Heritage and School Language Literacy Development in Migrant Children

Raphael Berthele is Professor of Multilingualism at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He directs the MA programme in multilingualism studies and co-founded the Fribourg Institute of Multilingualism in 2008. His wide-ranging research interests include both cognitive and social aspects of multilingualism.Amelia Lambelet is Senior Researcher at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Her research interests include individual differences in foreign language learning, receptive multilingualism and heritage speakers’ language development.

• Raphael Berthele and Amelia Lambelet: Investigating Interdependence and Literacy Development in Heritage Language Speakers: Theoretical and Methodological ConsiderationsAmelia Lambelet, Raphael Berthele, Magalie Desgrippes, Carlos Pestana and Jan Vanhove: Testing Interdependence in Portuguese Heritage Speakers in Switzerland: The HELASCOT ProjectMagalie Desgrippes and Amelia Lambelet: On the Sociolinguistic Embedding of Portuguese Heritage Language Speakers in Switzerland: Socioeconomic Status and Home Literacy Environment (HELASCOT Project)Carlos Pestana, Amelia Lambelet and Jan Vanhove: Reading Comprehension Development in Portuguese Heritage Speakers in Switzerland (HELASCOT Project)Magalie Desgrippes, Amelia Lambelet and Jan Vanhove: The Development of Argumentative and Narrative Writing Skills in Portuguese Heritage Speakers in Switzerland (HELASCOT Project)Jan Vanhove and Raphael Berthele: Testing the Interdependence of Languages (HELASCOT Project)Urs Moser, Nicole Bayer and Martin J. Tomasik: Language Skill Transfer Effects: Moving from Heritage Language to School Language in KindergartenEdina Krompàk: Promoting Multilingualism through Heritage Language Courses: New Perspectives on the Transfer EffectLea Nieminen and Riikka Ullakonoja: The Development of Russian Heritage Pupils’ Writing Proficiency in Finnish and RussianRaphael Berthele: Assessing Heritage Languages and Interdependence: Why and How?

This volume is timely and provocative because the scientific evidence on the relationship between heritage languages and second languages reported has important implications for the concept of interdependence. Readers interested in multilingualism and education will not only find rich data but also ground-breaking ideas. The book will certainly stimulate further discussion in the field.