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This study contributes to research on the doctoral experience of international students who are parents, and for whom the temporary experience of living elsewhere is both a challenge and a resource for all members of the family. The study investigated how a group of these students positioned themselves to their children's English and home language during their study abroad. A group of 12 international doctoral students from one Australian university and one primary school teacher took part in the study. The doctoral students were from a number of non-anglophone countries. Membership Categorisation Analysis was used to examine the identity categories invoked during focus group discussions. The categories bilingual, student, parent, tutor and spouse, the category devices family, study, nationality/language, time and location, and the attributes responsibility and inadequacy that emerged in the analysis, suggest that language issues are important considerations for international students with families, and need focused attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of bilingualism, there are a multitude of studies that cover different topics such as the effects of early language exposure and the cognitive advantages of bilinguals, but one of the more underrepresented studies include the development of one's first language, and the factors that play a part in it. In investigating the phenomenon of bilingualism, consideration on the intervening factors must be undertaken to create a more nuanced description of the relationship between the two variables. Hence, one-hundred Tagalog-English bilingual children aged 4-7 participated in the study to determine the difference of their L1 proficiency levels in terms of the following factors: (1) gender, (2) socio-economic status, (3) home language, and (4) community language. Participants were tasked to answer Tagalog proficiency tests covering grammar, vocabulary, and spelling to measure L1 proficiency. On the other hand, a demographic profile sheet was filled up by the parents to collect information on the factors provided. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the t-test was used to treat the data. The results showed the following: gender [F(1,98)=3.12; p=0.080] and socio-economic status [F(4,95)=0.93; p=0.448] were found to be insignificant to overall L1 proficiency, while those who reported using Tagalog as their home language [F(1,98)=11.04; p=0.001] and community language [F(1,98)=5.94; p=0.017] outperformed their English-using counterparts in L1 proficiency. The study ultimately displays that language exposure is a major element in the development of first language, and the interference of a second language may interrupt the proficiency of the first. However, the researchers recommend that future studies focus on specific factors and a thorough collection of data in order to accrue more accurate data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of language maintenance and shift (LMS) has attracted a large body of empirical work in language policy and planning (LPP) contexts, including allochthonous (immigrant) and autochthonous (indigenous) languages. However, some critical ontological questions that relate to the scope and terminology of language maintenance studies remain unanswered, and there seems to be a lack of consistency in the definitions of the relevant terms, such as what 'heritage' language refers to, whose heritage it is when a language can be classified as a heritage language, and what 'language' is at all. Therefore, this review summarises existing literature on LPP for language maintenance by employing a scoping review methodology, providing an overview of empirical studies of LPP in migration context over the past two decades (2001-2023), focusing on terminology, geographical settings, research focus and methods. The findings reveal that most studies (66.3%) use the term 'heritage language' to refer to the 'language of transnational minorities' among other terms. The results also highlight geographical gaps and imbalances in the literature, calling for more LPP studies from South American and East Asian contexts. In addition, further investigations are needed to explore the transnational and translocal aspects of language maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Research suggests that by allowing English Learner (EL) students to use their home languages in science class, they can better express their thinking and build content knowledge through underlying crosslinguistic awareness between languages. However, EL students’ educational backgrounds and home languages are incredibly varied. In this case study, we employ grounded theory to explore students' perceptions of their experiences in the context of a Physical Science and Language Development class [10]. We use a phenomenological approach to describe how the students experience their home language within this model of a science and language development class. Observation data, online video assignments, and small group, semi-structured interviews were used to find themes related to experiences of using home language in science class. The findings indicate varied student perspectives on the use of their home languages in science class. Some students preferred to use class time to practice using English, while others found value in using their home languages to help better understand science concepts. Student ideologies regarding English-only or multilingual practices for EL students varied. The findings also indicated that providing an opportunity for EL students to use their home languages in an asynchronous online communication platform outside of class was an effective strategy to allow time for students to practice English during science class, yet provide an opportunity to translate between home languages and English.

