Examining Korean Immigrant Mothers' Beliefs and Practices for Their Children's Heritage Language Development

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Home Language and Literacy Practices and Ideologies

Abstract

This study examined the beliefs and practices of Korean immigrant mothers with different immigrant status for their children’s heritage language development in the U.S. Once a month for six months, data were collected from interviews, observations, and documents. The findings showed that the mothers viewed Korean as an asset and valued learning the language. Depending on their immigrant status, they emphasized different aspects of the Korean language development. Although they valued their children’s Korean acquisition, as their children’s school where English is dominant, they spent less time in developing Korean. The results provide important implications for immigrant children’s heritage language maintenance.

Author

• Jaehee Kwon, SUNY at Fredonia