Language Use in Defining Relationships

Amanda Barton, Julia Carboni, Sophie Degat, Bingrui Wang, Wenfei Wang, Qianying Zhang. M.S.Ed Candidates, University of Pennsylvania

Code-Switching and Code-Meshing in Daily Language Use Methodology Different Ways Students Ask for Help Verbally and Non-verbally
Aim: How language Gestures or non-verbal Verbal Communication Verbal with gesture
use in Moder
Hand motions tutor over Asks tutor Can you help Says Hi and looks at tutor expectantly
Patshala can define me?
relationships
Method: Interview, Shows tutor homework sheet Says Excuse me Gives tutor a paper and says help
Participant Pulls out chair for tutor I have homework Goes to stand by tutor holding homework
Observations and says excuse me
& Questionnaire
Gives tutor students own chair Calls tutor by name Gestures to chair and says come
Data Collection: A
self-reporting survey Motions to chair Calls teacher Raises hand, looks up at tutor and says miss
of 23 Bangladeshi-
Chart1: Language use with friends
American students & Sits next to tutor Calls miss Raises hand and says excuse me
Chart2: Language use with parents
Field notes
Stands in front of tutor Calls Next Points to tutor and waves them over asking
Students at Moder Patshala are bilingual and have developed a Data Analysis: for help
diverse communicative repertoire by combining their languages Analysis of field
Hands homework sheet to tutor Says help Pounds on desk for attention, asking for help
(English and Bangla) to communicate with others. From the above notes and data from
data, we can infer that students at Moder Patshala use language as groups and
Grabs tutors hand and guides Tells tutor the subjects they Taps paper with pencil saying please or I
a tool to denote their relationship to their interlocutor. individual them over have and asks for help dont understand
interviews.
Table1 :Establishing relationships and communicating

Peer Peer Student Tutor Student Adult References

*The younger students prefer using implicit wayssuch as *Students always use
facial expressions or eye contact while the older personal titles such as
students are inclined to talking more explicitly Mr. or Ms. when Rymes, Betsy (2014).
likeI need help. addressing the teachers Communicating Beyond
during class or via email. Language: Everyday
*Students who are new Encounters with
comers to the United States *Students always raise their hands to ask for Diversity. New York:
might prefer using non- permission before they speak or leave their Routledge.
verbal communication seats during class.
such as writing or bodylanguage to ask for help. Emerson, R.M., Fretz,
*Site supervisors and students communicate R.I., & Shaw, L. L.
*Students who have been here for a while are more able with each other mostly in Bangla with some (2011). Writing
to fluently shift from speaking Bangla to English. English words mixed in. Ethnographic
Fieldnotes (2nd Ed.).
*Students prefer using informal and casual ways to talk *Students address the site supervisors as Chicago: University of
to tutors if they have formed a closer relations. uncles and aunties to show endearment.
Chicago Press.
*.In this safe and friendly environment, children help each other, socialize,
*Teachersutilizecommunicativeresources:storytelling, *Site supervisors discipline the students and thus
increase their awareness, and create stronger bonds with communities
(were like a family).
youthfultonesandmassmediaexamplestobuildcom fulfill the role of caretakers.
mongroundswiththestudents.