Australian Review of Applied Linguistics - Volume 45, Issue 3, 2022

Abstract

Translingual identity, as a part of the trans-paradigm, refers to linguistic, sociocultural, ethno-racial, and religious practices, which are negotiable, fluid, and in motion, transcending mainstream boundaries. This paper expands the translingual literature from the perspective of sociolinguistic disparities of culturally and linguistically diverse Eastern-European immigrant women in Australia, as they become victims of the perpetual foreigner stereotype in their host communities. Using the linguistic ethnography methods, such as open ethnographic observation and semi-structured interview, the study reveals that due to biographical accent, name, and the country of origin, as aspects of translingual identity – Australian-by-passport, those women become the victim of the perpetual foreigner stereotypes, such as ‘perceived as different’ and ‘Russian bride,’ which led to their feelings of inferiority and social inequality. By expanding the scope of the translingual identity and how it is perceived in Australia, this study provides a necessary contribution to the translingual literature, while simultaneously advocating for the quality of life and justice for translingual immigrants in their new home.

Abstract

The influential role of parents has long been acknowledged as a key contributor to children’s bilingual development. Parents’ home-based informal efforts to foster children’s bilingual abilities are described as family language policies (FLPs). The important connection between bilingualism and FLP has been established, but to date there are few studies concerning Korean immigrant families in Australia, highlighting their unique cultural values. According to traditional Korean cultural values, mothers play a central role as An-hae (the sun inside) to facilitate their children’s language development (Kim, 2006). This study aimed to create a clearer picture of Korean mothers’ beliefs about bilingualism and their FLPs. The participants were six Korean mothers with their children attending a community language program in Sydney. There are two data sets for this study: a six-weeks’ FLP daily log of each family and a focus group interview. A thematic analysis of these data revealed the richness and specificity of FLPs for bilingual development. This paper concludes with implications for a future research agenda.

Abstract

This study examines the extent to which the motivation of university students of Italian in Melbourne (Australia) is influenced by the visibility of a local Italian community. The research relies on data collected by open-ended questions and two Likert items from a survey study (n = 74) as well as in-depth interviews (n = 5). The findings show that learners’ motivation is influenced by their exposure to the L2 language and culture in the local context and by their engagement with a community that forms part of Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse population. Students’ investment in the L2 can be interpreted in light of a new identity dimension, the community-engaged L2 self, which builds upon previous motivational variables (integrative orientation, ideal L2 self), as well as scholarly insights into the link between language, identity, and access to L2 resources. This self-characterizes both heritage and non-heritage learners’ positioning through the L2 in the local socio-context and is expected to hold considerable pedagogical significance.

Abstract

Student expectations have increasingly become a focus in Second Language Acquisition research. This study takes a closer look at student teachers’ expectations in a Master of Arts TESOL program at an Australian university to investigate their expectations and sense of fulfillment of these expectations. We employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design and conducted a questionnaire (N = 31) and interviews (N = 6) with student teachers. The results show that student teachers expect a well-balanced curriculum of theory and practice and consider teaching practice their top priority. While the expectations of most TESOL student teachers are met, different language profiles can lead to different expectations and potential conflict. Contrary to most previous research, this study showed that unmet expectations do not necessarily lead to unfavorable outcomes because of the student teachers’ ability to adjust in various ways. The study concludes with a discussion of implications for practice and future research.

Abstract

Studies on the role of input in L2 acquisition often estimate L2 input properties through L1 corpora and focus on L2-English. This study probes the initial stage of L2-Korean learning for adult English-speaking beginners of Korean to investigate input-output relations in the acquisition of L2 that is typologically different from English in a more direct manner. We specifically ask how L2 beginner input affects L2 beginner production with respect to Korean postpositions. For this purpose, we investigate how the beginners receive input regarding Korean postpositions from a textbook and to what extent the input characteristics are manifested in learner writing. We found that, whereas the presentation of certain postpositions in the textbook was generally reflected in learner writing, individual postpositions showed disparity in their use between the textbook and the writing. Implications of the findings are discussed in light of L1-L2 differences and how the textbook presents form-function pairings of these postpositions.

This article reviews The social lives of study abroad: Understanding second language learners’ experiences through social network analysis and conversation analysis9781138584686