Book contents
- International Adoption
- International Adoption
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Preface
- Foreword
- Foreword
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 A Contemporary Overview of International Adoption
- Chapter 2 Broad Strokes in International Adoption Research
- Chapter 3 Physical Health of International Adoptees
- Chapter 4 Attachment and Social-Emotional Development in International Adoptees
- Chapter 5 Language Development of International Adoptees
- Chapter 6 Cognitive Development in International Adoptees
- Chapter 7 Academic Achievement in International Adoptees
- Chapter 8 Identity Formation in International Adoptees
- Chapter 9 Mental Health and International Adoption
- Chapter 10 An Emerging Picture of the Effects of International Adoption
- Conclusion
- References
- Index
Chapter 5 - Language Development of International Adoptees
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 July 2026
Book contents
- International Adoption
- International Adoption
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Preface
- Foreword
- Foreword
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 A Contemporary Overview of International Adoption
- Chapter 2 Broad Strokes in International Adoption Research
- Chapter 3 Physical Health of International Adoptees
- Chapter 4 Attachment and Social-Emotional Development in International Adoptees
- Chapter 5 Language Development of International Adoptees
- Chapter 6 Cognitive Development in International Adoptees
- Chapter 7 Academic Achievement in International Adoptees
- Chapter 8 Identity Formation in International Adoptees
- Chapter 9 Mental Health and International Adoption
- Chapter 10 An Emerging Picture of the Effects of International Adoption
- Conclusion
- References
- Index
Summary
This chapter reviews research on language development in IA children. Compared to the extensive literature on attachment and mental health, as well as the substantial bodies of research on cognitive development and educational achievement, studies focusing on language development in this subpopulation of children remain relatively scarce. Nevertheless, the unique combination of factors shaping IA children’s developmental trajectories makes their language acquisition an important area of inquiry. In this chapter, I examine the existing literature with particular attention to: (a) the age at adoption and its role in second language acquisition and related critical periods; (b) the maintenance of the birth language alongside learning new languages; (c) overall language functioning outcomes; and (d) the predictive value of second language acquisition for broader developmental domains such as cognition and communication.
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- International AdoptionA Developmental Pathway, pp. 201 - 232Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
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