ABSTRACT

The paper describes the role parental language ideology and the home literacy environment play in heritage language (HL) literacy learning of bilingual Arabic-English-speaking children in the UK. Information about the under-reported literacy practices of Arabic-English-speaking families will enhance current knowledge about HL literacy practices within the home. Data were collected over a period of 12 months in the form of language background surveys, audio recordings of activities within the home and parental interviews. The analysis of data suggests that parents’ HL ideologies are the impetus for language practices that develop children’s literacy skills in Arabic and the motivation to create a literacy environment within the home. The families made small libraries, invested (much) time in learning the unique skills needed to master an additional orthographic system and sent their children to Arabic weekend schools. The most significant factor, however, in determining HL literacy development was mothers’ HL proficiency. The main challenges were the diglossic nature of Arabic and difficulty in locating and affording Arabic literacy material that ensure systematic development of HL literacy skills.

摘要

本文描述了父母语言意识形态和家庭识字环境在英国双语阿拉伯语-英语儿童的传统语言 (HL) 识字学习中的作用。有关阿拉伯语-英语家庭的被低估的识字实践的信息将增强当前对家庭中 HL 识字实践的了解。数据是在 12 个月内以语言背景调查、家庭活动录音和父母访谈的形式收集的。数据分析表明，父母的 HL 意识形态是发展儿童阿拉伯语识字技能的语言实践的动力，也是在家庭中创造识字环境的动力。家庭建造了小型图书馆，投入（大量）时间学习掌握额外拼写系统所需的独特技能，并将他们的孩子送到阿拉伯语周末学校。然而，决定 HL 素养发展的最重要因素是母亲的 HL 熟练程度。主要挑战是阿拉伯语的双语性质以及难以找到和提供确保 HL 识字技能系统发展的阿拉伯文识字材料。