Subtractive Bilingualism in Bilingual Students in Ecuadorian Classrooms

Abstract

Subtractive bilingualism is defined as a form of bilingualism in which the learning of a second language interferes with the first language. It has been observed that little attention has been paid to explaining and understanding bilingual students’ subtractive bilingualism. The objectives of this descriptive research are to analyze the reported factors that influence subtractive bilingualism and to explore its evolution through the compilation and analysis of participants’ experiences. This descriptive research was conducted with five participants who were applied semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that participants’ formal instruction in English and Spanish, the exposure to the English and Spanish languages at home and school, and the methods used to maintain their bilingualism were identified as the main factors that influenced participants’ subtractive bilingualism. Moreover, participants’ experiences revealed that most of them presented subtractive bilingualism in their native language (English).