Shared Reading of Dual Language Books Within Urdu Speaking Families: An Analysis of Code-switching in Urdu and English Languages During Reading Interactions

Abstract Code-switching is common during bilingual conversation, and it is also inevitable in bilingual children. The occurrence of English code-switching during the conversation of Urdu-speaking families is established but has not been thoroughly researched. While the benefits of shared book reading are well-researched, shared book reading in dual-language storybooks is a novel approach. It has not been extensively explored with parents in home settings. Dual language books, or bilingual books, convey the same story in two languages. Typically, the entire book presents the text in both languages side by side (Domke, 2023). This study seeks to fill this gap by investigating code-switching in Pakistani Urdu-speaking households with 4-6-year-old children during shared reading of dual-language storybooks in English and Urdu in two locations, Canada and Pakistan. Thirty parent-child dyads from each country participated in reading sessions for three selected books. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, primarily utilizing three storybooks read by parents to their children. It aimed to understand the dynamics of bilingual interactions and code-switching through the lens of shared reading experiences. The results revealed significant effects of the story's language on language production. More code-switching into English occurred when parents read the book in Urdu. In contrast, parents often switched to Urdu while reading in English. In Pakistan, linguistic behaviour revealed frequent use of English words or switching back to English from Urdu when parents explained the story in Urdu. The most common form of code-switching was inter-sentential switching into English. However, no significant differences were observed in parents' overall language behaviour across the two locations. Interestingly, children in Pakistan frequently requested to listen to the stories in English, reflecting a preference for the school language. In contrast, half of the children in Canada preferred the story in Urdu, demonstrating pride in their heritage language. These findings align with the research of McCarthy (2018) and Muysken et al. (1996), emphasizing the influence of social context and educational language on bilingual families' language practices.