English Language Maintenance Among Indonesian Returnee Children: A Qualitative Study

Authors

  • Suharmoko

    English Education, Institut Agama Islam Negeri, Sorong 98414, Indonesia
  • Syamsudarni

    English Education, Universitas Islam Negeri Palopo, Palopo 91914, Indonesia
  • Abd. Rahman

    English Education, Institut Agama Islam Negeri, Sorong 98414, Indonesia
  • Hasbullah

    English Education, Institut Agama Islam Negeri, Sorong 98414, Indonesia
  • Miftahulfadlik Dabamona

    English Education, Institut Agama Islam Negeri, Sorong 98414, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i8.9411
Received: 8 April 2025 | Revised: 16 May 2025 | Accepted: 12 June 2025 | Published Online: 29 July 2025

Abstract

The study examines the efforts and strategies employed by Indonesian returnee parents to maintain their children's English proficiency upon their return to their home country. With the increasing importance of English for educational and career opportunities, particularly in a globalized world, the role of parents in this context is paramount. It explores the parents’ beliefs, roles, and social factors influencing English language maintenance behaviors. The study included interviews, observations, and focus group discussions (FGD) with two Indonesian families who had temporarily stayed in Australia for educational purposes. The study found that parents'beliefs in the importance of English for their children's future, especially for education and job careers, shaped their behaviors and strategies for maintaining their children's English proficiency. Furthermore, the study identified varied personal strategies that the returnee families conducted to maintain their children’s English skills, such as using English as a main language for daily communication, especially at home, having extensive English exposure through digital technology such as YouTube video and Roblox games, and maintaining relationships and communication with friends in Australia. Besides, the study concludes that societal factors are crucial in supporting or hindering the maintenance of English proficiency among Indonesian returnee children. The findings suggest that while individual strategies are essential, external support systems play a significant role in sustaining language skills in a non-English speaking environment. This study contributes to the broader understanding of language maintenance in immigrant contexts, highlighting the importance of parental involvement and societal dynamics.

Keywords:

Language Maintenance; English; Returnee Children; Personal and Social Factors

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How to Cite

Suharmoko, Syamsudarni, Abd. Rahman, Hasbullah, & Dabamona, M. (2025). English Language Maintenance Among Indonesian Returnee Children: A Qualitative Study. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(8), 169–184. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i8.9411

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Vol. 7 , Iss. 8 (August 2025): In progress

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Copyright © 2025 Suharmoko, Syamsudarni, Abd. Rahman, Hasbullah, Miftahulfadlik Dabamona

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.