Second Language Acquisition in bilingual children: case of immigrants

Abstract

The present study explores the second language acquisition in Slovak immigrant workers’ bilingual children from psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspective. It explains an acculturation as the process of mastering the knowledge and skills necessary for living in a foreign culture and distinguishes its four strategies. The concept of the second language acquisition is interpreted as the product of a subconscious process very similar to the process children undergo when they acquire their first language. It requires meaningful interaction in the target language – natural communication – in which speakers are concentrated not in the form of their utterances, but in the communicative act. The paper has argued that enculturation is a process that allows Slovak immigrant workers’ children to master a whole system of cultural norms, a system of value orientations and preferences accepted in society; etiquette norms of behavior in different life situations; generally accepted approaches to the interpretation of various phenomena and events; the foundations of the socio-political structure of this society; national traditions, customs; the prevailing morality, as well as worldview; the prevailing fashion, styles, symbols, regalia; national authorities; political and cultural history of the society and main symbols of national dignity, pride. The review includes the question of factors which may contribute to speech interference in English spoken by Slovak immigrant workers and their children, namely personal problems and program factors. The paper demonstrates that another significant aspect for Slovak immigrant workers’ children is the process of awareness of immigrants’ ethnic identity therefore, it takes place in different ways, both at the level of individuals and in different situations of interaction, for example, whether they live in a multi-ethnic or mono-ethnic environment. The article also analyzes how minority-language influences on second language acquisition by Slovak immigrant workers’ children.