On Being Bi-/Multi-lingual

Li Wei does make a very important distinction when he described "impairment" vs. "disadvantage". By pointing out that no linguistic impairment occurs when a person engages in code-switching ( their monolingual and comprehension skills are just fine) he does make a reassuring claim. However, the disadvantage that parents may be afraid of is actually more broad; comprehension is only one concern, but mostly, fear of exclusion on the basis of using code-switching is an anxious motive not to mix languages. To reassure these parents, I would encourage them to pursue active discussion with the teacher about the importance of being allowed to code-switch during times where monolingualism (i.e. in writing a particular paper,etc) is not required. Denying code-switching would be like denying the cultural/ethnic/religious backgrounds a student may identify with, and asking them to be only one at a time. I would be heavily in favor of linguistic inclusion in this respect.

As far as enhancing/expanding the use of code-switching; this may need to be undertaken on both an individual and society-wide basis. Like Li-Wei mentioned, it is unlikely that children will engage in code-switching or speak their heritage language if they do not find it useful or do not understand its purpose; in this case, it may help for parents to establish an emotional/cultural connection with the language in their goal to extend bilingualism to their children. Heritage language use is driven by so many individual factors that parents may be able to build a stronger case for their children then a state-wide policy could, for example. On the other hand, society can also do its part; the advantages of bilingualism such as creativity, empathy, and (I think!) strong improvisational skills should be "advertised" and sought by companies and schools, as these are communication skills that build engaging and productive work environments. In the area of public administration, schools can continue to appeal for heritage language education and testing, and in the private sector, corporations should begin including skills gained through bilingualism as active parts of their mission statements. In this way, we could possibly see a positive resurgence of bilingualism as a talent/trait with intrinsic and societal value.