Introduction: Language policies in multilingual families refer to parents' decisions, whether explicitly articulated or not, regarding which languages will be used in which contexts. However, because most studies that explore language allocation focus on families with young children, they do not address how family language policies impact the retention of a home language through to the next generation. The present study investigates an important perspective on this issue, specifically how emerging adults' childhood experiences with their family language policy relate to the languages they currently use and plan to retain in the future. Methods: In all, 62 multilingual Canadian adults, aged between 17 and 29 years, participated in focus group interviews concerning their experience of language policies in their birth families, their current beliefs concerning language allocation and retention, and their plans about language policy in their future families. Results: The data revealed that not only are most participants interested in retaining their home language, thereby continuing to speak the language in their future families, but most are also open to incorporating additional languages into their policies. Discussion: The results provide insight into how to identify effective heritage language retention policies that transcend generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the language attitudes of second-generation Arabic speakers in Italy, examining their perspectives on both Italian and Arabic. The study assesses these attitudes within the complex sociolinguistic environment of Arabic, which is heavily influenced by a diglossic view between Standard Arabic and Arabic dialects. The findings highlight nuanced attitudes toward Italian, Standard Arabic, and Arabic dialects, influenced by factors such as social integration, communicative utility, and cultural identity. Italian is perceived as a tool for social advancement and integration. In contrast, Arabic dialects are essential for maintaining cultural and familial ties, yet they often face marginalization in formal education settings and encounter social stigma. Conversely, Standard Arabic is esteemed in formal and religious settings despite its limited everyday use. This analysis reveals a dynamic interplay of attitudinal responses to these languages, illustrating a rich mosaic of multilingual and multicultural identities. The results call for policies that acknowledge and promote linguistic diversity in Italy, aiming to enhance social integration and protect linguistic rights. These policies should include educational reforms that treat Standard Arabic and Arabic dialects equitably, supporting their role in fostering inclusive and comprehensive linguistic-cultural integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First Nations children may speak a dialect of English that has different grammatical rules from Standard Australian English (school language). Limited studies have investigated Aboriginal English (home language) dialect in First Nations children and its impact on differential diagnosis of language disorder. This study measured the density of home language dialect and grammatical accuracy in oral narratives produced by typically developing First Nations children. Non-standardised assessment narrative protocols were used to elicit language samples from 27 Australian First Nations children aged 4.5–6 years. Local home language dialectal features were coded into the sample and grammatical accuracy was calculated separately for school language and home language. All children displayed some use of home language features. The most common home language features used were alternative use of regular past tense and irregular past tense, zero use of regular and irregular past tense, and alternative use of pronouns. Dialect density varied highly amongst participants. Grammatical accuracy was higher for home language than school language. Speech pathologists and teachers need to be aware of differences between home and school language for First Nations children to avoid misdiagnosis of language disorder. More research is required to gain normative data that informs culturally appropriate assessment practices for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high number of poor-performing learners in reading comprehension in South African schools is a concerning factor that calls for studies to mitigate this problem. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) of 2021 indicates that about 81% of South African Grade 4 learners who participated, failed to reach the required benchmark in the test. Research indicates that teachers are not conversant with theory and explicit teaching of reading comprehension strategies. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the role played by teachers in developing Grade 9 learners’ reading comprehension skills in English Home Language and establishing which reading comprehension skills and strategies are taught to learners. Method: This study used a qualitative approach. Four data sets were utilised to collect data including a document analysis, a questionnaire for learners, interviews with teachers of English and lesson observations. Results: The findings of the study show that there is little guidance on how to teach reading comprehension skills. It also emerged that instead of teaching reading comprehension skills, teachers merely ‘test’ learners’ answering skills. Conclusion: This study suggests that there is a need for re-training and assisting teachers in explicitly teaching reading comprehension skills to learners. Learners may benefit from the enhanced expertise of teachers and become more proficient in reading comprehension. Contribution: The study has provided invaluable insights into the current teaching practice of comprehension skills with actionable insights for teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers to support learners’ academic success and bridge the gap between praxis and theory.

Reading literacy has attracted the attention of a growing number of researchers in recent times. Though it is seen as an essential competency, thorough bibliometric analyses on the subject are lacking within a few African contexts, one of which is reading for comprehension in the isiZulu home language. This study attempted to fill this gap, by selecting 95 articles through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol (PRISMA-P) method and leveraging tools such as VOSviewer, CitNetExplorer’s visualization citation network, and counting techniques. The results indicated that South Africa is a central player, experiencing a notable increase in publications over the past decade. Authors such as Probert, Paulsrud B., Tian Z., Toth J., Port R.F., McKinney C., Tyler R. Moodley V., and Wildsmith-Cromarty R. stand out, alongside prolific journals like English-Medium Instruction and Translanguaging, Language Learning, and Language Teaching. Crucial topics identified include Cultural Context, Language Proficiency, Interactive Read-Alouds, and Differentiated Instruction. The results emphasized the pivotal role of reading motivation in formal education, highlighting the complex nature of online activities. The study concluded that the field of research on teaching reading for comprehension in isiZulu has evolved into a well-established and cross-disciplinary field, with South Africa leading in contributions and collaborations, and anticipates continued growth which will solidify isiZulu reading instruction as a promising and enduring subject of study.

