Speaker
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
RQ1: How does a trilingual toddler use and negotiate multiple languages during naturally occurring interactions with caregivers and community members across home, childcare, and neighborhood settings?
RQ2: When does the toddler switch between languages, and how are these switches accomplished during interaction?
RQ3. How do caregivers, teachers, and community members support the child’s participation in multilingual interaction?
Abstract section 5: References
De Houwer, A. (2009). Bilingual first language acquisition. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Results show that the toddler flexibly used multiple languages across different interactional contexts. The child demonstrated sensitivity to participants’ appearance and contextual settings, adjusting language choice depending on who he is interacting with. Code-switching frequently occurred during negotiation, clarification, and happened rapidly when he conversed with his grandma on Line. Caregivers, teachers, and community members, especially bilingual community members also actively supported communication by accommodating language choice, repeating utterances, or responding across languages. These interactional practices create supportive multilingual environments that encourage participation. The findings illustrate how early trilingual development emerges through everyday interaction across physical and social spaces.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
This study adopts a qualitative case study approach using Conversation Analysis (CA) to examine naturally occurring multilingual interactions. Data were collected from a trilingual toddler growing up in Kyoto, Japan across home, childcare, and neighborhood settings. Data sources include field notes, video recordings from a home camera, and informal interviews with caregivers, teachers, and community members. The analysis focuses on the child’s language choice, code-switching, and interactional practices in multilingual communication.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
This study highlights the importance of social interaction and community participation in supporting early multilingual development beyond formal educational settings. By examining naturally occurring interactions in home, childcare, and neighborhood contexts, the study shows how a young child develops trilingual abilities through everyday communication with caregivers and community members. It suggests that language development is not limited to classrooms but emerges through participation in diverse social and physical interactions. The study contributes to research on early multilingualism while offering practical insights for educators, parents, and communities seeking to support bilingual and multilingual language development in children.
| Title | Early Trilingual Development Beyond the Classroom |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | General |