Milli mála - 2023, Blaðsíða 115
MILLI MÁLA
Milli mála 15/2/2023 115
grants’ language proficiency (Hoehne and Michalowski 2016; Van
Tubergen and Wierenga 2011). Prior studies also show that language
course attendance has a possible effect on other areas, such as social
contacts (Hoehne and Michalowski 2015) and increased knowledge
about the receiving society, e.g., about its culture but also practical
information (Lochmann et al. 2019). For example, Lochmann et al.
(2019, 266) found evidence for an “information effect” in their study
among immigrants in France: “There is as well suggestive evidence of
an information effect: before, during and after the classes, immi-
grants can obtain useful information on job search strategies from
interactions with classmates and teachers.” The attendance of langu-
age courses, therefore, also impacts domains other than just the ac-
quisition of the language.
However, while the influence of language courses on learners’ lives
goes beyond the sole acquisition of the language alone, studies also
show that there are other factors more relevant to language acquisi-
tion than formal language training. Esser (2006) states that “existing
studies only show a weak positive effect of language courses on im-
migrant language acquisition.” Hoehne and Michalowski (2015, 134)
have suggested that the small impact of language courses on immi-
grants’ language acquisition “brings up the question of whether pol-
icy makers are mistaken in spending a substantial amount of public
money on language teaching for immigrants.” In the same article,
Hoehne and Michalowski (2015) show that timing of courses is a
crucial factor and early attendance of language courses was found to
have positive effects on both language skills and social contacts.
The literature review reveals that, while there is ample research on
predictors of immigrant language acquisition and the role of langu-
age course in immigrants’ language acquisition, most studies have
been conducted in larger language communities with longer histories
of immigration. We aim to contribute to this research with a larger
case study in a society with strong ideologies of linguistic purism and
high expectations that immigrants will learn the language.
LARA W. HOFFMANN, YVONNE HÖLLER, MARKUS MECKL