The journey of language acquisition of third culture kids living in Indonesia

Abstract

International mobility is a distinctive feature of the world of the 21st century. Individuals and their families are often moving due to business, job assignments, pursue further education etc. The children brought up in this mobility scenario are known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs). They are often exposed to different languages and cultures, what gives them unique abilities, but also brings numerous challenges. The objective of this article was to have a better understanding of TCKs living in Indonesia and what their journey of language acquisition in the country looked like. To answer these questions we collected data from 2 TCKs living in Indonesia, through interviews and artefacts using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the TCKs living in Indonesia are traditional TCKs according to Pollock & Recken’s framework of TCKs. Regarding to their journey of language acquisition the parents played an important role choosing schools and implementing a family language policies at home in order to teach them their first language, hence, parents language. However the TCKs chose to use English, as their first language due to the third culture environment they were surrounded with.
References
  1. Anjarsari, L. (2013). Give Different Treatment to Students, RSBI is unconstitutional. Retrieved from https://www.mkri.id/index.php?page=web.Berita&id=7967
  2. Cottrell, E. C. T. K. T. W. A. B. (2021). A systematic review of third culture kids empirical research. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 82, Pages 81-98. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2021.03.002
  3. Désilets, G. (2015). ‘Third Culture Kids’ as Serial Migrants’ children: Understanding some of the impacts of a highly mobile transnational upbringing. In Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks (pp. 143–162). https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137524669_8
  4. De Waal, M. F., & Born, M. P. (2021). Where I’m from? Third Culture Kids about their cultural identity shifts and belonging. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 83, 67–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2021.04.004
  5. Doherty, L., Lieu, J., Aledeh, M., Edwards, A., & Kotera, Y. (2023). Examining the impact of a third culture kid upbringing: wellbeing, attachment and ethnic identity strength in adult third culture kids. Journal of Research in International Education, 22(2), 164–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/14752409231189364
  6. Donohue, C. (2022). Growing up as a third culture kid and its impact on identity and belonging. Counselling Psychology Review, 37(2), 47–58. https://doi.org/10.53841/bpscpr.2022.37.2.47
  7. Douglas, E. P., Jordan, S. S., Lande, M., & Bumbaco, A. E. (2015). Artifact Elicitation as a Method of Qualitative Inquiry in Engineering Education. ASEE. https://doi.org/10.18260/p.23574
  8. Erdin, Y. S. & Pinar. (2020). Translanguaging: Insights into its Theoretical Underpinnings and Classroom Implications. JOUR, 4, 1-11. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341178001_Translanguaging_Insights_into_its_Theoretical_Underpinnings_and_Classroom_Implications
  9. Hafiza, (2020). Assessing Possible Family Language Practices for Children's Bilingual Mastery in Indonesan Context. Jurnal Bahasa & Sastra, 21(1).
  10. Hafiza, R.A., Mirizon, S. & Silvhiany, S. (2022). Exploring parental language ideology and language enrichment in Indonesian children’s translingual practices. JOALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literature), 8(2), 227–244. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.33369/joall.v8i2.24934
  11. Huff, J. (2023). International School Educator Perspectives on Third Culture Kid Identity Development: A Qualitative Multi-Case Study. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4479268
  12. Jones, E. M., Reed, M., Gaab, J., & Ooi, Y. P. (2022). Adjustment in third culture kids: A systematic review of literature. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.939044
  13. Kőrös, N. L., & Benkő, É. T. (2022). Third-Culture Kids in early childhood education. Gyermeknevelés, 10(2–3), 169–191. https://doi.org/10.31074/gyntf.2022.2.169.191
  14. Kwon, J. (2018). Third Culture Kids: Growing up with mobility and cross-cultural transitions. Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education, 13(2), 113–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/15595692.2018.1490718
  15. Lijadi, A., & Gertina, V. S. (2014). Narratives of Third Culture Kids: Commitment and Reticence in Social Relationships. Qualitative Report. 19. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264121506_Narratives_of_Third_Culture_Kids_Commitment_and_Reticence_in_Social_Relationships.
