Maintenance of the Heritage Language: Examination of its Effects on Psychological Status, Family Relations, and Language Development in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on maintenance of the heritage language (HL) and its multiple benefits across academic, linguistic, and psychological outcomes. We hope to reduce the fears of immigrant parents regarding use of their native language in the home and inform professionals across disciplines such as speech-language pathology, education, and psychology of the tremendous benefits of HL maintenance. Use of the HL is often abandoned after children begin formal schooling due to peer pressure, biases against minority languages, or parental fears that exposure to two languages is somehow harmful or confusing. The overriding argument in this review is that use of the HL benefits individuals and families as a whole, which in turn assists in a child’s overall success both in and out of academic settings. Speech-language, education, and psychology based professionals should promote parent and child use of the HL, as well as incorporate it into therapy/teaching/counseling when appropriate. In addition, the authors will provide a theoretical framework for facilitation of maintenance of the heritage language and provide suggestions for parents.