scholarly journals The Interplay of Language Awareness and Bilingual Writing Abilities in Heritage Language Speakers

Languages ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Claudia Maria Riehl
Keyword(s):  
Heritage Language ◽  
Metalinguistic Awareness ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Language Awareness ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Argumentative Texts ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Heritage Language Speakers ◽  
Bilingual Writing

This paper investigates how language awareness influences the writing abilities of bilingual heritage language speakers. The study includes 175 bilingual 9th and 10th graders with Italian, Greek, or Turkish as their L1 and German as an early L2. The analysis is based on a corpus of narrative and argumentative texts in L1 and L2 and a language awareness test to explore semantic, pragmatic, and textual knowledge that was administered in both languages. We found that the students’ writing abilities in both languages were highly interdependent and there was a significant correlation between achieving high scores in the heritage language test and achieving equally high (or even higher) scores in the L2 test. The results further point to a significant correlation between metalinguistic awareness and writing abilities. However, there was a higher correlation between metalinguistic awareness and text level scores in the heritage language, which shows that writing abilities in this language are more dependent on metalinguistic awareness than in the language of schooling. Moreover, differences were found between the respective language groups and different school types. Based on these results, it is argued that the fostering of language awareness ought to be implemented more intensively in the language classroom.

Multiliteracy in Heritage Language Speakers: The Interdependence of L1 and L2, and Extra-linguistic Factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-408
Author(s):  
Claudia Riehl
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Argumentative Texts ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Different Levels

Recent research provides evidence for beneficial cross-influences between L1 and L2, but we still know little about how different factors interact. Against this background, this article presents the results of a study that analyzes the interdependence of L1 and L2 text competence and the impact of metalinguistic awareness and extra-linguistic factors. The study was carried out with Italian, Greek and Turkish adolescent heritage speakers in a German-speaking environment. The data encompass narrative and argumentative texts in L1 and L2, sociolinguistic interviews and a bilingual language awareness test (LAT). The texts are analyzed according to holistic scores by defining different levels of text competences. The results indicate that students achieve a significantly higher score in both narrative and argumentative texts in L2. Moreover, there is a genre-specific advantage for the narrative text. Although there is no significant difference between the heritage language groups the Greek students achieve higher upper scores. The different levels of text competence also correlate with metalinguistic knowledge and extra-linguistic factors, most significantly writing practices and schooling in the heritage language. The results therefore provide further support for the assumption that teaching and learning heritage languages has a positive impact on school language literacy development. Other than a few mentions of Turkish speakers at the beginning I don’t see examples of their texts or conclusions about their writing.

Language Variation in Mandarin as a Heritage Language: Subject Personal Pronouns

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Xinye Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Social Factors ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Usage Pattern ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Personal Pronouns ◽  
Heritage Languages ◽  
Language Program ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
First Languages ◽  
L1 And L2

Abstract Because of limited language input, different dominant languages, and learners’ differing backgrounds, the acquisition of heritage languages is distinguished from the acquisition of L1 and L2. Few studies of Chinese as a Heritage Language (CHL) have explored whether students can acquire native-like sociolinguistic competence and language-specific variables with educational input. Based on a sociolinguistic variationist perspective, this study investigates the acquisition of variation between null and overt subject personal pronouns (SPP s) by heritage learners in an undergraduate-level Mandarin program. A total of 11,970 tokens were collected through classroom observation, sociolinguistic interviews, and narratives. Measuring mixed-effects logistic regression with Rbrul (Johnson, 2009), results show that the overall usage pattern of SPP s by CHL students largely resembled that in the input provided by the language program. Results also demonstrate that linguistic constraints including coreference, person and number, and verb type, and social factors such as discourse context, first languages, course level, and age of arrival had a significant effect on SPP expression by CHL learners. Implications for CHL development and variationist studies in heritage languages are discussed.

scholarly journals When Bilingualism is the Common Factor: Switch Reference at the Junction of Competence and Performance in Both Second Language and Heritage Language Performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 590-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany Judy ◽  
Michael T. Putnam ◽  
Jason Rothman
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Language Performance ◽  
Subject Pronouns ◽  
Different Populations ◽  
The Common ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Heritage Language Speakers

In this paper we take a closer look at the oft-touted divide between heritage language speakers and adult second language (L2) learners. Here, we explore whether some properties of language may display general effects across different populations of bilinguals, explaining, at least partially, why these two groups show some common differences when compared with monolinguals. To test this hypothesis, we adduce data from two unique populations of bilinguals: a moribund variety of heritage German spoken in southwestern Kansas (Moundridge Schweitzer German) and L2 adult learners of Spanish. Empirically, we investigate whether the confound of switch reference adds an additional cognitive burden to these bilinguals in licensing object control predicates in the former and referential subject pronouns in the latter. Our preliminary findings support the view that overarching concepts such as incomplete acquisition cannot capture the variability observed in these populations, thus further supporting approaches that interpret findings such as these to be the result of specific variables.

scholarly journals The Socio-linguistic Profiles, Identities, and Educational Needs of Greek Heritage Language Speakers in Chicago

2021 ◽  
pp. 80-97
Author(s):  
Zoe Gavriilidou ◽  
Lydia Mitits
Keyword(s):  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Educational Needs ◽  
Academic Needs ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Culturally Responsive Education ◽  
Greek Culture ◽  
Heritage Language Speakers ◽  
Language Corpus

The present study aims to further the research on heritage language speakers (HLSs) by providing the socio-linguistic profiles and identities of an uninvestigated community of heritage speakers, namely the Greeks of Chicago, thus offering data for a less-studied HL, Greek. The participants were fifty-four (N=54) first, second, and third-generation Greek HLSs. The socio-linguistic data were collected through an online survey, while identification with Greek culture as well as ethnic attachment and practice of Greek traditions were investigated through the content analysis of data from the Greek Heritage Language Corpus. The results of the study are discussed with respect to how they can improve our knowledge of the educational needs of Greek HL learners. This research-based knowledge can be employed for addressing the academic needs of HL learners through educational programs. The authors propose an agenda for a more linguistically and culturally responsive education program for HL learners, in general, and Greek HL learners in diasporic communities, in particular.

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