  16. Lijadi, A. A., & Van Schalkwyk, G. J. (2017). Place identity construction of Third Culture Kids: Eliciting voices of children with high mobility lifestyle. Geoforum, 81, 120–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2017.02.015
  17. Magee, E. A. (2017). Third Culture kids: examining their impact in school communities, a case study. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED601088
  18. Mappiasse, S. S., & Sihes, A. J. B. (2014). Evaluation of English as a Foreign Language and Its Curriculum in Indonesia: A Review. English Language Teaching, 7(10). Canadian Center of Science and Education, 7(10). doi:10.5539/elt.v7n10p113
  19. Merriam, S.B. & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation, 4th Edition: Jossey-Bass.
  20. Mirizon, S., Wadham, B., & Curtis, D. (2019). Integrated Content and Language Instruction: Lecturers’ Views and Classroom Instructional Practices. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 44(3), 41-60. doi:10.14221/ajte.2018v44n3.3
  21. Ong, P. a. L. (Ed.). (2018). Third Culture Kids in Different Worlds. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32282.90569
  22. Ooi, Y. P., Reed, M., Marchal-Jones, E., Meyer, A., & Gaab, J. (2022). Sociocultural Adjustment and Well-being Among Third Culture Kids and Their Families: Protocol for a Longitudinal Study. JMIR Preprints. https://doi.org/10.2196/30088
  23. Pollock, D. C., Pollock, M. V. & Reken, R.E. (2017). Third Culture Kids 3rd Edition: Growing up among worlds (Vol. 3rd edition): Nicholas Brealey America.
  24. Qodir, A. (2013). Alasan MK Bubarkan Sekolah RSBI, . Tribunnews.com. Retrieved from https://www.tribunnews.com/nasional/2013/01/08/alasan-mk-bubarkan-sekolah-rsbi
  25. Repelita, T. (2018). SEJARAH PERKEMBANGAN BAHASA INDONESIA. Jurnal Artefak, 5(1). Retrieved from https://jurnal.unigal.ac.id/artefak/article/view/1927/1546
  26. Rini, E. J. (2014). English in Indonesia: Its Position Among Other Languages in Indonesia. Beyond Words. Scientific Repository Petra Christian University, 2(2), ISSN 2338-6339. Retrieved from https://repository.petra.ac.id/id/eprint/16789
  27. Rustine, A. C. (n.d.). Developing identity among third culture kids. Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/honors-theses/373/
  28. Schmidt, M. E. (2017). Experiencing Difficulties: English Language Issues Among Immersed Third Culture Kids. JCCFS, 1(1), 4.
  29. Sethi, Raveewan. (2019). The Esperiences of a Third Culture Kid in Thailand. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338448523_The_Experiences_of_Third_Culture_Kids_in_Thailand
  30. Silvhiany, S. (2019). Indonesian education migrant families’ language, literacy, and identity navigations in transnational spaces.
  31. Supriyanti, Y. I. (2017). The Impact Of Constitution Court Decision About The Abolition Of RSBI/SBI Program Case Study on ex.SDBI No.26 Argamakmur North Bengkulu Regency. Studi Manajemen Pendidikan TADBIR, 1(1). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.29240/jsmp.v1i1.172
  32. Tan, E. C., Wang, K. T., & Cottrell, A. B. (2021). A systematic review of third culture kids empirical research. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 82, 81–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2021.03.002
  33. Torar, Lexy & Wahono. (2016). Educational Development in Indonesia. Retrieved from Trhttps://publikasi.data.kemdikbud.go.id/upload/file/isi_B3FFDDBD-A1EF-4EF1-838F-7534337F7346_.pdf
  34. Trethewy, T., & Vanderburg, M. (2022). Raising the awareness of shortfalls of transition programs in international schools: From the perspective of a third culture kid. Journal of Information Technologies and Lifelong Learning, 5(1), 214–221. https://doi.org/10.20533/jitll.2633.7681.2022.0029
  35. Wahyuni, N., Mirizion, S., & Silvhiany, S. (2023). Graduating from high school overseas and academic transition to Indonesian university atmosphere. Indonesian Research Journal in Education IRJE, 7(1), 23–42. https://doi.org/10.22437/irje .v7i1.24609
  36. Yuliani, Y. Z., & Liyanti, L. (2021). Acquiring the Identity of a Third Culture Kid. Atlantis Press, 341–346. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211110.050
  37. Wheeler, T. J., & Eddy, S. R. (2013). Nhmmer: DNA Homology Search With Profile HMMs. Bioinformatics, 29(19), 2487-2489. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btt403
  38. Zein, S. H. S. (2018). English, multilingualism and globalisation in Indonesia. English Today, 35(1), 48–53. https://doi.org/10.1017/s026607841800010x

Downloads

PDF

Statistic

Abstract Views
: 418 times
PDF
: 16 times