The present study investigated whether parent–child interactions during shared reading in a diverse sample of 91 three- to five-year-old dual language learners (DLLs) in Norway supported the development of the children's first (L1) and second language (L2) vocabulary skills. The dyads spoke 11 different L1s (i.e., Arabic, Polish, Somali, and Urdu). The analysis of shared reading was based on predefined story elements in the book, and differentiated between whether central story elements were introduced as parent inferential questions and child responses, or as parent and child narrative statements. The children's L1 and L2 receptive vocabulary skills were assessed prior to the reading as well as 8 months later. Regression analyses revealed that parent inferential questions predicted children's L1 vocabulary development across the time-period. Child responses to adult inferential questions predicted their L1 and L2 vocabulary development. These findings support the growing research base that emphasizes the importance of eliciting child reasoning during shared reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, fifth edition (Child SCAT5), is among the most widely used international pediatric concussion evaluation tools. However, the tool's English-only aspect may limit its use for patients who speak different languages. Prior researchers have suggested one's preferred language (ie, home language) could be associated with concussion assessments in adults, yet how this might affect pediatric athletes is not well understood. To compare baseline Child SCAT5 assessment outcomes between middle school athletes whose home language was Spanish and matched control athletes whose home language was English. Case-control study. Middle school athletics. Athletes self-reported their home language (ie, language spoken at home). Those indicating their home language was Spanish were individually matched to athletes who spoke English at home on age, sex, sport, school, and pertinent comorbidities (eg, concussion history). The final sample consisted of 144 athletes (Spanish home language = 72, English home language = 72). We used Mann-Whitney U tests to compare the Child SCAT5 component scores of the home language groups (ie, Spanish versus English). Athletes in the Spanish home language group scored lower on the Standardized Assessment of Concussion—Child version (P <.01, r = −0.25), Immediate Memory (P <.01, r = −0.45), and total modified Balance Error Scoring System scores (P <.01, r = −0.25) than the English home language group. Matched athletes whose home language was Spanish versus English scored differently on baseline Child SCAT5 assessment components. Those with the home language of Spanish scored lower on cognitive and balance tasks than those whose home language was English. These findings may serve as a rationale for the development of future concussion assessment tools to properly capture clinically relevant data regarding language differences among pediatric athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionLanguage policies in multilingual families refer to parents’ decisions, whether explicitly articulated or not, regarding which languages will be used in which contexts. However, because most studies that explore language allocation focus on families with young children, they do not address how family language policies impact the retention of a home language through to the next generation. The present study investigates an important perspective on this issue, specifically how emerging adults’ childhood experiences with their family language policy relate to the languages they currently use and plan to retain in the future.MethodsIn all, 62 multilingual Canadian adults, aged between 17 and 29 years, participated in focus group interviews concerning their experience of language policies in their birth families, their current beliefs concerning language allocation and retention, and their plans about language policy in their future families.ResultsThe data revealed that not only are most participants interested in retaining their home language, thereby continuing to speak the language in their future families, but most are also open to incorporating additional languages into their policies.DiscussionThe results provide insight into how to identify effective heritage language retention policies that transcend generations.

South African learners are among the millions globally who learn English as a second language and use it as the language of learning and teaching at various stages of their educational careers. The literature abounds with views from language and education experts confirming that proficiency in the language of teaching and learning is crucial for academic success. However, the voices of the learners themselves are absent in discussions on this crucial matter. This study investigated the perceptions of Setswana Home Language learners about studying English as a subject and using it as the language of teaching and learning. The research focused on Grade 11 Setswana Home Language learners in a rural public secondary school in the Bojanala Education District, North-West Province, South Africa. Guided by Vygotsky' socio-cultural theory, this single case qualitative study collected data through a questionnaire administered to a purposefully sampled Grade 11 English First Additional Language class, with qualitative analysis of the responses. Findings revealed that learners felt they did not have a thorough understanding of English; lacked confidence in speaking it; had poor speaking and writing skills, preferred Setswana as the language of teaching and learning, were exposed to the use of both their home language and English in the classroom and lacked sufficient access to English in their home environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research explores the language attitudes of second-generation Arabic speakers in Italy, examining their perspectives on both Italian and Arabic. The study assesses these attitudes within the complex sociolinguistic environment of Arabic, which is heavily influenced by a diglossic view between Standard Arabic and Arabic dialects. The findings highlight nuanced attitudes toward Italian, Standard Arabic, and Arabic dialects, influenced by factors such as social integration, communicative utility, and cultural identity. Italian is perceived as a tool for social advancement and integration. In contrast, Arabic dialects are essential for maintaining cultural and familial ties, yet they often face marginalization in formal education settings and encounter social stigma. Conversely, Standard Arabic is esteemed in formal and religious settings despite its limited everyday use. This analysis reveals a dynamic interplay of attitudinal responses to these languages, illustrating a rich mosaic of multilingual and multicultural identities. The results call for policies that acknowledge and promote linguistic diversity in Italy, aiming to enhance social integration and protect linguistic rights. These policies should include educational reforms that treat Standard Arabic and Arabic dialects equitably, supporting their role in fostering inclusive and comprehensive linguistic-cultural integration.

Learners in Umzimkhulu identify as amaBhaca and speak isiBhaca at home and with friends. However, at school, they use isiXhosa as a home language (HL) and first additional language (FAL). This article examines how isiBhaca influences isiXhosa in the educational space in Umzimkhulu. Research identified three schools across Umzimkhulu through which data were collected; using a qualitative approach, this article used document analysis and interviews for data collection. Data were gathered from 60 learners’ written essays and 6 teachers through semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that isiBhaca influences written isiXhosa in Umzimkhulu. This was seen through the learners’ essays and teacher interviews. The conclusion of this study is that teachers should undergo standardised training on how to handle non-standard language speakers in class. At the same time, teachers should find a way of not disadvantaging learners who speak non-standard varieties and not encourage learners to develop negative attitudes towards their languages. Contribution: The contribution to the body of scholarship is the consideration of learners who speak dialects in the classroom and the view that teachers should be taught strategies to change their approach to teaching an HL. Teachers do not have to penalise learners for using non-standard languages, especially when they are non-standard varieties of the HL, which is mostly the standard language, but rather introduce them, for example, to the correct word in the standard language.

Language in education plays a critical role in effective teaching and learning worldwide. This study aimed to explore the challenges of learning in a second language among secondary school learners with developmental language disorder (DLD). The study also unveils strategies used by professionals to support learners and learners’ attitudes towards support. The study participants were learners (n = 12), teachers (n = 5), a speech Language therapist, and an educational psychologist. A qualitative research approach was utilised employing a case study as the research design. Data generation sources included non-participatory observations, interviews, and focus group discussions. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that learning in a second language as the medium of instruction posed challenges for learners with DLD. They struggled with comprehension, reading, and word recognition of learning content. Teachers indicated that they used strategies such as remedial lessons and giving learners more reading material to enhance their vocabulary and narrative skills. They also referred learners to other professionals for further assistance. Parental involvement is also encouraged in support of learners. However, one of the factors limiting learners’ support is learners’ attitudes. Learners’ attitudes towards support may be attributed to limited awareness of DLD. Hence, there is a need to raise awareness of DLD among the learners. An in-depth course on special education in secondary teacher training programmes is necessary to further equip teachers with strategies to enhance inclusive classrooms. The promotion of local languages as a medium of instruction must be highly prioritised, even at a secondary level of education.

Background: Globalization, increased transnational mobility, and growing refugee populations have shifted the focus from traditionally monolingual to incrementally multilingual and multicultural classrooms and have put a significant mark on language teaching. Attention to multilingualism and multiculturalism in educational settings is important to raising awareness and recognition of linguistic and cultural diversity at the individual and societal levels. Methods: This comparative study investigated the beliefs of 59 pre-service teachers in Norway and Cyprus regarding the use of students' home language(s) (HLs) in increasingly linguistically diverse English as an Additional Language (EAL) settings. The teachers were observed during their teaching practicum and were interviewed with respect to their views, beliefs, and self-reflections on the impact and role of HL for EAL teaching and learning purposes. Results: The analysis of the data revealed that more than half of the participants in both countries were in favor of employing multilingual pedagogies. However, most of them acknowledged certain challenges in their practical implementation and the need for further training. Conclusion: The study concludes with the authors stressing the catalyst role teacher educators could play in making EAL classrooms more inclusive for multilingual learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous bilingual and bicultural children who are schooled in the dominant societal language can acquire literacy in their home language through home literacy practices and weekend school. Twenty-eight Japanese-English bilingual–bicultural children (ages 9 to 14) attending English weekend schools in Japan were assessed using the standardized Test of Written Language (TOWL, 4th ed.). Their overall age-adjusted writing scores showed that most were on a par with same-age US peers. The parents' responses to parental questionnaires revealed that the children's regular attendance and enjoyment of weekend school, coupled with parental home support and access to plenty of appropriate English reading materials, helped to establish their English literacy. Nevertheless, the children attained different writing scores. Although many performed within the Average range, some scored either in the Above Average or higher range or the Below Average or lower range. Further analysis of these three groups of children revealed a strong relationship between reading practices and writing scores. Better writers tend to read frequently in English; they enjoy reading independently and voluntarily. These findings underscore the importance of recreational reading as an accessible and affordable means for developing home language literacy in bilingual and bicultural children in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-established in both scholarship and policy documents that students' home language practices can be leveraged as a key resource for their learning. However, it can be challenging for teachers to embed students' language resources in class activities in ways that link to wider learning objectives. We report how the inclusion of home language literacy practices can both enhance English language learning and promote multiliteracies. Data are drawn from a design-based study on the incorporation of home languages in the teaching of English. In the article, we focus on the teaching and learning that occurred in the classroom of two English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers. Data collected comprised lesson sequences, teacher reflection, student work samples and student reflection. It was found that teacher-initiated support for home language literacy practices led to positive student engagement. The support included giving an active role to bi/multilingual teaching assistants and Google Translate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The premise of the present paper is that an intercultural approach to multilingualism in schools generates inclusion and a construction of cultural and linguistic identity that respects the diversity of society and classrooms. Students, teachers, and families participated in an action research project conducted in four schools with the presence of varied home languages. One of the objectives of the project is to foster intercultural education by introducing home languages in the school through identity texts. The process was documented through questionnaires, interviews with families and educators, and classroom observations. Results show that the texts and the curricular activities designed around them have provided spaces for the recognition and valuation of diversity. The self-esteem of alloglot students has improved and the collaborative relationship between school and families has increased. Conclusions point at the potential of multilingualism as a way to enrich the curriculum and to promote equality from diversity in the school context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundGlobalization, increased transnational mobility, and growing refugee populations have shifted the focus from traditionally monolingual to incrementally multilingual and multicultural classrooms and have put a significant mark on language teaching. Attention to multilingualism and multiculturalism in educational settings is important to raising awareness and recognition of linguistic and cultural diversity at the individual and societal levels.MethodsThis comparative study investigated the beliefs of 59 pre-service teachers in Norway and Cyprus regarding the use of students’ home language(s) (HLs) in increasingly linguistically diverse English as an Additional Language (EAL) settings. The teachers were observed during their teaching practicum and were interviewed with respect to their views, beliefs, and self-reflections on the impact and role of HL for EAL teaching and learning purposes.ResultsThe analysis of the data revealed that more than half of the participants in both countries were in favor of employing multilingual pedagogies. However, most of them acknowledged certain challenges in their practical implementation and the need for further training.ConclusionThe study concludes with the authors stressing the catalyst role teacher educators could play in making EAL classrooms more inclusive for multilingual learners.

