Resumen de Arabic as a heritage language: A scoping review

Mark Winston Visonà, Luke Plonsky

• Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions:

  Second language researchers have focused increasingly in recent years on “heritage language learners,” or adult learners who wish to learn, relearn, or improve their linguistic proficiency in a family language they spoke while growing up. The present study examines this domain with a particular focus on Arabic.

  Design/Methodology/Approach:

  We present in this paper a “scoping review” that systematically examines the theoretical approaches, methods, contexts, instruments, and linguistic foci found in empirical research on Arabic heritage language learning and learners. Following a comprehensive search, 34 empirical studies (27 journal articles and seven dissertations/theses) were identified that met our criteria.

  Data and Analysis:

  Each study was coded for the samples, designs, theoretical approaches, data collection instruments, and a number of other substantive and methodological features and practices. Frequencies and percentages of study features were then calculated.

  Findings/Conclusions:

  Among other results, the study revealed a variety of approaches to defining heritage learners/learning. Although studies in this domain most often employed cross-sectional designs and interviews to collect data, a variety of theoretical approaches both socially and cognitively oriented can be found.

  Originality:

  This study presents the first attempt to apply synthetic research techniques to the growing body of research on heritage language learning/learners.

  Significance/Implications:

  Our results describe this growing domain, identifying current trends and potentially fruitful directions for future research.