Ecological Perspectives on Biliteracy Development and Bilingualism: A Review of Literature
Muhammad Basri
State University of Makassar
Abstract: This article reviews some concepts and theoretical issues in considering biliteracy development and bilingualism from a language ecology perspective. This will include discussion of the metaphor of language ecology used as a term to frame this study. Following this, consideration will be given to views and approaches in the study of literacy, including classroom, home, and community literacy practices. The third section of the review will focus on bilingualism in children concentrating on the means and processes of an individual child becoming bilingual, and then the next section will consider the literature on biliteracy development, including Hornberger’s proposal for continua of biliteracy. The final section of the article will summarise key aspects of what has emerged from the literature analysis in the article. An important underlying philosophical tenet of the approach to this research is the concept of language ecologyto be applied to examining the potential for educational policies and practices that preserve and develop language diversity, rather than suppressing it.
Language ecology
The notion of language ecology was first proposed by Einar Haugen (1972), who describes it as ‘the study of interactions between any given language and its environment’ (p.325). As Hornberger (2002) has highlighted, the language ecology metaphor has been appropriated from the field of biological ecology, and this led to a new field of study now commonly referred to as the ecology of language. In his groundbreaking advocacy for the concept, Haugen (1972) emphasises that languages are intrinsically connected with each other in their surroundings, and argues for the importance of the language environment in relation to language use in the community,with this mainlybeing influenced by those who use languages and transfer them to others.
Haugen’s (1972) primary focus is on discussing the condition of a language from psychological and social perspectives, as well as its position within the environment and how factors such as attitudes to a language variety in relation to status and intimacy and its positioning within a broader ethnolinguistic context impact on its continuing use. What Haugen means by status is the power and influence associated with each language within the community, where positioning of a language as one with status is associated with it being valued by people who have higher socioeconomic backgrounds, whereas another language may be seen as having low status in comparison, often then meaning that its use is restricted to those from lower socioeconomic background, who value the language for reasons other than its status. The other dimension that Haugen has emphasised is that of intimacy. Intimacy deals with the “sense of being associated with solidarity, shared values, friendship, love, in short the contacts established through common family and group life” (p.329), and such valuing of a language can occur regardless of how it is valued in terms of its status.
In further developing his ideas about the concept of language ecology in relation to language functions and forms as well as language interactions and their users. Haugen (1972) proposes 10 questions that need to be answered in order to place a specific language ecologically as follows:
“(1) What is its classification in relation to other languages?; (2) Who are its users?; (3) What are its domains of use?; (4) What concurrent languages are employed by its users?; (5) What internal varieties does the language show?; (6) What is the nature of its written traditions?; (7) To what degree has its written form been standardized, i.e. unified and codified?; (8) What kind of institutional support has it won, either in government, education, or private organisation, either to regulate its form or propagate it?; (9) What are the attitudes of its users towards the language, in terms of intimacy and status, leading to personal identification?; and (10) Finally we may wish to sum up its status in typology of ecological classification, which will tell us something about where the language stands and where it is going in comparison with the other languages of the world” (pp.336-7).
Palmer (1974) adopts these 10 ecological questions, classifying them into ten categories: “classification, users, domain of use, concurrent languages, internal varieties, written traditions, standardization, institutional support, users’ attitudes and typology of ecological classification” (p.229), and advocates that by applying these categories, it is possible to gain insight into significant interactions and interplay between languages, as for example, in the school context in relation to school language choice and use in bilingual and multilingual communities. Building further on Haugen’s work, Edwards (1992) focuses Haugen’s questions by dividing them into three main types of variables; “speaker, language and setting” (p.43). He discusses the 10 ecological questions starting from ‘historical and descriptive linguistics’ to ‘ecological classification’, and extends this into a detailed checklist of 33 areas for consideration beginning with the issue of “numbers and concentrations of speakers” and concluding with “general public awareness of area” (p.50).
The metaphor of language ecology has been applied in recent times in many different sub-fields of applied and socio-linguistics (e.g. Barron et al., 2002; Fill and Mühlhäusler, 2001; Mühlhäusler, 1996; Creese and Martin, 2003; Phillipson and Skutnabb-Kangas, 1996; Hornberger, 2002; Ricento, 2000; Edwards, 1992; van Lier, 2000). In the field of sociolinguistics, for example, Barron et al. (2002) argued that even though many previous studies concentrated on language survival and maintenance, the promotion of language diversity and the interaction between languages and the environment, much of the existing research on language ecology has been recognised as “more than the two-dimensional network of interacting languages, it acknowledges an infinite world of possibilities” (p.10). In applied linguistics, particularly in the classroom context, Fill and Mühlhäusler (2001) elaborate the metaphor of language ecology as an approach to cover the varieties of lesson in relation to the differences between different language learners, the impact of language diversity, the need for language maintenance, and the role of interaction among the language users.
