Narratives in preschool bilingual children: the role of exposure

Recent studies showed that the amount and type of linguistic stimulation at home can facilitate second language (L2) acquisition and reduce the probability for language and learning impairments (Scheele, et al., 2010; Leseman, et al., 1998). The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the amount of exposure to Italian language as L2 at home, and of the type of linguistic stimulation - as assessed by the frequency of narrative practices - on narrative comprehension and production in L2. Seventy-eight bilingual children participated to the study: 34 Moroccan and 44 Romanian (mean age: 4 years and 5 months; SD = 8 months, range 3-6 years). The TOR 3-8 (Levorato & Roch, 2007) was used for assessing narrative comprehension and the TVL (Cianchetti & Fancello, 1997) for assessing narrative production. A semi-structured interview was administered to the participant’s parents in order to obtain information about the amount of linguistic exposure to L2 and about the type of linguistic stimulation at home in terms of narrative practices. The results showed that bilingual children had age-appropriate performance in narrative comprehension but were delayed in narrative production. Narrative competence resulted to be related to linguistic stimulation at home. In particular, narrative practices accounted for individual differences in narrative production whereas the amount of exposure to L2 provided a contribution to narrative comprehension. In line with literature (e.g. Wiezman & Snow 2001), the present study highlighted the relevance of the amount of linguistic exposure and linguistic stimulation at home in promoting linguistic development in bilingual preschoolers, and in particular of narrative competence.