What is it about?
In many settings, children speaking minority languages are said to reduce the use of these languages and even drop them altogether as they get to secondary school. This article followed more than 1,000 children from different reas in Catalonia to check whether Catalan children diminished their use of Catalan between the end of primary education and the end of secondary education.
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Why is it important?
This is the first study in the world which followed a large sample of children using a minority language during several years and analysed in detail their language behaviour.
Perspectives
This study changed our own perspective about language practices in adolescence. Adults tend to project their illusions and fears on children, teenagers and youth, and this is especially so in minoirty language settings. This research helps undertanding language maintenance and language shift in a contemporary society.
Dr F. Xavier Vila
Universitat de Barcelona
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Changes in language use with peers during adolescence: a longitudinal study in Catalonia, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, February 2018, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2018.1436517.
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