This research considers the challenges facing English as an Additional Language learners who are new to English (EAL NE learners), and how these challenges detract from the UK’s commitment to educational rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. It does this by investigating the nature of home language guidance and provisions in the context of UK state primary schools. It also analyses to what extent these materials can lead to practices that salvage losses for these learners’ capabilities, which are postulated as inherent under the national submersion language model. Data was collected in June 2021 through a comprehensive review of both official documents pertaining to EAL learners in primary schools, and websites of selected Local Authorities.The findings reveal a substantial neglect of learners’ home languages. Despite efforts made in terms of home language guidance and provisions for schools, capability realisation for EAL NE learners are undermined due to an uneven distribution of informations and resources and lack of effective diversity training to assist teachers with valuing home languages. They are also undermined due to a lack of clarity in the information available for implementing bilingual strategies, and inconsistencies in the availability of supporting learning resources.

One quarter of children in the United States live with at least one parent who is an immigrant. Immigrants have a variety of backgrounds and situations including families who are refugees from war‐torn countries, families living in the country for graduate school, and families who have lived in the US for multiple years. Immigrants' diversity of experiences makes getting to know their backgrounds and incorporating them into instruction critical. In this article, we share our experiences and provide reflection questions and suggestions to help educators embrace and incorporate home languages, explain and expand educational practices, and consider literacy curriculum and instructional practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2015/6 #Rhodes Must Fall student protest reignited the debate to decolonise higher education in South Africa and many parts of the world. One way of achieving this is through decolonising the language of teaching and learning to increase access to higher education. Within this caveat, we anticipate that this article will add a crucial contribution to contemporary international and local debates on decolonising the medium of instruction by providing evidence from South African institutions' unique challenges and prospects associated with the quest to deliver quality decolonised education. While tremendous strides have been made in expressing the constitutional right of every learner to receive primary education in a language of their choice, at the university level, the development and implementation of inclusive language policies have been dismal at best. With the demise of the apartheid regime that significantly stifled African languages in South Africa, one could have hoped for changes in attitude and language usage in universities, mainly because universities still have discernible remnants of the apartheid legacy. This article sought to highlight the need for decolonising South African higher education, particularly concerning using English as the medium of instruction. We further hope that this study will benefit practitioners and stakeholders involved in formulating language policies at their respective learning institutions and prompt them to treat the decolonisation process with befitting urgency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Studies have documented that child experiences such as external/environmental factors as well as internal factors jointly affect acquisition outcomes in child language. Thus far, the findings have been heavily skewed toward Indo-European languages and children in the Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic (WEIRD) societies. By contrast, this study features an understudied minority language Kam, and a group of so-called left-behind children in China growing up in a unique socialcommunicative environment. Methods: Fifty-five bilingual children aged 5-9 acquiring Kam as home language were assessed using the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (LITMUS MAIN). Twenty-three "two parents-left" children (mean age = 6;8, range: 5;0-9;2) remained in rural areas while both parents went to cities for employment, and they were raised by their grandparents. Thirtytwo were "one parent-left" peers (mean age = 7;3, range: 5;0-9;3) who also resided in rural areas but were raised by one parent. Oral narrative texts were analysed for macrostructure based on story structure (SS), story complexity (SC) and internal state terms (IS). The study examined whether and how narrative production is predicted by internal factors such as chronological age and linguistic proficiency of a child and an external factor such as leftbehind experience. Four measures were scored as outcome measures: SS, SC, IS type, IS token. Four measures were taken as predictors: chronological age, left-behind experience, scores in a lexical production task, and scores in a sentence repetition task tapping expressive morphosyntactic competence. Results: Results showed that left-behind experience consistently predicted all four outcome measures, where the "two parents-left" children scored significantly lower than their "one parent-left" peers. Expressive vocabulary scores predicted three measures: SS, SC, and IS Token. Expressive morphosyntactic scores predicted SS and SC. Age, by contrast, did not predict any outcome measure. Discussion: These findings suggested that being left-behind by both parents may be a negative prognostic indicator for the development and maintenance of heritage language abilities in ethnic minority children. We further discussed the conceptual significance of what it means for a child to be left-behind, by relating to more basic external factors in language development, including caregiver educational level, and amount of home language and literacy support by the caretakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous bilingual and bicultural children who are schooled in the dominant societal language can acquire literacy in their home language through home literacy practices and weekend school. Twenty-eight Japanese-English bilingual–bicultural children (ages 9 to 14) attending English weekend schools in Japan were assessed using the standardized Test of Written Language (TOWL, 4th ed.). Their overall age-adjusted writing scores showed that most were on a par with same-age US peers. The parents’ responses to parental questionnaires revealed that the children’s regular attendance and enjoyment of weekend school, coupled with parental home support and access to plenty of appropriate English reading materials, helped to establish their English literacy. Nevertheless, the children attained different writing scores. Although many performed within the Average range, some scored either in the Above Average or higher range or the Below Average or lower range. Further analysis of these three groups of children revealed a strong relationship between reading practices and writing scores. Better writers tend to read frequently in English; they enjoy reading independently and voluntarily. These findings underscore the importance of recreational reading as an accessible and affordable means for developing home language literacy in bilingual and bicultural children in Japan.

