Language and literacy learning among Syrian refugee children: A progress report

Area of Science:

• Linguistics
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Successful adaptation for refugee children requires acquiring the second language (L2) and maintaining the heritage language (L1).
• Syrian refugee families resettled in Canada face unique challenges in language acquisition and maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine Syrian refugee children's L2 learning experiences and parental L1 maintenance practices.
• To quantitatively assess children's literacy skill development in English (L2) and Arabic (L1) over one year.

Main Methods:

• Mixed methods approach combining semi-structured interviews and quantitative literacy assessments.
• Interviews focused on child L2 experiences and parental L1 attitudes/practices.
• Literacy skills assessed included vocabulary, word reading, reading comprehension, and narrative competence.

Main Results:

• Children reported peer and teacher support as crucial for L2 acquisition but faced persistent English proficiency challenges.
• Quantitative data indicated individual progress in literacy scores, yet a performance gap persisted compared to monolingual English children.
• Children demonstrated progress in Arabic literacy skills despite the absence of formal instruction.

Conclusions:

• Peer and teacher support are vital for refugee children's L2 acquisition.
• While refugee children show literacy progress, closing the performance gap with native speakers requires sustained effort.
• Heritage language maintenance can progress even without formal schooling, underscoring the importance of home environment.