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Written narratives by adult Chinese plurilingual students: Participants’ perceptions of code-switching and the (re)shaping of identity

This study explores the experiences and intentions for codeswitching with Chinese adult students in Ontario who attended an ESL or English course in a continuing education program. Three participants were given the task of writing a short story with the option to incorporate an experimental pedagogical strategy of code-switching. Using a qualitative method, data was collected from their written narratives, followed by semistructured interviews to discuss their experiences with codeswitching. The data provides a deeper understanding of codeswitching’s role in language learning and identity (re)shaping of adults during the process of acquiring English skills. The findings suggest that the participants’ rationalizations for code-switching in the development of writing are influenced by the teacher as an authority figure, an active engagement in learning, and the desire for conciseness and efficiency. Furthermore, codeswitching in written narratives supports identity (re)shaping through the ownership of words, reflexivity in memories, and accommodation for the reader