Can family language policy predict linguistic, socio-emotional and cognitive child and family outcomes? A systematic review

ABSTRACT

Multilingual families face decisions about the linguistic upbringing of their children. These decisions shape their family language policy (FLP) which potentially impacts the children and their family. Departing from this hypothesis we conducted a systematic literature review applying the PRISMA guidelines, screening three databases, using search terms related to FLP (building on Spolsky’s framework). After a title- and abstract-based initial screening, 191 retained articles were scanned for a connection between FLP (components) and outcomes. We classify forty-two studies that describe such a link in multilingual families with focal children under the age of thirteen. Based on our results, we argue that studies exploring the socio-emotional (9) and cognitive outcomes (13) are underrepresented, especially because all but one of these studies also largely focus on linguistic outcomes (41). When it comes to the separate components of FLP, practices are found to have the most impact (41 studies), either exclusively (16) or combined with management (12), beliefs (6) or both (7). Based on this review, we recommend future studies to further explore the socio-emotional and cognitive spheres and all their aspects, preferably in families with young children, including families from various language groups or communities, and adopting a longitudinal design.

KEYWORDS:

• Bilingualism
• multilingual education
• family language policy
• language beliefs
• language practices
• language management

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the FWO (Research Foundation – Flanders) under Grant S006518N, project ‘Promoting Early Multilingualism in Childhood and Childcare (Pro-M)’.

Notes on contributors

Ily Hollebeke

Ily Hollebeke is a junior researcher at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and a member of the Centre for Linguistics. Her current research focuses on early multilingualism, multilingual families with young children, family language policies and implications. She was also involved in research on cognitive control in interpreting students and professional interpreters. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ily-hollebeke-178b15149/.

Esli Struys

Esli Struys is a professor of applied linguistics at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the director of the Centre for Linguistics. He teaches courses in the BA and MA programmes of (applied) linguistics on multilingualism (from cognitive and educational perspectives), psycho- and neurolinguistics, and interpreting studies. His research foci include the cognitive processes involved in second language acquisition, bilingualism, and interpreting; and multilingual education in family and school settings. Twitter: https://twitter.com/EsliStruys; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/esli.struys; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esli-struys-9631282b/.

Orhan Agirdag

Orhan Agirdag (Ağırdağ) is an associate professor of education at KU Leuven, the University of Amsterdam and a member of the Young Academy of Belgium. Formerly, he was a Fulbright fellow at the UCLA. His research lab focuses on teacher education, early childhood education and multilingualism. Twitter: https://twitter.com/OrhanAgirdag.