The 25 million Australians today are identified with more than 300 ancestries. People’s home language use and shift patterns had demonstrated great variations as more immigrants from Asia-Pacific regions entered Australia. The ethnolinguistic composition of Australia’s population had undergone substantial changes in the last few decades. Based on the statistics from Australian censuses, the present paper aims to analyze the changes of people’s home language use and the shift patterns in the new Millennium. Five sets of census data released by Australian Bureau of Statistics were adopted as the secondary data source and descriptive analysis was conducted to disclose the dynamic picture of different home languages in Australia after 2000. The results suggest that the number of home language speakers in Australia has soared up quickly in the last two decades and great variations have been found between the traditional European migrant groups and the newly Asian arrivers. Mandarin has overtaken Italian and Greek to become the most populous home language other than English used in Australia since 2011 and great regional differences were also found to exist among different states and territories. Moreover, the ranking order of different home language speakers had changed considerably as compared with that in the last century. The language shift rates of different language communities and their cross-tabulations with generations, gender, age, and duration of residence in the latest available censuses after 2000 also revealed diverse developmental directions. The findings give us a glimpse of the current status of different home languages in Australia and help us to identify the potential factors impacting the shifting trends of different language communities. A better understanding of the language needs of different migrant communities may further help policymakers set more effective plans to accommodate an increasingly diverse Australian society.

This article examines instances of a U.S.–Mexican transnational youth honing his critical translingual literacy skills through his engagement with corridos, Mexican balladry in Spanish that often emphasizes injustice and border strife. The author relies on ethnographic classroom observations, the student's journals, and semistructured interviews to provide a glimpse into the complexities and sophistication of the bilingual youth's everyday language and literacy practices in an era of vehement anti-immigrant rhetoric. This inquiry asks, (a) What do literacy practices deeply rooted in corridos look like? (b) How does one youth read and engage with the Mexican musical genre of corridos to make sense of his social and political world? and (c) What are the environments and educational settings that supported this literacy development? Findings detail a transnational youth's corridista (balladeer) consciousness and its concomitant language and literacy practices that shape and are shaped by his participation in both his Tijuana communities of origin and his Los Angeles communities. Specifically, this study showcases a student's uses of literary devices, including allegory, to describe myriad forms of oppression and resistance found in corrido lyrics and throughout the lives of U.S.–Mexican transnational youths. Attention to literary genres that are often unsanctioned in traditional English-medium classrooms and recognizing the complex cognitive abilities of bilinguals can harvest critical insight about literacy education in and out of school. Implications from this study highlight meaningful learning contexts for transnational adolescents’ literacies and how engagement of these literacies might be (re)conceptualized through an ethnic studies and Chicanx/Latinx Studies lens.

This article examines instances of a U.S.–Mexican transnational youth honing his critical translingual literacy skills through his engagement with corridos, Mexican balladry in Spanish that often emphasizes injustice and border strife. The author relies on ethnographic classroom observations, the student's journals, and semistructured interviews to provide a glimpse into the complexities and sophistication of the bilingual youth's everyday language and literacy practices in an era of vehement anti-immigrant rhetoric. This inquiry asks, (a) What do literacy practices deeply rooted in corridos look like? (b) How does one youth read and engage with the Mexican musical genre of corridos to make sense of his social and political world? and (c) What are the environments and educational settings that supported this literacy development? Findings detail a transnational youth's corridista (balladeer) consciousness and its concomitant language and literacy practices that shape and are shaped by his participation in both his Tijuana communities of origin and his Los Angeles communities. Specifically, this study showcases a student's uses of literary devices, including allegory, to describe myriad forms of oppression and resistance found in corrido lyrics and throughout the lives of U.S.–Mexican transnational youths. Attention to literary genres that are often unsanctioned in traditional English-medium classrooms and recognizing the complex cognitive abilities of bilinguals can harvest critical insight about literacy education in and out of school. Implications from this study highlight meaningful learning contexts for transnational adolescents’ literacies and how engagement of these literacies might be (re)conceptualized through an ethnic studies and Chicanx/Latinx Studies lens.