In attempting to elaborate the themes within language ecology, Hornberger (2002) distinguishes three central themes in the metaphor of ecology, all acknowledged in the work of Haugen. The first two of these themes relate to language evolution and the language environment, as she stresses that “like living species, [languages] evolve, grow, change, live, and die in relation to other languages and also in relation to their environment” (p.33). Hornberger identifies as the third theme, language endangerment, as language change leads to potential loss and suggests the importance of strategies for how to counteract language endangerment and loss. Similarly, Mühlhäusler (1996) argues for three metaphorical themes and provides an approach within the language ecology framework to deal with language evolution, language maintenance and language endangerment. He particularly argues for the comparability in the process involved in the disappearance of language to other ecological change in that “the change of a single link in an ecological network can precipitate very considerable overall changes, the disappearance of one species typically leading to that of a dozen of others” (p.49). Interestingly, both Hornberger and Mühlhäusler have distinguished the two key themes of language evolution and language endangerment in a similar way. However, they differ on the third theme with Hornberger’s (2002) ‘language environment’, assuming that every language is associated with its users in interacting with the environment and Mühlhäusler’s (1996) focus on ‘language maintenance’ dealing with language survival within the society. For the purpose of the present study, the language environment theme proposed by Nancy Hornberger is broader and fits better with the focus of the study on the contexts of language interaction in three inter-related environments, the school, home, and community, as will be discussed further in the following section.
In relation to the metaphor of language ecology on language endangerment, Hornberger (2002) argues that language endangerment emerged from the concern for linguistic human rights creating the conditions for solving problem associated with the language endangerment and language displacement. An example of such endangerment, highlighted by Mühlhäusler (1996), is the effect of the dominant role of English all over the world, as well as other major languages, such as, Indonesian and Mandarin in the context of Asia Pacific Region, and their influence in endangering the existing languages in the society.
In exploring the themes of language evolution and language environment within a language ecology framework, Kaplan and Baldauf (1997) advocate that the activities of language planning should provide a space for all languages in the society. They argue that in terms of language environment, government and NGOs, communities of language users, and educational agencies have important roles in supporting the use of multiple languages in the ecolinguistic system. An important aspect of language planning according to them is the issue of supporting the ecology of a specific language to maintain it “within the vast cultural, educational, historical, demographic, political and social structure in which language policy formulation occurs every day” (p.13).
In an attempt to make a link between language planning and the ecology of language, as an intervention to influence ecology language policy should support language rights. The considerable work on language rights by Phillipson and Skutnabb-Kangas (1996) discusses language policy options internationally within the framework of language ecology that promotes multilingualism and the diversity of languages. They contrast the transmission of a global view placing English as the dominant language used all over the world, with the paradigm of language ecology that refers to developing a global language diversity, encouraging the learning of foreign languages and bilingualism, as well as ensuring linguistic human rights to all language learning and users. They contend that “English can serve many useful purposes but will do so only if the linguistic human rights of speakers of other languages are respected” (p.447). This global language ecology approach will, in turn, provide a space for language learners, wherever they are in the world, including the Indonesian children in the present study, as a minority language group living in Australia, as will be examined in the three intersecting contexts in the later chapters, school, home, and the community.
Language learning can also be related to the field of language ecology. Van Lier (2000) argues that the approach of language ecology to language learning emphasises language development, such as of first, second, and foreign languages, incorporating both processes and the interactions with the environment. According to van Lier (2000) one of the essential emphasises related to the ecological approach to language learning is that “an ecological approach asserts that the perceptual and social activity of the learner, and particularly the verbal and nonverbal interaction in which the learners engages, are central to an understanding of learning” (p.246). Adopting a similar approach to the future of language learning, use and planning, Ricento (2000) argues for the framework of language ecology emphasising language rights in relation to the language use in micro-level schema as well as macro socio-political processes. He then recommends using the language ecology framework to connect to language use and language development in the context of the specific society, as is proposed in researching biliteracy development of Indonesian children in the Australian community context.
