"InCode-Switching Lessons, we show you how to lay down the red pen and use successful strategies-contrastive analysis and code-switching-for teaching Standard English in linguistically diverse classrooms."
-Rebecca Wheeler & Rachel Swords
Our kids bring to school powerful linguistic know-how-the cadences, rhythms, and language patterns of their homes and communities.Code-Switching Lessons shows teachers how to build on students' existing knowledge (Community English) to add new knowledge (Academic English).Teacher educatorRebecca Wheeler and urban educator Rachel Swordsshow how to lead students in discovery learning of grammar. Through contrastive analysisstudents gain explicit awareness of the contrasts between informal and formal English. From there, Rebecca and Rachel show how to lead students tocode-switch-to choose the language style to fit the setting-the time, place, audience, and communicative purpose. In this way, teachers learn to build on students' linguistic strengths and add Standard English to students' linguistic toolkits.
Code-Switching Lessonscomponents:
- 9 grammar units that fit naturally into your writing block form the core of thelesson book. Each unit contains two to four lessons that lead students to explore informal and formal grammar patterns in search of generalizations, comparisons, and contrasts. Following a scientific method of grammar inquiry, lessons move students from defining and classifying the grammar patterns to practicing and applying the pattern in their own writing.
- An accompanying CD-ROM provides video and print resources to support your teaching. This electronic resource also provides answers to frequently asked questions and an extensive list of vernacular English patterns often found in school writing.
While showing teachers how to identify and successfully respond to the top 9 grammar patterns common among students who speak African American Vernacular English (AAVE), these code-switching strategies extend to students speaking diverse dialects of US English (Appalachian, Southern, etc), International English (Australian English, Hong Kong English, British English), and to students who are English Language Learners (ELL).
Listen to apodcast of Rebecca Wheeler and David Brown as theydiscuss what code-switching is with illustrations from literature and student work.
Rebecca works with literacy coaches, communication specialists, and classroom teachers K-12 who want to know "what to do about all those missing -ed's, -s's" in their students' writing. A Professor in the Department of English and the Program for Teacher Preparation at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA, Wheeler has consulted for public schools K - 14 from New York to New Orleans, and from Chicago and to Baltimore. While her work currently focuses on helping teachers respond to African American student writers, the practical, affirming, research-based strategies she brings extend to any group of students who speak and write an Everyday English differing from School English (Cajun English, Native American English, Appalachian English, Southern English, Bronx English, International English, etc). Wheeler shows teachers how to build on what students do know-Community English-as they add Standard English to their linguistic repertoires. Wheeler has presented and published widely on code-switching, including Code-Switching: Teaching Standard English in Urban Classrooms (NCTE, 2006) and "Becoming adept at code-switching," in Educational Leadership (2008) of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. In 2010, with Rachel Swords, she co-authored "Factoring Dialect into Reading Assessement and Intervention," for Reading in Virginia. Wheeler is currently collaborating with her local school district to establish Centers for Readers and Writers in urban middle schools. Rebecca lives in Newport News, with her husband, her black lab, and the gardens of their verdant homestead. Wheeler can be reached at rwheeler@cnu.edu.
Rachel Swords, M.A.T, is a Title 1 Reading and Math interventionist with Newport News Public Schools. Across her twelve years in public education, Swords has taught grades first through fifth. Swords first became interested in code-switching when she took one of Rebecca Wheeler's graduate courses at Christopher Newport University. In 2003, her action research in code-switching was instrumental in Swords being named a National Board Certified Teacher. In 2006, Swords collaborated with Dr. Rebecca Wheeler to publish Code-Switching: Teaching Standard English in Urban Classrooms with NCTE, and more recently, "Factoring Dialect into Reading Assessment and Intervention," in Reading in Virginia. Rachel lives in Hampton, Virginia, with her husband, four wonderful children, and two dogs. Swords can be reached at Rachel.Swords@nn.k12.va.us
