Interlocutors who come from different cultural backgrounds often find themselves in need of a shared language in order to successfully communicate. Sometimes the language they share may be the native language of one and the second language of the other, or it may be the lingua franca of both speakers. The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of immigrant families' attitudes toward language learning in the United States. Developing second language proficiency in English is important for both social interaction and educational achievement of immigrant children in the US whereas their parents may have a different set of linguistic needs for social interaction or professional advancement. This research investigated perceptions of immigrant parents and children about second language learning by administering an attitudinal questionnaire developed by Henry & Apelgren (2008). Data were collected from both children and their parents in the Southeastern US, and analysis revealed that parents perceived their children's attitudes toward second language learning to be more positive than the children's actual attitudes.