Speaker Investment, Social Networks and Oral Proficiency of Heritage and Classroom Learners of Spanish

This dissertation examines the role of social networks (Gollan et al., 2012; Paradowski et al., 2022; Velázquez, 2018; Xie & Liu, 2021) and investment (Darvin & Norton, 2015; Nasrollahi, 2018; Norton, 1995, 2010) in shaping the oral proficiency of heritage speakers and classroom learners of Spanish. My research questions are as follows: (1) What impact, if any, does the number of Spanish speakers in a speaker’s social network have on the oral proficiency of heritage and classroom learners of Spanish? and (2) What effect, if any, does self-reported speaker investment have on the oral proficiency of heritage and classroom learners of Spanish? This study is guided by two main hypotheses rooted in interactionist theories of heritage language acquisition and second language acquisition that include a role for activation (Lantolf & Thorne, 2006; Larsen-Freeman & Cameron, 2008; Mackey & Gass, 2005; Putnam & Sánchez, 2013) and sociocultural theories of learning (Cole & Wertsch, 1996; Lave & Wenger, 1991; Vygotsky & Cole, 1978). An activation-focused approach posits a pivotal role for language processing in reception and production, emphasizing these as crucial and independent processes of acquisition and maintenance. Activation here is understood as the social and cognitive processing of linguistic representations for communication. This approach suggests that speakers who use Spanish more frequently, both productively and receptively, should demonstrate higher levels of oral proficiency. Furthermore, the frequency of use is expected to influence on-the-spot reception and, especially, production, potentially masking underlying linguistic competence in cases of infrequent activation (Larsen-Freeman & Cameron, 2008; Mackey & Gass, 2005; Putnam & Sánchez, 2013). Sociocultural theories of learning conceptualize learning, including language learning, as a fundamentally social activity that occurs through social interactions (Lantolf & Thorne 2006; Lave & Wenger, 1991; Vygotsky & Cole, 1978). From this perspective, speakers with larger networks of Spanish speakers, with consequently more chances for activation, and speakers with higher levels of investment in Spanish are expected to exhibit greater overall oral proficiency in Spanish. This is attributed to their enhanced access to Spanish speakers and the social positioning to take advantage of those opportunities. This investigation aims to test these two hypotheses by (1) quantifying the number of Spanish speakers in a participant’s social network and (2) assessing their relative investment in Spanish through a speaker investment survey. Participants’ oral proficiency is measured using the Center for Applied Linguistics Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview (SOPI). Participants consist of heritage speakers of Spanish and classroom learners of Spanish who are of college age and are enrolled in university-level Spanish courses. Findings indicate that participants from both groups with larger numbers of Spanish speakers in their social networks score higher on the SOPI. Likewise, participants with higher investment survey scores demonstrate higher levels of oral proficiency as measured by the SOPI. Findings support a model of language acquisition that includes investment or other measures of sociocultural context. Results extend and validate the construct of investment in minority language contexts, while the investment survey itself demonstrates how investment can be included as a measurable factor in language acquisition research.

Author dc:creator

• Megan Tzeitel Marshall (18278185)

• Heritage and additional language acquisition
• Investment
• Social Networks
• Oral Proficiency

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.25417/uic.32993777.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/32993777