Resumen de Vocabulary acquisition in Moroccan- and Turkish-heritage children: A comparative study

Marieke Vanbuel, Anneleen Boderé, Karen Torfs, Koen Jaspaert

• 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.