Role of Immigrant Parents' Attitudes and Practices in Bilingual Students' Heritage Language Use and Translanguaging Performance

• In Event: Supporting Immigrant and Multilingual Families

Abstract

Given the heritage language (HL) loss phenomenon among Korean children of immigrant families in the U.S., this study examines Korean emergent bilingual students’ language use and translanguaging practices in a HL classroom. To extend our understanding of immigrant families’ vital roles in their children’s establishment of bilingualism, the study further explores the role of immigrant Korean families’ language practices and attitudes towards their children’s bilingualism. The findings indicate that there is a close relationship between the parents’ attitudes and practices at home and the children’s language use and development both in Korean and English. The findings provide implications for educators and immigrant parents of emergent bilingual students to better support bilingual children’s language learning and development in the long run.

Author

• Chaehyun Lee, Southeastern Oklahoma State University