In spite of the fact that increased transnational flows of people have altered the social, cultural, and linguistic landscape, education in Zimbabwe still follows a monolingual trajectory. The use of a language of instruction different from the students' home language has been identified as the major factor in students' academic underachievement. This article reports on a study that sought to investigate the role played by language in the academic performance of 40 fourth-grade Science and Technology students at a primary school in Bikita district, Zimbabwe. In this mixed-methods study, participants were randomly assigned to either the control or experimental group using Research Randomiser. The experimental group had translanguaging-informed intervention while the control group followed the traditional monolingual approach. A paired t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in the academic achievement of the two research groups in the post-test suggesting the efficacy of translanguaging in the classroom. The present research findings are in line with previous research which affirm the academic benefits of doing away with 'named languages' through the use of students' linguistic repertoire in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a monolingual approach to the teaching of linguistic minority pupils in an English primary school at Key Stage Two (7–11 years old). The work is based on a longitudinal case study of one Russian-speaking migrant pupil and her schooled experience. The analysis and discussion explicate the prohibition of the first or home language (Russian) in the school, and reveal how denying a seven-year-old migrant child permission to use her L1 is detrimental to her learning experience and her well-being. The focal data derive from participant-observation fieldnotes, visual artefacts and interviews with the child, her mother, and a class teacher over a 7-month period. Through an analysis of the participants' stancetaking, we show how the pupil's voice is inaudible in her struggle against a monolingual attitude towards her bilingualism and multicompetence. Our contribution therefore builds on work in critical migrant language education, to identify the importance of enabling the presence of the L1 in learning for migrant pupils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As language learning policy for Foundation Phase (FP) learning advocates for home language as medium of learning and teaching, it is for this reason that the objective of this paper is to investigate whether home language teaching has an impact towards enhanced additional language learning pedagogies. This language divide causes some imbalance as university student teachers while undergoing Teaching Practise (TP) in various schools at FP level are being caught in-between, expecting learner fluency, only for them to report some noted deficits towards learning English as additional language. Mitigation strategies employed by means of code-switching from English language to home languages to a greater extent, really compromises English language proficiency. This qualitative inquiry embedded in a case study design was undertaken to study English language teacher' experiences in such real-life situations where home languages are regarded as the main medium of instruction. Participants as data sources, were four university teachers purposely identified because of the task assigned to them, that of assessing student teachers in diverse schools during TP. Data for this inquiry was collected through semi-structured interviews. It was divulged as the main findings that (i) time constraints caused by consistent code-switching to acquaint with the unfamiliar medium, and (ii) learner dropout rate were challenges. This paper concludes that for enhanced language proficiency, policies need to be redefined such that the ultimate end is learners who can be able to communicate globally in a wide range of linguistic constituencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home language (HL) effects on academic language literacy have been extensively discussed. However, previous research has mostly focused on Indo–European languages. This study extends the literature by using data (n = 17,600) collected in a diversified language area: Guangxi, China. We examined the effects of four HLs and four socioeconomic factors by using modern standard written Chinese literacy as an outcome across three developmental levels (ages 10.45, 12.31, and 14.72). School clustering effect existed and adding the predictors of HL and socioeconomic status did not change the variance proportion in literacy performance accounted for by the school groupings. The findings indicate that (a) Putonghua-only speakers performed poorest in school Grades 5 to 6 and 7 to 8, (b) dominant Putonghua speakers performed best in Grades 7 to 8, (c) heritage-only speakers performed best in Grades 5 to 6, and (d) the contribution of the parents' socioeconomic factors depended on the participants' developmental levels. Our study supports the bilingual literacy advantage and explains why a heritage-only acts as a type of bilingualism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education policy in the Global South often focuses on two areas: learner‐centred education (LCE) and language of instruction (LoI). For over a decade, LCE has been promoted throughout sub‐Saharan Africa and has been referred to as a 'policy panacea'. The basic premise of LCE is that it offers learners substantial control over what and how they learn through active engagement. Pair and group work involving talk are key aspects of LCE; however, in contexts where teachers and students are not proficient in the official LoI, the efficacy of this pedagogic approach is brought into question. Drawing on vignettes based on observational data of early years and primary classroom practice in South Africa and Zambia, this paper offers a discursive exploration of how valuing oracy and legitimising multilingualism alter classroom dynamics and interactions between teachers and children. Encouraging translanguaging as a pedagogical approach enables more effective meaning‐making through talk and supports pedagogic shifts to more learner‐centred classrooms. Exploring the potential of professional development to inspire change, we critically draw out some of the observable shifts in practice, alongside the challenges, for practitioners moving to a more multilingual classroom whilst simultaneously operating within the LoI policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In sub-Saharan Africa, a paucity of data exists in respect of the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of patients on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) regarding the dietary adaptations they should make. Methods: In a descriptive, cross-sectional study, conducted in 2017, questionnaires were administered during structured interviews with 75 participants in five MHD-units in Bloemfontein to assess socio-demographics and KAP regarding the ‘renal’ diet. Results: The median age was 50.5 years; 70.7% of participants were male. Overall, 49.4% scored low (< 50%) on knowledge regarding restricted foods, food content of restricted minerals, and phosphate binders; 60.0% reported negative attitudes towards the diet, and 61.4% reported poor adherence practices. Participants with tertiary education (28.0%) had significantly higher knowledge scores than participants with only primary school education (6.7%) (95% CI 3.9%; 73.5%), or those who had only partially completed secondary school (17.3%) (95% CI 6.3%; 64.0%). Only 21.0% reported having received written, and 30.7% verbal, nutrition education in their home language, while 24.0% reported never receiving nutrition education in either their home or second language. Having received nutrition education in a home language and/or second language was associated with significantly higher knowledge scores (95% CI 3.7%; 49.5%). Most (77.3%) reported zero to one consultation with a dietitian per MHD year (NKF-K/DOQI recommends at least three/MHD year). Conclusion: This population on MHD presented with poor KAP regarding the ‘renal’ diet, and inadequate involvement of dietitians in their treatment. Receiving nutritional education in a first or second language significantly increased knowledge of, and insight into, the required dietary adaptations.

