What is Mothering in Multiple Languages: A Mini Ethnography of Bilingualism Beliefs, Family Language Policies, and Language Practices Among Multilingual Immigrant Families?

Many multilingual immigrant families in the U.S. value preserving their home language although English-centric school systems and monolingual  policies create major obstacles to bilingual growth. Mothers are key agents in shaping early childhood bilingual development. This mini-ethnography investigates how immigrant mothers view bilingual development and how their daily choices shape their children’s bilingual learning. Findings show that bilingual mothering functions as a form of invisible “linguistic care labor”, where mothers frame daily language choices around cultural preservation and maternal duty.

Meet the team 

This project, led by Alba Franco and Dr. Dina Castro.

Project Team