Activity theory and Activity Systems Analysis: a holistic framework for investigating family bilingualism

While many parents strive to raise their children bilingually, few children actually become proficient in the heritage language, highlighting the largely inconclusive advice on how to successfully raise children to become bilingual. This article derives from a larger analytic autoethnographic case study of two families in the process of raising bilingual children (German-English and French-English). We explore Activity Theory (AT) as a theoretical framework and Activity Systems Analysis (ASA) as an analytical framework to help researchers and parents alike understand and meaningfully engage in the complex social process of raising bilingual children. Specifically, we view the current paper as a “proof of concept” intended to demonstrate the value of ASA for understanding and engaging in the complex social process of raising bilingual children. Findings highlight the value of shifting away from specific strategies and lists of behaviors common in much of the literature. Instead, we propose that caregivers and researchers discuss affordances and challenges presented at each node of their specific activity system. We conclude with a set of guiding questions for researchers and parents interested in using ASA to frame their engagement with family bilingualism.