Browsing by Subject "second language acquisition"

My Bachelor's thesis examines the connection between language and identity in the life of a multilingual child aged up to six years. There is plenty of prior research related to learning a language as well as the link between language and identity. On the other hand, it has been difficult to find comprehensive information regarding how a mother tongue and a second language or multilingualism and identity impact each other. My assumption nonetheless was that a minority language child of a lower status gradually develops into a higher status child through her or his progression in second language skills. My thesis is a literature review and it is based on the theories of an everchanging nature of identity by Hall (2002) and Bauman (2001) as well as theories by Cummins (1986; 2000; 2001) based on which language development is a dynamic process, with simultaneous development of first and second languages. With respect to mother tongue, I have relied on the theories of Skutnabb-Kangas (1988) and the theories of Karmiloff and Karmiloff Smith (2002) related to mother tongue acquisition and development as an interactive process between an individual and his or her environment. As to the second language, I have relied on the theories of Baker (2000) and Krashen (2013). I have selected content analysis as the method of my research as it is suitable for carrying out a systematic theoretical review. I conducted my research by analyzing and summarizing information from several selected studies and by categorizing this information into three different groups, based on which I have drawn the conclusions of my research. The results show that a child's identity development is dependent on the child feeling respected in the kindergarten. If the child feels accepted the way he or she is regardless of his or her background, the impacts on his self-esteem and identity development are positive. The child feels belonging to the group and is involved. Prerequisite for this is that the child is able to read and write in both languages. In this case multilingualism benefits the child since it is linked with success. If the child does not have the sense of being respected in the kindergarten, it poses a risk to the development of both of his languages and identity. In such a case multilingualism causes harm to the child’s learning and success, which can lead to social exclusion.