In this paper we investigate the link between the language in which pupils take the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test and the scores they achieve in this assessment, focusing upon the case of Wales. Using five rounds of PISA data and an instrumental variable approach, we show how pupils who took the test in Welsh score around 0.3 standard deviations (30 PISA test points) lower in reading, mathematics and science than their peers who took the test in English. This finding is robust to different model specifications and statistical approaches. We argue that this may indicate that the academic performance of teenagers in Wales may be underestimated in PISA – particularly amongst those who take this test in Welsh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used 2016 Canadian Census data to examine home bilingualism among children aged 0–9 years. Across Canada, 18 percent of children used at least two languages at home, which rose to more than 25 percent in large cities and the Canadian territories. English and French was the most common language pair in Quebec and Ontario, and various other pairs were spoken in most provinces. In the territories, 17 percent of children spoke an Indigenous language and English, and we discuss specific opportunities and challenges for Indigenous language revitalization. The presence of bilingual adults in the home and immigration generation were the strongest predictors of children's home bilingualism. We conclude by discussing how policies can encourage child bilingualism, such as by supporting children's home language in early and primary education settings. Such policies must be tailored to the needs of the specific communities to optimally support bilingual children and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers in Norway have been increasingly faced with the challenge of adapting their instruction methods to address the needs of minority-language students. The current body of research on the issue seems to indicate that multilingual practices are being introduced in Norwegian classrooms. However, they often rely on majority languages, such as English and Norwegian. Some teachers have been found to employ minority languages to support learners' English writing in drafts. As a result, minority languages in Norwegian schools tend to be regarded as less valuable than Norwegian and English. However, more recent projects are being implemented in Norwegian schools to help teachers alter their ideologies of minority languages. This article adds to this body of research by presenting two teachers' work with multilingual pedagogies, involving the active use of minority languages alongside Norwegian and English in student texts. The data were collected from: teacher reports, student materials, and mentorship meetings. The findings indicate that the teachers successfully implemented multilingual pedagogies by using language portraits, parallel translanguaging in multilingual posters and multimodal dictionaries, and complementary translanguaging in multilingual poetry. These multilingual practices enabled the students to showcase their linguistic identities and multilingual literacy practices. The implementation of multilingual pedagogies benefited from the long-term availability of scholarly input and guidance for teachers and the opportunity to share experiences in a professional network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate how languages in a multilingual classroom come to participate in the objectification process in the context of pattern generalization. Data came from the transcription of 10 videotaped sessions in grade 7. A mixed quantitative-qualitative approach was adopted for the analysis. The significance of triadic dialog (teacher initiation – student response – teacher feedback) (Sinclair & Coulthard, 1975) as the dominant mode of interaction and the multilingual nature of language were presented as unique aspects of classroom talk in this study. The multilingual classroom (teacher and students) repertoire, which includes aspects of colloquial Arabic and English, was a resource of meaning-making for objectification in different generalization level episodes during classroom talk. Crucial words in home language played various roles in the process of objectification. The teacher and students used colloquial Arabic to refer to deictic means, adverbs of generative action, and pronouns in addition to other linguistic functions. Those linguistic means prove to be central to the process of objectification. The study analyzes three episodes. The first two episodes present how the teacher and students used code-switching and colloquial Arabic for various functions in almost all utterances to objectify near generalization tasks. The third episode focuses on how languages come to participate in the objectification process in a far generalization task. The findings show that natural movements between languages helped in the objectification process of generalization. The findings also show that the relational, diverse, stratified, and agentive aspects of languages helped in the objectification process during various generalization level episodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]