Challenging deficit frameworks in research on heritage language bilingualism

Abstract Recent years have seen an increased interest in the study of heritage language bilinguals. However, much research on bilingualism is fraught with deficit framing. In this article, we demonstrate how many assumptions that underlie growing field and way speakers are positioned as subjects reveal ideologies center value monolingualism whiteness. We problematize a number ways which these commonly show up frameworks methodologies used psycholinguistics to population. advocate for such usage-based linguistics multicompetence multidimensional experiences bilinguals embrace nuance complexity. call community examine their designs theories dismantle systems maintain at margins research.