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Chapter 9. Ethics in heritage language education

Negotiating ethical research practices with heritage speakers and their communities
  • Meagan Y. Driver
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Ethical Issues in Applied Linguistics Scholarship
This chapter is in the book Ethical Issues in Applied Linguistics Scholarship

Abstract

In this chapter, I explore ethical considerations for conducting Applied Linguistics research on heritage speakers and offer recommendations for building understanding and commitment to ethically-informed practices when working with heritage communities. First, I discuss the ethical questions that arise in each stage of research development, keeping in mind the great diversity within and across heritage communities and the particular importance of ethical awareness that must go beyond traditional principles of research ethics. These include stages relating to definitions and terminology, research objectives, participant recruitment and inclusion criteria, data collection, and dissemination of results. Next, I provide specific examples of the ethical challenges I have faced in my own work, particularly relating to cultural, linguistic, and sociopolitical factors, when weighing the risks and benefits of various research decisions, and I expand on the steps taken to resolve each issue. I close the chapter with a reflection on the core ethical tensions that may arise for in-group and out-group researchers when working with heritage participants and make suggestions for scholars who intend to adopt practices that are ethically sound and appropriate for working with heritage speakers and their communities.

Abstract

In this chapter, I explore ethical considerations for conducting Applied Linguistics research on heritage speakers and offer recommendations for building understanding and commitment to ethically-informed practices when working with heritage communities. First, I discuss the ethical questions that arise in each stage of research development, keeping in mind the great diversity within and across heritage communities and the particular importance of ethical awareness that must go beyond traditional principles of research ethics. These include stages relating to definitions and terminology, research objectives, participant recruitment and inclusion criteria, data collection, and dissemination of results. Next, I provide specific examples of the ethical challenges I have faced in my own work, particularly relating to cultural, linguistic, and sociopolitical factors, when weighing the risks and benefits of various research decisions, and I expand on the steps taken to resolve each issue. I close the chapter with a reflection on the core ethical tensions that may arise for in-group and out-group researchers when working with heritage participants and make suggestions for scholars who intend to adopt practices that are ethically sound and appropriate for working with heritage speakers and their communities.

Chapters in this book

  1. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Foreword ix
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Section I. Methodological approaches
  6. Chapter 1. A taxonomy of questionable research practices in quantitative humanities 10
  7. Chapter 2. Corpus linguistics and ethics 28
  8. Chapter 3. Ethical issues in educational action research 45
  9. Chapter 4. Doing research in culturally and linguistically diverse K-12 classrooms 59
  10. Chapter 5. Ethical considerations for research involving computer-assisted language learning, social media, and online environments 72
  11. Chapter 6. Transcription as ethics 87
  12. Commentary on Section I 110
  13. Section II. Specific populations and research contexts
  14. Chapter 7. The zero-sum game of beneficence 122
  15. Chapter 8. Ethical research with adult migrant language learners 136
  16. Chapter 9. Ethics in heritage language education 155
  17. Chapter 10. The ethics of indigenous language revitalization 172
  18. Chapter 11. “Where you from, who’s your Mob?” 192
  19. Commentary on Section II 210
  20. Section III. Pedagogy and policy
  21. Chapter 12. Ethical research considerations in classroom and online spaces with bilingual students and their teachers 218
  22. Chapter 13. Ethical issues in language testing 235
  23. Chapter 14. Navigating ethical challenges in L2 writing in transnational higher education 249
  24. Chapter 15. Challenges of justice and equity for ethical English as an additional language in school education 266
  25. Commentary on Section III 285
  26. Section IV. Personal and interactive aspects of research and scholarship
  27. Chapter 16. Managing publication expectations and collaborations 296
  28. Chapter 17. Ethical dilemmas of graduate students negotiating new roles and responsibilities 310
  29. Chapter 18. Research ethics and decisions 328
  30. Chapter 19. The ethical gray area 341
  31. Commentary on Section IV 355
  32. Afterword 364
  33. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 371
https://doi.org/10.1075/rmal.7.10dri

Chapters in this book

  1. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Foreword ix
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Section I. Methodological approaches
  6. Chapter 1. A taxonomy of questionable research practices in quantitative humanities 10
  7. Chapter 2. Corpus linguistics and ethics 28
  8. Chapter 3. Ethical issues in educational action research 45
  9. Chapter 4. Doing research in culturally and linguistically diverse K-12 classrooms 59
  10. Chapter 5. Ethical considerations for research involving computer-assisted language learning, social media, and online environments 72
  11. Chapter 6. Transcription as ethics 87
  12. Commentary on Section I 110
  13. Section II. Specific populations and research contexts
  14. Chapter 7. The zero-sum game of beneficence 122
  15. Chapter 8. Ethical research with adult migrant language learners 136
  16. Chapter 9. Ethics in heritage language education 155
  17. Chapter 10. The ethics of indigenous language revitalization 172
  18. Chapter 11. “Where you from, who’s your Mob?” 192
  19. Commentary on Section II 210
  20. Section III. Pedagogy and policy
  21. Chapter 12. Ethical research considerations in classroom and online spaces with bilingual students and their teachers 218
  22. Chapter 13. Ethical issues in language testing 235
  23. Chapter 14. Navigating ethical challenges in L2 writing in transnational higher education 249
  24. Chapter 15. Challenges of justice and equity for ethical English as an additional language in school education 266
  25. Commentary on Section III 285
  26. Section IV. Personal and interactive aspects of research and scholarship
  27. Chapter 16. Managing publication expectations and collaborations 296
  28. Chapter 17. Ethical dilemmas of graduate students negotiating new roles and responsibilities 310
  29. Chapter 18. Research ethics and decisions 328
  30. Chapter 19. The ethical gray area 341
  31. Commentary on Section IV 355
  32. Afterword 364
  33. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 371
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