L2 Retention and Attrition of Korean/English Bilingual Children

Abstract

This study examines the maintenance and decline of L2 knowledge over time among nine Korean/English bilingual children, aged from 9;0 to 12;11. The purpose of the study is to examine the validity of the regression hypothesis, which holds that "first learned is last forgotten." Data indicate that the best predictor of L2 retention/attrition is the subjects' pre-disuse attainment.