A Preliminary Study Examining Parent Perceptions and Practices in Heritage Language Transmission in Texas

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this project was to explore characteristics impacting the transmission of a heritage language from a parent to a child from the parent's perspective to better understand challenges that families may face when trying to pass on a heritage language to their children.MethodIn this pilot study, 14 interviews were conducted with individuals who reported they were currently raising or had raised at least 1 child to be able to speak about language transfer practices and beliefs. Participants were interviewed regarding their own language use and proficiency. Participants were asked questions pertaining to their attitudes and their children's attitudes toward their home language. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for emergent themes related to language transmission and challenges to passing down the heritage language to their child.ResultsCommon themes that emerged related to parents passing down their heritage language included the community the families resided in and the parent's proficiency level.ConclusionIt is important for educators and clinicians to understand how a parent's decision to pass down their language may be impacted by how much community support they experience and how proficient parents are in their heritage language. Implications of these results for educators and caretakers are discussed.