Title: The Investment of Saudi Mothers in the US in Their Children’s Arabic Heritage Language Learning
Stream: Language Development & Literacy
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Reem Al-Samiri, University of Kansas, United States
Abstract:
Many of the Saudi mothers living and studying in the US have children who grew up speaking English because it is the language of school, friends, and the world they know. However, these mothers recognize that the Arabic language is important for maintaining their children’s cultural and religious identities, thus making Arabic a heritage language for these children. Through interviews, I follow six Saudi mothers in their changing understandings of their children’s language needs and the challenges they face as parents of heritage learners. The findings show that the participants shift their perspectives on their children’s language learning needs throughout their stay in the US, from an initial focus on English to an increasing awareness of the importance of the Arabic language for their children’s future communities. Using Bourdieu’s (1977) framework of capital, I find that these mothers are investing in their children’s social, cultural, and academic capital. They are also investing in the imagined communities (Anderson, 1983) that they imagine their children being a part of. The study has implications for other heritage learners in the US and the challenges they face to maintain their language, as well as implications for educators of heritage learners from diverse backgrounds.
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