Despite the growing numbers of studies on language ecology in relation to language planning and policy, Creese and Martin (2003) point out that there is only a small amount research concentrating on the interaction between languages and their users in multilingual classroom settings. Mühlhäusler (1996) has critically argued for a reform in language education applying the framework of language ecology to address the issue of how to fit language education into the existing linguistic ecologies. As a consequence it is relevant, on the one hand, to discuss further the ecology of language in multilingual classroom settings. On the other hand, the ecological detail of interactional practices in the multilingual classroom within such environments is also important to investigate for a better understanding and significant contribution in the field of language ecology, and this is what has been attempted by Hornberger (2002) with her continua of biliteracy and bilingualism, which will be examined in detail in a later section.
In sum, the language ecology approach has gained currency in the sub-fields of applied and socio-linguistics. The work of Haugen (1972) on promoting the ecology of language as an approach to explore the interrelationships of language and its environment has inspired other researchers to develop the metaphor of language ecology in their own contexts. The most provoking idea that shapes the present study is the work of Hornberger (2002) who introduces an ecological approach in multilingual language policies and the continua of biliteracy, the idea of “opening up ideological and implementational space in the environment for as many languages as possible” (p. 30) especially in the context of schools and their community.
For the specific purposes of this study, Haugen’s (1972) approach is most usefully exploited when it is linked to Hornberger’s continua of biliteracy development, particularly in answering one of the ecological questions “What are the attitudes of its users towards the language, in terms of intimacy and status, leading to personal identification?” (p.337), which can be used to analyse data on attitudes and approaches of the classroom teachers, parents, and community activists to supporting children biliteracy development and bilingualism, as well as children’s attitudes and approaches toward their biliteracy development and bilingualism in Australian social contexts. In fact, there are seven ecological issues significantly related to the present study among the 33 on Edwards’ (1992) checklist, specifically, “Degree and type of language transmission?; Linguistic capabilities of speakers?; Language attitude of speakers?; Speakers’ attitude and involvement regarding education?; Types of school support for language?; Religion of speakers?; and Type of strength of association between language and religion?” (p.50). These particular ecological questions are relevant to analyse data in relation to the children’s responses toward their biliteracy and bilingual involvement in the three intersecting contexts in this present study, those of school, home, and community. This study is planned to make a contribution in filling the gap in the amount of research which concentrates on the interaction between language and their users in school, home, and community contexts (Creese and Martin, 2003; Hornberger, 2002), as it adopts an ecological approach to researching biliteracy development of Indonesian bilingual children in their interactions and activities in the three intersecting contexts in Australia, those of school, home and community. This will provide, in turn, impetus for alternative language planning for Indonesian children in school, home and community contexts where the language is positioned as a minority one as a result of those concerned living in a foreign country.
Approaches in the Study of Literacy
A number of perspectives have been adopted in defining literacy. For example, the Australian Language and Literacy Policy (1991) defines literacy as:
“The ability to read and use written information and to write appropriately, in a range of contexts. It is used to develop knowledge and understanding, to achieve personal growth and to function effectively in our society. Literacy also includes the recognition of numbers and basic mathematical signs and symbols within texts. Literacy involves the integration of speaking, listening and critical thinking with reading and writing. Effective literacy is intrinsically purposeful, flexible and dynamic and continues to develop throughout an individual's lifetime” (p.9).
In a related, but different English speaking context, the UK National Literacy Strategy (DfEE, 1998) identifies literacy in terms of a set of 9 major competencies covering the ability to engage with, read, analyse and produce texts in a range of fiction and non-fiction genres. Those literacy competences are associated with phonological awareness, phonic and spelling, grammar awareness, reading comprehension and writing composition of fiction and non-fiction genres. Leung (2005) argues that “this highly specified literacy curriculum comes with an equally well-defined pedagogy” (p. 102).
From an emergent literacy perspective, children are considered to be on an irrevocable path to reading from their first experiences with language. All the steps and stages on the way, beginning with children’s first utterances, are part of literacy. This view has been most vigorously defended by Teale (1986) who makes a strong argument that learning to read is a cultural acquisition; therefore it is a central part of children’s socialization from the earliest encounter with text. Indeed, studies of the family context of language use have left no doubt that family support and early exposure to literacy have a profound influence on the development of children’s literacy skills (Dickinson & Tabors, 1991; Heath, 1982; Snow, 1983; Wells, 1985).
In order to identify and document literacy development, Taylor (2000, p. 212) has created a practical framework for monitoring progress at home and school starting from the point of philosophy and context, and moving onto methodology, documentation and applications (see diagram below).