International Adoption (IA)
An international (intercountry) adoption is one where the birth country language is different than the language of the country into which the adoption occurred. (Scott et al., 2011)
The peak of IA into the United States occurred in 2004. IAs have been steadily declining since then due to government regulation and increasing cost. (CNN, 2013)
New trends in IA show that sending countries are placing larger numbers of older children up for adoption. (Selman, 2012) Of over 9,000 placements into the US in 2011, 44% were over the age of 3 years and 28% were 5-17 years of age. (U.S. Dept of State, Intercountry Adoption Bureau of Consular Affairs,
2012) Some countries are only adopting out older children with …show more content…
These factors may contribute to speech language delays or disorders as well as other developmental and cognitive issues. (Beverly et al., 2008) Impact of IA on Language
Because children are adopted into families who do not speak the birth language (L1), this language is lost quickly, first expressively and then receptively.
Children of IA are exposed to, and immersed in, a second language which is not a true bilingual experience since the birth language is no longer available.
The new language acquisition pattern is considered "second first language acquisition."
(Scott et al., 2011)
These children quickly attain communicative language fluency (CLF) which means they can express basic wants and needs and interact with others on a social level in familiar settings.
Children of IA have more difficulty with cognitive language mastery (CLM) which is the language needed to be successful in an academic/school setting.
CLF/CLM is not the same as BICS/CALP, which was developed for bilingual …show more content…
Loss of the birth language
(first L1) occurs, then a period of silence may occur. (Hough &
Kaczmarek, 2011)
IA infants and toddlers follow the same English language development as their non-adopted English speaking peers, although their growth curve may lag behind. (Glennen, 2002)
Expressive syntax and morphology take longer to develop to
English language norm levels. (Glennen, 2008)
Parents should report that a great rate of expressive and receptive vocabulary learning is taking place in the first few months at home. At one year after adoption, IA children should have rapid learned their new language but have not yet reached full proficiency. (Glennen 2009) Language Development, cont'd
Adopted at 0-12 months: The majority of IA children begin talking at chronological ages that match non-adopted peers.
Adopted at 13-18 months: Within 6 months IA children should have 50 words and should have started to use 2 word phrases.
Adopted at 19-24 months: Within a year IA children should be regularly using 2 word phrases.
Adopted at 25-30 months: IA children should be adding
An international (intercountry) adoption is one where the birth country language is different than the language of the country into which the adoption occurred. (Scott et al., 2011)
The peak of IA into the United States occurred in 2004. IAs have been steadily declining since then due to government regulation and increasing cost. (CNN, 2013)
New trends in IA show that sending countries are placing larger numbers of older children up for adoption. (Selman, 2012) Of over 9,000 placements into the US in 2011, 44% were over the age of 3 years and 28% were 5-17 years of age. (U.S. Dept of State, Intercountry Adoption Bureau of Consular Affairs,
2012) Some countries are only adopting out older children with …show more content…
These factors may contribute to speech language delays or disorders as well as other developmental and cognitive issues. (Beverly et al., 2008) Impact of IA on Language
Because children are adopted into families who do not speak the birth language (L1), this language is lost quickly, first expressively and then receptively.
Children of IA are exposed to, and immersed in, a second language which is not a true bilingual experience since the birth language is no longer available.
The new language acquisition pattern is considered "second first language acquisition."
(Scott et al., 2011)
These children quickly attain communicative language fluency (CLF) which means they can express basic wants and needs and interact with others on a social level in familiar settings.
Children of IA have more difficulty with cognitive language mastery (CLM) which is the language needed to be successful in an academic/school setting.
CLF/CLM is not the same as BICS/CALP, which was developed for bilingual …show more content…
Loss of the birth language
(first L1) occurs, then a period of silence may occur. (Hough &
Kaczmarek, 2011)
IA infants and toddlers follow the same English language development as their non-adopted English speaking peers, although their growth curve may lag behind. (Glennen, 2002)
Expressive syntax and morphology take longer to develop to
English language norm levels. (Glennen, 2008)
Parents should report that a great rate of expressive and receptive vocabulary learning is taking place in the first few months at home. At one year after adoption, IA children should have rapid learned their new language but have not yet reached full proficiency. (Glennen 2009) Language Development, cont'd
Adopted at 0-12 months: The majority of IA children begin talking at chronological ages that match non-adopted peers.
Adopted at 13-18 months: Within 6 months IA children should have 50 words and should have started to use 2 word phrases.
Adopted at 19-24 months: Within a year IA children should be regularly using 2 word phrases.
Adopted at 25-30 months: IA children should be adding