Multiliteracy in Heritage Language Speakers: The Interdependence of L1 and L2, and Extra-linguistic Factors

Riehl, Claudia Maria (18. März 2020): Multiliteracy in Heritage Language Speakers: The Interdependence of L1 and L2, and Extra-linguistic Factors. In: Heritage Language Journal, Bd. 17, Nr. 3: S. 377-408

Abstract

Recent research provides evidence for beneficial cross-influences between L1 and L2, but we still know little about how different factors interact. Against this background, this article presents the results of a study that analyzes the interdependence of L1 and L2 text competence and the impact of metalinguistic awareness and extra-linguistic factors. The study was carried out with Italian, Greek and Turkish adolescent heritage speakers in a German-speaking environment. The data encompass narrative and argumentative texts in L1 and L2, sociolinguistic interviews and a bilingual language awareness test (LAT). The texts are analyzed according to holistic scores by defining different levels of text competences. The results indicate that students achieve a significantly higher score in both narrative and argumentative texts in L2. Moreover, there is a genre-specific advantage for the narrative text. Although there is no significant difference between the heritage language groups the Greek students achieve higher upper scores. The different levels of text competence also correlate with metalinguistic knowledge and extra-linguistic factors, most significantly writing practices and schooling in the heritage language. The results therefore provide further support for the assumption that teaching and learning heritage languages has a positive impact on school language literacy development.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Publikationsform: Publisher's Version
• Keywords: heritage language; multiliteracy; text competence; metalinguistic awareness; macrostructural transfer
• Fakultät: Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaften > Department 1 > Deutsch als Fremdsprache
• Themengebiete: 400 Sprache > 400 Sprache ; 400 Sprache > 410 Linguistik
• ISSN: 1550-7076
• Sprache: Englisch