Influence of Turkish Immigrant Parents Acculturation Strategies and Language Attitudes on Children’s Dual Language Processes

• In Event: Acculturation and Cultural Values

Abstract

Objective: An unprecedented and rapid migration of people to the US changes the linguistic and cultural landscape of society. In turn, language and cultural diversity have grown as the number of immigrants increases in the US. It is predicted that by the year 2040, one in every three children in the US will speak, in addition to English, at least one other language (Suárez-Orozco et al., 2009). To date, only a few studies provide an in-depth look at children’s dual-language proficiency development with the focus on aspects of multilingual households and bicultural environments in the US (Harris & Almutairi, 2016; Kalia, 2007). Purpose: Specifically, little is known about the association between acculturation and attitudes toward preserving heritage culture and language among Turkish immigrant parents in the US (Nisanci, 2019). The study explored the relationships between parental demographic variables (e.g., parents' educational level, child's age) and children's heritage language proficiency (Becker, 2013) using both Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Berry’s Acculturation Model. Methods: 52 Turkish parents (M = 38.15, SD = 4.84) and their children age from 5 to 11 years (M = 8.23, SD = 2.18) living in various states (e.g., Ohio, Connecticut) participated in this study. The parents were administered questionnaires regarding General Family Demographics, Parents of Bilingual Children, Acculturation Attitudes, and Parenting Language Attitudes. Children’s Turkish productivity samples were elicited for proficiency evaluation via a Turkish expressive vocabulary test (TIFALDI). Results: Parental language attitudes were negatively correlated with marginalization, assimilation, and integration attitudes but positively correlated with separation attitudes. Notable factors that influenced children’s heritage language proficiency were also identified. Children’s age was negatively associated with heritage language proficiency. Conversely, actively speaking Turkish with siblings at home was positively correlated to children’s Turkish proficiency. However, the amount of reading and watching movies in Turkish did not predict children’s Turkish proficiency. Conclusions: The current research suggests that exposure to the majority language decreases heritage language proficiency. In turn, older children of immigrants lack the motivation of maintaining the heritage language. Although immigrant parents seem to be the primary heritage language educators providing a supportive language home environment, their efforts may be hindered by the lack of heritage language exposure in other environments. Therefore, the current study suggests that school curriculum designers, teachers, and researchers should be involved in creating effective and supportive environments for immigrant families that promote the importance of preservation of heritage culture and language as part of bilingual education (Bayram & Wright, 2016).

Authors

• Seyma Inan, Miami University - Ohio
  Presenting Author

• Yvette R Harris, Miami University - Ohio
  Non-Presenting Author

• George Woodbury, Miami University
  Non-Presenting Author