Perspectives about home-language maintenance in multilingual families with and without language and communication disorders: A scoping review

Abstract

Parents of multilingual children often need to make choices about the transmission of languages in the next generations. The aim of this scoping review is to examine recent evidence addressing the language views and practices of multilingual families, to identify key patterns regarding the use of language(s) at home. Four databases were searched systematically in June 2023 including a total of 45 articles. Studies where children had language and/or communication disorders were included. The findings show that parents make their linguistic choices based on their own attitudes and experiences. They also consider professional advice, which does not always align with their views. The evidence reveals similarities between families with and without language and/or communication disorders, despite showing particularities related to the child's condition. Few studies were found where children had disorders, highlighting the need of further research on the matter to provide knowledge that could be useful in clinical settings.