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Aims and objectives:
In the present study, we investigated whether Moroccan- and Turkish-heritage children living in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Flanders, acquire new Dutch vocabulary to the same extent when they are provided with exactly the same type of language input. Turkish-heritage children seem to have significant lower language proficiency in Dutch, compared with their Moroccan-heritage peers. Previous studies have shown that existing language skills in the second language can affect sequential bilingual children’s vocabulary acquisition in the second language considerably.
Design:
The novel word learning of Moroccan- and Turkish-heritage 6-year-olds (N = 52) was investigated by means of four dynamic storytelling sessions in which six new object labels and six new action words were incorporated.
Data and analysis:
The children’s conceptual and linguistic knowledge of the novel words was extensively tested. Six analyses of covariance were conducted, with origin as a between-subjects factor and proficiency in Dutch as a covariate.
Findings/conclusions:
Our findings indicate that Turkish- and Moroccan-heritage children acquired the novel words to almost the same extent when their prior language proficiency in Dutch was taken into account. However, Moroccan-heritage children still outperformed their Turkish-heritage peers producing the novel object labels.
Originality:
For this study, we used a methodology specifically developed for this age group. In addition, we statistically controlled for the children’s initial proficiency in Dutch, in order to get a better insight in the actual learning processes of new Dutch vocabulary of Moroccan- and Turkish-heritage children.
Significance/implications:
Our outcome suggests that initial language proficiency in Dutch is an important predictor of novel vocabulary learning. Furthermore, we argue that linguistic properties of the children’s first language may play a role in second language acquisition, suggesting that a different approach to the stimulation of second language (vocabulary) acquisition in minority children of different ethnic origin may be necessary.
