Spanish vocabulary in their writings, including entire sentences in Spanish or simply replacing certain English words with Spanish (e.g., “shouted el representador) (162-164). Writing activities like these that prompt students to utilize more than one language are valuable in learning because they encourage students to synthesize and piece together meaningful sentences that blend different ways of speaking and writing. This positively challenges the students that speak the dominant language while allowing linguistically diverse students to express themselves. Additionally, techniques that involve using writing models to create sentences have proven to be helpful to students in putting their multilingual knowledge into practice. Authors S. Michael-Luna and A. Suresh Canagarajah’s article provides a real-life scenario in which students used a premade sentence that the teacher had written, but were prompted to substitute Spanish vocabulary into the wording. For example, students in the class completed the English fragment “Our earth gives us…” with supplied Spanish words such as arboles (trees) or agua (water). This particular activity proved to be useful to students in the long run, with students scoring high in both English and Spanish reading level evaluations. Writing activities that integrate code-meshing serve a dual purpose in that they allow students to achieve a level of comprehension in numerous languages while supporting meaningful expression.
Finally, affirming students in their usage of multiple languages or dialects helps to reinforce the implementation of code-meshing in classrooms. Instead of critically analyzing and correcting the language of students, it is important to highlight the significance of encouraging students to comfortably express themselves through their natural manner of speaking. In turn, this allows students to avoid feeling as though their language or dialect is subordinate to the dominant language. Authors Alice Y. Lee and Lara J. Handsfield offer an excellent perspective on this topic when they refer to the usage of code-meshing as “hidden gems” in students’ writing rather than mistakes to fix (165). These should be things that teachers should celebrate with students, as they display a level of linguistic and cultural understanding specific to the student’s background and knowledge. An example of a “hidden gem” also discussed by Lee and Handsfield is the usage of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) by a student named Jacobi. In this case, Jacobi’s teacher transcribed his verbal message onto a Mother’s Day card that included standard English and AAVE (e.g., “My mom is the prettiest when she smile” and “My mom is funniest when she laugh”). Instead of correcting these rhetorical choices, Jacobi’s teacher chose to transcribe the messages onto the card as said by Jacobi in his code-meshed speech because AAVE is a part of his linguistic identity (161-162). Teachers should follow this example, as it is essential to refrain from erasing the distinct, unique way that children communicate. It is imperative that students should feel free to express themselves in the way that they find to be most natural.
Though the benefits of learning multiple languages and code-meshing in early education are evident, some argue that exposure to other languages at a young age could be potentially confusing. The belief in this debate is that when children learn a secondary language, they will begin to swap words from their primary language and secondary language while communicating. This is a concern for many parents because they feel that this is disorienting for their children and for others. However, it is important to refrain from labeling this mixing of languages as being “confused”; rather, we must recognize that this intertwining of languages is simply code-meshing (Byers-Heinlein and Lew-Williams). Additionally, the idea that acquiring two or more languages hinders communication during early development is incorrect. According to Montreal Children’s Hospital, there is “no proof that young children who learn two languages at the same time get mixed up between the two” and that children will “adapt according to the language spoken by the person with whom they’re interacting and will know how to make the distinction between the two languages” (“Can a Young Child Learn Two Languages at the Same Time?”). From this information, it can be concluded that having knowledge of multiple languages is ultimately beneficial and that code-meshing is not a disturbance to a child’s linguistic growth.
In summary, the concept of code-meshing should be the new status quo in educational environments. With an array of diverse backgrounds and languages, it is only natural that teachers should make an effort to support and enable code-meshing in educational settings. Through strategies like writing activities, readings, and affirming students in their language usage, students are able to use code-meshing effectively and without the restraints of standardized English or monolingualism. Above all, it is crucial to recognize that code-meshing is a productive approach to language in educational environments as opposed to restricting students to one traditional manner of speaking. Code-meshing goes beyond simply gaining knowledge of languages and their subsequent composition; rather, it is the acceptance and integration of one’s identity in the context of communication.
Works Cited
Byers-Heinlein, Krista, and Casey Lew-Williams. “Bilingualism in the Early Years: What the Science Says.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6168212/. Accessed 5 November 2021.
“Can a Young Child Learn Two Languages at the Same Time?” Montreal Children’s Hospital, The Montreal Children’s Hospital, https://www.thechildren.com/health-info/conditions-and-illnesses/can-young-child-learn-two-languages-same-time. Accessed 5 November 2021.
Lee, Alice Y., and Lara J. Handsfield. “Code-Meshing and Writing Instruction in Multilingual Classrooms.” The Reading Teacher, International Literacy Association, 2018, https://www.una.edu/education/educator-preparation/praxis-resources/Code%20Meshing%20and%20Writing%20Instruction%20in%20Multi-Lingual%20Classrooms.pdf. Accessed 30 October 2021.
Michael-Luna, S., and A. Suresh Canagarajah. “Multilingual Academic Literacies: Pedagogical Foundations for Code Meshing in Primary and Higher Education.” EBSCO, Equinox Publishing, https://web.s.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=efd3377e-cdd7-400f-9aa8-673c4e3a985c%40redis. Accessed 30 October 2021.
Young, Vershawn Ashanti. “Should Writers Use They Own English?” Iowa Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 12, no. 1, 2010, p. 114. Accessed 27 October 2021.