Language Mixings in Heritage Language Education: A Systematic Review

The overarching research question for this paper is what work has been done on heritage languages worldwide through a language mixing lens. Given the increasing research interest in this topic and the scarcity of previous secondary studies, a systematic review was conducted on the empirical data at the intersection of language mixing and heritage language education, in and out of schools. Thematic analysis and frequency analysis were carried out on qualified empirical sources gathered from Scopus, Web of Science, and Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA). After sharing backgrounds on heritage language education and language mixing with relative terms and perspectives, the paper presents findings from the review based on 23 peer-reviewed empirical journal articles, focusing specifically on three aspects: (a) the main theoretical approaches and definitions employed for language mixing; (b) the characterization of language mixing for instruction and its impacts on heritage language education; (c) the parent and community language mixing activities for children’s heritage language learning. The limitations of the existing studies and the implications for educators and researchers are later discussed. It is hoped that this article will further our knowledge on this topic and provide pointed implications for future education and research.

The Pedagogical Practices of an Immigrant Parent: Maintaining Heritage Language in the Home Context

The maintenance of heritage language is essential to immigrant children’s linguistic, cultural, and social development. While there is a large body of literature on heritage language, how heritage language is practiced at home remains largely unknown. Engaging in an autobiographical narrative inquiry, I tell and retell stories of our pedagogical practices in the home context. I seek to bridge the research gap with new understandings of the “parent knowledge” that immigrant parents bring to bear in heritage language education. I invite you into my home and immigrant family’s language journey to witness the efforts, challenges, and rewards of learning heritage language.

Review: Kagan, Olga, Carreira, Maria M., & Hitchins Chik, Claire (2017). The Routledge handbook of heritage language education: From innovation to program building. Taylor & Francis.

EN The Routledge Handbook of Heritage Language Education successfully contextualizes heritage language education initiatives across a wide range of languages and geographical settings. It comprises an impressive range of studies that cover all levels of education and show the institutionalization process of heritage language education initiatives. The book is recommended reading for researchers, scholars, educators, language planners, and practitioners. Key words: HERITAGE LANGUAGE, INSTITUTIONALIZATION, MINORITY LANGUAGE, INNOVATION ES The Routledge Handbook of Heritage Language Education contextualiza con éxito las iniciativas educativas realizadas en el campo de las lenguas de herencia en una amplia gama de entornos geográficos. Incluye una impresionante variedad de estudios que abarcan todos los niveles educativos y muestran el proceso de institucionalización de las iniciativas de enseñanza de las lenguas de herencia. El libro está dirigido a investigadores, académicos, responsables de planificación lingüística y profesores de lenguas. Palabras clave: LENGUAS DE HERENCIA, INSTITUCIONALIZACIÓN, LENGUAS MINORITARIAS, INNOVACIÓN IT The Routledge Handbook of Heritage Language Education inquadra con esito positivo le iniziative di percorsi educativi che riguardano lo studio delle lingue ereditarie in numerose aree geografiche. Il lavoro comprende una gamma sorprendentemente vasta di studi che riguardano tutti i livelli di istruzione, e rivela il processo di istituzionalizzazione delle iniziative a livello educativo riguardanti le lingue ereditarie. Il libro è rivolto a ricercatori, studiosi, responsabili delle politiche linguistiche e insegnanti di lingua. Parole chiave: LINGUE EREDITARIE, ISTITUZIONALIZZAZIONE DI PERCORSI EDUCATIVI, LINGUE MINORITARIE, INNOVAZIONE

The Pedagogical Practices of an Immigrant Parent-Maintaining Heritage Language in the Home Context

The maintenance of heritage language is essential to immigrant children’s linguistic, cultural, and social development. While there is a large body of literature on heritage language, how heritage language is practiced at home remains largely unknown. Engaging in an autobiographical narrative inquiry, I tell and retell stories of our pedagogical practices in the home context. I seek to bridge the research gap with new understandings of the “parent knowledge” immigrant parents bring to bear in heritage language education. I invite you into my home and immigrant family’s language journey to witness the efforts, challenges, and rewards of learning heritage language.

Heritage-Language Education for Japanese Children Living Abroad and the Impacts on Their Ethnic Identity

With consistently increasing globalization, the number of Japanese children living and receiving education abroad continues to grow. Previous studies have compared the Japanese-language abilities of children studying Japanese abroad to those of children living in Japan. However, the author contends that the backgrounds of children studying Japanese abroad vary greatly, as do their learning goals. The former do not necessarily want to learn the same language skills as children who study in Japan. Japanese-language education for children living overseas requires that students understand what they want to achieve in terms of their language ability. This chapter focuses on children who have lived and been educated in multiple countries other than Japan; it discusses their Japanese-language learning goals and the environment needed to support those goals. It also examines their sense of ethnic identity as Japanese and how this relates to their upbringing and language-learning experiences.