Studying Arabic as a foreign second language together with Arab heritage language learners: the Intercultural aspects of sociocultural-interactive strategies

Abstract This article reports on my study of the sociocultural-interactive Strategies (SCISs) used by a mixed group of learners of Arabic at University of Southern Denmark (SDU). The group consists of learners of Arabic as a foreign language (FLLs) and Arab Heritage Language Learners (AHLLs). FLLs fall into two subgroups: Danes (DFLLs) and learners with some Middle Eastern backgrounds (OMLLs). I studied the general patterns of SCISs used by the whole group. I also studied the influence of the presence of AHLLs in the environment on the SCISs used by the FLLs. I used a mixed method, quantitative questionnaire and qualitative (interviews). The major findings of the study was that the group follows the general patterns of SCISs, to ask, cooperate and communicate, and that AHLLs’ presence only partially increases and promotes the opportunities of sociocultural interaction in the learning environment.