Growing Up with Languages : : Reflections on Multilingual Childhoods / / Claire Thomas.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter MultiLingual Matters Backlist eBook-Package 2000-2013
• VerfasserIn: Thomas, Claire,
• Place / Publishing House: Bristol ;, Blue Ridge Summit : : Multilingual Matters, , [2012]; ©2012
• Year of Publication: 2012
• Language: English
• Series: Parents' and Teachers' Guides
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (272 p.)

A unique new insight into multilingual families, this book views multilingual childhoods from the point of the child and is based on over 50 interviews with adults who grew up in multilingual settings. The book charts their recollections of their childhoods and includes many different types of families, discusses many of the common issues that arise in multilingual families, and draws examples from all over the world. The book fills a significant gap in the literature and resources available to multilingual parents. It was researched and written by a self-help group of multilingual parents and thus the book remains very practical and gives clear and realistic advice to multilingual parents facing choices or dilemmas. However, because of its unique viewpoint, this book also includes much new material that will be of interest to researchers and students of bilingualism.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Part 1: Different Types of Family and Issues that Only Affect Some Kinds of Family -- 1. Issues for Families Speaking More than One Language at Home -- 2. Issues for Families Using One Language at Home, Another in the Community and at School -- 3. Interviewees who are Bilingual Solely through Attending School in Another Language -- 4. Interviewees who Learnt Languages Solely from the Community -- 5. Changes as a Result of Divorce or Separation -- 6. Changes as a Result of the Death of One Parent -- 7. Changes as a Result of Advice Given to Parents -- 8. Changes as a Result of Interviewees’ Choices or Decisions -- Part 2: Issues at Home that will Affect Most, if Not All, Families at Some Time -- 9. Consistency Versus Flexibility in Languages Used at Home -- 10. Rewards, Encouragement, Sanctions and Disapproval Linked to Language Use -- 11. Resistance – Children Who Prefer Not to Speak a Language -- 12. Fitting In/Standing Out -- 13. Input from Others, Resources and Holidays -- Part 3: Education -- 14. Starting School and Changing Schools -- 15. Home Language Support/Teaching in Mainstream Schools -- 16. Additional Support Outside (or as an alternative to) Mainstream Schools -- 17. Help with Homework -- Part 4: Language Policies and Politics -- 18. Language Status, Links to Politics and Racism -- Part 5: Interviewees as Adults -- 19. Advantages and Disadvantages of Having Been Raised Bilingually -- 20. One Thing You Would Change about Your Bilingual Childhood and Advice to a Family Just Starting Out -- 21. Low Input and Language Loss and Retention -- 22. Identities -- 23. Studying and Working Abroad as Young Adults, Choosing Where to Live More Permanently and Using Bilingualism at Work -- 24. Relationships -- 25. Raising Children Monolingually or Bilingually and the Reasons Given -- 26. Access to Culture as Adults -- 27. Accents -- 28. Learning Additional Languages -- Part 6: Overall Analysis and Recommendations -- 29. Factors Linked to Success or Failure -- 30. Recommendations to Parents Raising Multilingual Children -- 31. Suggested Reading -- About Waltham Forest Bilingual Group and How This Project Got Started -- Annex 1 – Questionnaire -- Annex 2 – Language Self Assessment -- Annex 3 -- Glossary -- Index