An In-service Teacher’s Use of Code-meshing Pedagogies: Cultivating Formal and Informal Contexts for Writing Development in a Clinical Setting

ABSTRACT This study examined an in-service teacher’s enactment of code-meshing and code-switching pedagogies in a clinical summer reading clinic, as a requirement for a reading specialist program. Thus, the enactment of code-meshing pedagogies was based upon embracing the students’ use of African American English (AAE) in academic writing contexts and during the reading of texts with AAE features. The study examined code-switching pedagogies and acceptance of a third grade student’s use of AAE in informal writing contexts and translating to Standard American English (SAE) for formal writing contexts. An examination of field-notes, formal teacher and student interviews, and formal and informal writing samples revealed the student’s understanding of distinctions between formal and informal English. Furthermore, critical language awareness emerged upon offering the student the option of writing a published book in SAE or AAE. Results suggest a need for teachers to respect language features on behalf of language minority students, to make distinctions and provide a balance between formal and informal writing and speaking conventions, while embracing the use of AAE in academic writing and reading contexts.