Term

Summer 7-14-2016

Capstone

Thesis

Degree Name

MAESL

Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair

Michelle Benegas

Secondary Advisor/Reader One

Celia Martin Mejia

Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two

Sarah Skahan

Abstract

This study included bilingual families who have the goal of raising their child to be 5 bilingual. The purpose was to examine how parents use both English and Spanish with 6 their child and whether that resulted in their child being bilingual. This research used a 7 mixed methods approach, which included an interview with parents to learn how they use 8 each language with their child. The second part included a vocabulary assessment with 9 the child in both English and Spanish. Results of the vocabulary assessment and 10 information from parent interviews were analyzed to see if there was any correlation to 11 parent language use and the level of balanced bilingualism of the child. Results of the 12 study show that it is possible for children to have strong language skills in both languages 13 and that in order to do this, parents need to maximize the minority language 14 exposure. However, a higher rate of minority language exposure did not always result in 15 a dominant minority language.

Research Methodology

Interview, Mixed Methods

Keywords

Early Childhood, Foreign Language, Bilingualism

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