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Author
Kristen, C., Mühlau, P. & Schacht, D.
Title
Language acquisition of recently arrived immigrants in England,   Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
Language
English
Date2016
Full references
Kristen, C., Mühlau, P. & Schacht, D. (2016).   Language acquisition of recently arrived immigrants in England, Germany,   Ireland, and the Netherlands, Ethnicities   16 (2): 180-212.
Abstract
This study examines processes of   language acquisition among new immigrants from Poland and Turkey in different   European destinations focusing on the first few months after arrival.   Starting from a human capital framework, a variety of pre- and post-migration   conditions of language learning are addressed, including economic and   non-economic incentives, the amount of exposure to the destination language   as well as learning efficiency. The empirical analyses are based on SCIP   data, a two-wave panel on new immigrants in Europe. The longitudinal setup   allows following the development of language skills over time, taking into account initial skill levels shortly after arrival as well as language   acquisition thereafter. The analyses reveal that immigrants from both groups   in all destination countries improve their language skills over time. There   is also clear evidence that the conditions associated with efficiency,   exposure, and incentives matter for language learning. Especially   pre-migration exposure in school or other structured learning environments   and post-migration exposure in terms of destination language use in various   contexts are crucial to acquiring language proficiency. The empirical results   apply to Poles and Turks in the different destinations likewise indicating   that the processes fostering language acquisition follow a general logic.
Key words
Language Proficiency ; New Immigrants   ; Comparative Research ; England ; Germany ; Ireland ; The Netherlands; Panel Study
Other interesting information
The article focuses on the   conditions that improve language learning immigrants: efficiency (efficient   learners become more proficient in the host country language), exposure   (interaction with others is important in the language learning process) and   incentives (economic or else).
Interest for the project
3/5
Contributor´s name + email
Stéphanie Barillé -   stephanie@unak.is
Co-funded by The Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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