Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Language learning challenges for adult deaf migrants in Sweden: experiences from a four-year project
Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Linguistics.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8762-7118
2025 (English)In: Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, ISSN 0143-4632, E-ISSN 1747-7557, Vol. 46, no 2, p. 148-161Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Upon arrival in Sweden, adult migrants are required to learn Swedish at the earliest opportunity. This requirement also extends to deaf migrants, regardless of their linguistic and educational backgrounds. This paper presents findings and experiences derived from a project focused on the multilingual situation of deaf migrants in Sweden. Some deaf migrants have acquired sign language skills from birth and have received formal education, while others have had limited exposure to language and have never attended school. Due to a scarcity of interpreters proficient in different sign languages and many deaf migrants lacking knowledge of such languages, it becomes imperative for them to participate in courses aimed at learning Swedish Sign Language (STS). This enables effective communication with the Swedish Migration Agency and other authorities through STS-interpreters. They are also required, similar to other migrants, to acquire proficiency in reading and writing Swedish. Paradoxically, Sweden imposes the same education duration requirements on deaf migrants as hearing who only learn one language. Consequently, deaf migrants encounter challenges in attaining sufficient language proficiency level for successful integration into Swedish society. The paper highlights challenges and emphasizes the importance of addressing the unique language-learning needs of deaf migrants to facilitate their successful integration.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2025. Vol. 46, no 2, p. 148-161
Keywords [en]
Deaf, adult, migrant, integration, language learning, sign language
National Category
Comparative Language Studies and Linguistics
Research subject
Linguistics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-232591DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2024.2391064ISI: 001293955200001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85201558676OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-232591DiVA, id: diva2:1890623
Projects
Mulder, Döva nyanländas flerspråkiga situation i Sverige
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2019-02115Available from: 2024-08-20 Created: 2024-08-20 Last updated: 2025-09-09Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full textScopus

Authority records

Holmström, Ingela

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Holmström, Ingela
By organisation
Department of Linguistics
In the same journal
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
Comparative Language Studies and Linguistics

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
urn-nbn
Total: 187 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf