Frequency and Characteristics of Code Switching in Hispanic Bilingual Preschool Age Children of Ohio and California

This study reports on the analysis of audio recordings of conversations with twelve subjects form Ohio and California to determine the frequency and characteristics of code switching within a given time-frame. Involved in the study were also the parents of the children who reported on their perceptions of the children’s use of both English and Spanish as well as the teacher’s perceptions of English proficiency and the use of code switching at school when applicable. The results of the study show that there are significant differences in the frequency of code switching in the different groups when compared by age but not when compared by place of residence (Ohio and California). The results also show similarities in groups, both by age and by place of residency, in the characteristics of the code switching. This paper also discusses the implications of these findings, presents the limitations of the present study and explores directions for future research.