Strength can be found in numbers, but more importantly, it can be found in community—especially when it comes to language preservation.
Every community looks different: Some are made up of neighbors living on the same street. Others consist of a group of individuals building a Minecraft world together. Regardless of what binds each community together, however, these support systems help individuals navigate different aspects of life. According to Korean teaching professor Julie Damron (Korean Linguistics and Pedagogy), language-learning communities work the same way. In her 2024 Barker Lecture, delivered on November 14, 2024, Damron examined the role language communities play in helping language learners develop a lifelong interest in their language study.
The Pull to Language
Pulling data from a class of beginning-level Korean students, Damron found that many undergrads initially wanted to learn Korean because of Korean cultural icons—especially the popular pop band BTS. But, while this desire to learn more about Korean pop culture may motivate students to take a class or two, Damron explained that this motivation alone doesn’t encourage lifelong Korean scholarship. She said, “It’s imperative to understand the difference between starting motivation for our students and sustained motivation in our classroom.” As Damron discovered, students stay in Korean classes because of the people, not just for the novelty.
As friendships develop through these courses, Damron has found that students’ motivation for continuing their studies changes: “When students feel [they’re] part of a supportive, interconnected group where their efforts are valued and important, their engagement and motivation are more likely to persist.” For students studying Korean at BYU, this sense of community has been built through direct enrollment programs in Korea and in-class tutoring from native Korean speakers.
Strengths of a Language Community
This sense of community may be essential for language learners, but it also plays a big role in language preservation. Seeing that 50% of world languages currently run the risk of endangerment, Damron believes that creating language communities with second language learners will help preserve the language while giving students a support system to fall back on throughout their studies. Damron explained, “While a language can theoretically persist in any size speech community, it must be actively used and taught within the community in order for it to survive.”
When students feel [they’re] part of a supportive, interconnected group where their efforts are valued and important, their engagement and motivation are more likely to persist.
But creating communities of language speakers—both language learners and native speakers—doesn’t just protect languages from extinction. Creating these communities also introduces community members to new perspectives and outlooks. According to Damron, being able to recognize and respect these differences is a hallmark of successful language communities. She argued that to be effective, a language community must have the “ability to navigate challenges and seek common grounds with those who are unfamiliar, difficult, or different. Such interactions foster growth, understanding, [and] authentic connections.”
As an educator, Damron has seen these language communities empower all levels of language speakers—from native speakers, to second-language learners, and even language professors. She concluded, “I believe that engaging in a community is not only a starting motivation for language acquisition but a strong foundation for sustained motivation and lifelong learning. . . .[Language communities will] help cultivate lifelong learners who are ready to engage with the world and leave a clear and meaningful impact on future generations.”
Watch Julie Damron’s presentation and previous Barker Lectures here.