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"Family Characteristics and Language Proficiency among Children of Immigrants in the
United States”
Maria Medvedeva
The University of Chicago
Past studies suggest that family may play an important role in language assimilation among
children of immigrants. However, the mechanisms of its influence remain unclear. Using data
from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study, this paper explores the impact of family
characteristics (household composition, family socioeconomic background and family climate) on
self-reported English and non-English language proficiency among adolescent children of
immigrants in Florida and California. The analysis focuses on two kinds of proficiency: basic
proficiency, measured by listening comprehension and speaking abilities, and literacy, measured
by reading and writing abilities. Based on the results of the analysis, the author suggests that
family characteristics influence English language proficiency mainly through literacy-oriented
activities. On the other hand, family characteristics affect non-English language proficiency
mainly through opportunities to use a non-English language in a safe home environment. When
this environment is challenged by a child-parent conflict or sibling’s preference for English, then
the disruption may not only influence opportunities to practice the non-English language at home
but also affect motivation to advance one’s literacy in that language.
Language Proficiency among Children of Immigrants: A Crucial Skill.
At the turn of the 21st century, the United States continues to be the leading receiving
country of immigrants in the world (United Nations, 2005). According to the U.S. Census, more
than 15 million immigrants entered the United States during the 1990s. In 2006, the total number
of foreign-born individuals exceeded 35 million. There were about 15 million children of
immigrants
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in the United States. They comprised 20 percent of American children under age 18
and the proportion was growing rapidly (Urban Institute, 2006).
Whether we consider everyday experiences of children of immigrants and their families,
or the impact of their sheer number, children’s proficiency in English and non-English languages
has a considerable influence on their lives and lives of others. Studies in psychology, sociology
and economics find that, on average, children with better English language skills are more likely
to have higher self-esteem (Rumbaut, 1994; Powers and Sanches, 1982), higher academic
achievement (Portes and Rumbaut, 2001) and better socioeconomic prospects (Chiswick and
Miller, 1995; Dustmann, 1997; Stolzenberg and Tienda, 1997). Further, studies in sociolinguistics
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“Children of immigrants” include immigrant foreign-born children and children, born in the United States
in a family with at least one foreign-born parent. Thus, “children of immigrants” include both 1.5- and
second-generation immigrants.
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Convention