https://www.mdu.se/

mdu.sePublications
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Family Language Policies in English-speaking Families in Sweden: Insights into Bilingualism and Language Maintenance
Mälardalen University, School of Education, Culture and Communication.
2022 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
Abstract [en]

The aim of this study is to present the views of some English-speaking parents and their children based in Sweden on the relationship between language learning and family language policies. To this end, interviews were conducted with six families living in Sweden who had spoken English at home with their children. The data was analysed using a thematic approach, which involves a close analysis of the collected data. I specified major and common points from the participants that were in line with my research questions. The results showed that the participating parents wanted their children to be able to speak with their English-speaking relatives and therefore felt that it was important to teach and maintain English. They also mention how English is a useful language to know because it is spoken all around the world. Some parents point out that consistency is important for the child’s language development in English, while others explain how there is no need for strict rules because it can lead to a resistance in speaking English. The most common strategies the parents employ are one- parent-one-language strategy, encouraging watching TV and films, reading books, repetition- and minimal grasp strategy and mother tongue tuition. The children emphasise the importance of knowing English when they talk with their relatives. However, the children find it difficult when learning a third language in school because they are used to acquiring a language instead of consciously learning it. The implications from my research may potentially help policy makers, researchers, and bilingual families in the process of teaching and maintaining a language at home.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2022. , p. 34
Keywords [en]
Family language policy, FLP, Bilingualism, Strategies in language learning, Bilingualism in Sweden, Children’s bilingualism, Strategies to maintain English at home
National Category
Humanities and the Arts
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-59620OAI: oai:DiVA.org:mdh-59620DiVA, id: diva2:1685652
Subject / course
English
Supervisors
Examiners
Available from: 2022-08-16 Created: 2022-08-03 Last updated: 2025-10-10Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

Family Language Policies in English-speaking Families in Sweden: Insights into Bilingualism and Language Maintenance(626 kB)1133 downloads
File information
File name FULLTEXT01.pdfFile size 626 kBChecksum SHA-512
52701e0a7cedc6221eba01a5b71c0b96626a0c937836cda5e9c18800aa45ec6bcc9f2a9a57867af56808d77071ba5f86b15371b8c67d724ce17055161a8c67cd
Type fulltextMimetype application/pdf

By organisation
School of Education, Culture and Communication
Humanities and the Arts

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar
Total: 1136 downloads
The number of downloads is the sum of all downloads of full texts. It may include eg previous versions that are now no longer available

urn-nbn

Altmetric score

urn-nbn
Total: 882 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf