Chapter 10. Second first language acquisition following international adoption

Children adopted internationally typically experience an abrupt and total switch from the language of their birth country to the language of their adoptive family, a process referred to as second first language acquisition. Age at adoption, quality of pre-adoption care, health and developmental status, and post-adoption environment may influence the ease with which children make the shift to the new language and how quickly and completely they catch up to non-adopted peers. This chapter chronicles the author’s multiple experiences with second first language acquisition as a clinician, parent and researcher. Longitudinal data from children adopted internationally are presented, including case studies and larger group studies. Changing trends in international adoption and directions for future research are also explored.