The following manuscript has just been accepted for publication. It presents work from Study 1 undertaken by our VietSpeech team:
Wang, C., Verdon, S., McLeod, S., & Tran, V. T. (2021, in press). Profiles of linguistic multi-competence in Vietnamese-English speakers. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.
Here is the abstract
Purpose: Speech-language pathologists work with increasing numbers of multilingual speakers; however, even when the same languages are spoken, multilingual speakers are not homogenous. Linguistic multi-competence considers competency across all languages and is associated with multiple demographic, migration, linguistic, and cultural factors.
Method: This paper examines the linguistic multi-competence of adults with Vietnamese heritage living in Australia (n = 271) and factors associated with varying profiles of multilingualism. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire (available in English and Vietnamese) regarding their language proficiency and associated factors.
Results: Participants were largely (76.6%) first generation migrants to Australia. Three distinct profiles of linguistic multi-competence were statistically identified using a cluster analysis: (1) Vietnamese Proficient (n = 81, 31%), (2) Shared Proficiency (n = 135, 52%), and (3) English Proficient (n = 43, 17%); that is, half were proficient in both languages. Multinomial logistic regression analyses compared participants profiled as Shared Proficiency with those who were more dominant in one language. Factors associated with the Vietnamese Proficient group (compared with the Shared Proficiency group): used Vietnamese much more than English with different people across different situations, were more likely to believe that maintaining Vietnamese helped them communicate in English, and earned less. Participants in the English Proficient group: used English more than Vietnamese with different people across different situations, were more likely to have lived in English-speaking countries longer, were younger in age, and were less likely to believe that maintaining Vietnamese helped improve academic study than those with Shared Proficiency.
Conclusion: Undertaking a comprehensive language profile is an important component of any multilingual assessment to enable speech-language pathologists to develop an understanding of different presentations of linguistic multi-competence, engage in culturally responsive practice, and to acknowledge that high levels of competence can be achieved across multiple languages.
Here is the plain English summary:
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with increasing numbers of multilingual speakers. Each multilingual speaker is different, even if they speak the same language. Linguistic multi-competence considers competency across all languages and is associated with demographic, migration, linguistic, and cultural factors. This paper examined linguistic multi-competence of 271 adults with Vietnamese heritage living in Australia and factors associated with varying profiles of multilingualism. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire (available in English and Vietnamese). Participants were statistically sorted into three distinct profiles of linguistic multi-competence: (1) English Proficient (17%), (2) Vietnamese Proficient (31%), (3) Shared Proficiency (52%). Participants in the English Proficient group: used English more than Vietnamese, were more likely to have lived in English-speaking countries longer, were younger in age, and were less likely to believe that maintaining Vietnamese helped improve academic study than those in the Shared Proficiency group. This study demonstrates the importance of undertaking a comprehensive language profile during a multilingual assessment to enable speech-language pathologists to develop an understanding of different presentations of linguistic multi-competence, engage in culturally responsive practice, and to acknowledge that high levels of competence can be achieved across multiple languages.
