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Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students

This study explores the sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy practices of a group of Emirati fifth-grade students, who were learning English and Arabic and using English as the medium of instruction for math and science. The explanatory, mixed methodology study examines how soc...

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Main Authors: Alshamsi, Aysha, Alsheikh, Negmeldin Omer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2020
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/15803/1/40463-138295-1-PB.pdf
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/15803/
http://ejournals.ukm.my/3l/issue/view/1326
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spelling my-ukm.journal.158032020-11-22T16:08:22Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/15803/ Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students Alshamsi, Aysha Alsheikh, Negmeldin Omer This study explores the sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy practices of a group of Emirati fifth-grade students, who were learning English and Arabic and using English as the medium of instruction for math and science. The explanatory, mixed methodology study examines how sociocultural aspects of language learning are integrated in the learners’ bilingualism and biliteracy practices by using both quantitative and qualitative means. In the first phase, a group of fifth-grade students (n = 350), selected for the transitional nature of their grade cycle, and their Arabic and English teachers (n = 350) were surveyed on their bilingualism and biliteracy practices, with a particular focus on sociocultural factors. The second qualitative phase featured a more in-depth investigation of these practices through interviews with two English teachers, two Arabic teachers, and three students. The results revealed that the fifth-grade students did not possess adequate bilingualism and biliteracy abilities in English or, to a lesser degree, in Arabic, for their expected grade level. The reasons included lack of continuous bilingual/biliteracy interactions, lack of parental involvement and absence of a rich school context. Further, there have been no orchestrated efforts to engage the students with the sociocultural aspect of language learning. Thus, integrating the multifaceted aspects of bilingualism and biliteracy contexts and practices is strongly recommended in order to enrich these linguistic approaches to enable fifth graders excel in both languages, and to improve cross-linguistic transfer. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2020 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/15803/1/40463-138295-1-PB.pdf Alshamsi, Aysha and Alsheikh, Negmeldin Omer (2020) Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students. 3L; Language,Linguistics and Literature,The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies., 26 (3). pp. 66-80. ISSN 0128-5157 http://ejournals.ukm.my/3l/issue/view/1326
institution Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
building Tun Sri Lanang Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
content_source UKM Journal Article Repository
url_provider http://journalarticle.ukm.my/
language English
description This study explores the sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy practices of a group of Emirati fifth-grade students, who were learning English and Arabic and using English as the medium of instruction for math and science. The explanatory, mixed methodology study examines how sociocultural aspects of language learning are integrated in the learners’ bilingualism and biliteracy practices by using both quantitative and qualitative means. In the first phase, a group of fifth-grade students (n = 350), selected for the transitional nature of their grade cycle, and their Arabic and English teachers (n = 350) were surveyed on their bilingualism and biliteracy practices, with a particular focus on sociocultural factors. The second qualitative phase featured a more in-depth investigation of these practices through interviews with two English teachers, two Arabic teachers, and three students. The results revealed that the fifth-grade students did not possess adequate bilingualism and biliteracy abilities in English or, to a lesser degree, in Arabic, for their expected grade level. The reasons included lack of continuous bilingual/biliteracy interactions, lack of parental involvement and absence of a rich school context. Further, there have been no orchestrated efforts to engage the students with the sociocultural aspect of language learning. Thus, integrating the multifaceted aspects of bilingualism and biliteracy contexts and practices is strongly recommended in order to enrich these linguistic approaches to enable fifth graders excel in both languages, and to improve cross-linguistic transfer.
format Article
author Alshamsi, Aysha
Alsheikh, Negmeldin Omer
spellingShingle Alshamsi, Aysha
Alsheikh, Negmeldin Omer
Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students
author_facet Alshamsi, Aysha
Alsheikh, Negmeldin Omer
author_sort Alshamsi, Aysha
title Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students
title_short Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students
title_full Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students
title_fullStr Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students
title_full_unstemmed Sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students
title_sort sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy of emiratis: exploratory study in a group of fifth-grade students
publisher Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
publishDate 2020
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/15803/1/40463-138295-1-PB.pdf
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/15803/
http://ejournals.ukm.my/3l/issue/view/1326
_version_ 1684654304013582336
score 13.211869

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