Language Learning in Young Children

The Diverse Use of Language in Children: Code-Switching

‘’Ich bin finished’’ (I am finished), ‘’Tuletko sinä outside?’’ (Are you coming outside?). These are examples of a child code-switching. Code-switching is the alternation between two or more languages within a single conversation (Myers-Scotton,1993). In the past code-switching was often seen as a sign of confusion but current research shows that this is not the case. In fact, code-switching is a sign of linguistic competence that requires a high structural understanding of both languages. Changing language in mid-sentence is in many ways endearing and a vital part of your child’s learning so a process to be supported rather than a negative stage of learning.

Once your child masters two languages or even more there can be more reasons for switching languages which relate more to the child’s emotions. As a parent you do not need to know all the theories related to this but having an understanding of why a child may use different languages in certain situations can help you in the parenting of our child in a multilingual kindergarten.

Cognitive control

Cognitive control allows the brain to make a conscious decision based on goals rather than habits. A child may have several languages to choose from and they would choose which language they speak in which context, but heightened emotions could interfere. A child may feel emotional distress and resort to their first language though that is different to her educator’s language in the kindergarten.

Emotional Regulation

Your child may be used to expressing their deepest emotions in the languages you use at home and the languages used at the kindergarten may have less of an emotional connection for the child. Your child may feel comfortable in speaking about the weather and colours but struggle with other aspects, which deal with more intense emotions for the child.

Cultural frame switching

Your child may choose a language as more appropriate than another for expressing their emotions consistent with a particular cultural frame (Panayiotou, 2004). Emotional terms are not universal, so it can be difficult to find exact translations for certain emotions. A child may code-switch, so that the emotions they are trying to express are not lost in translation.

The above theories are just some potential reasons for code-switching. Your child is individual in the process of learning and using languages. A child may switch due to how they view the language of your family or the language of the newly adopted country/culture. Usually between the ages of three and six, children develop a social awareness of language differences.