In Sweden, Arabic is estimated to be the second most spoken home language (after Swedish); nonetheless the language skills and language development of Arabic-Swedish-speaking bilingual children are understudied. This issue was addressed in Haddad’s (2022) doctoral dissertation where she examined the vocabulary and narrative abilities in both languages of 100 Arabic-Swedish-speaking children (4–7) in Sweden. The children’s vocabulary skills were analysed in relation to age and effect of various language input factors (such as parents’ language use with the child, estimated daily language exposure and shared book reading). The children’s narrative abilities were examined in relation to age in addition to task and story effects. Do each of the vocabulary and narrative skills of Arabic-Swedish-speaking children develop similarly in both languages with age? Which exposure factors affect the children’s language development?

Rima Haddad