Browsing by Author "Guo, Jie"
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- ItemOpen AccessLearning more than one language across the lifespan: A literature review(Second Languages and Intercultural Council (Alberta Teachers' Association), 2021-01) Ma, Yue; Chen, Yao; Guo, Jie; Lei, Tian; Li, Qiuchen; Dressler, RoswitaThis literature review is based on the final assignment of a graduate-level language and literacy theory and research course at the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, in Calgary, Alberta. The course is an introduction to the principles of language learning from cognitive, sociocultural and critical perspectives. For the final assignment, students choose a topic of interest and then write, revise and finalize a literature review. Five students in the course, along with the instructor, are the authors of this article. Each student focused on a particular topic in the field of multiple language learning. Here, they present their literature reviews, along with their understandings of the topic, making critical analyses and identifying gaps in the literature. During the course, they discussed their topics with each other and provided feedback on the written work. By the end of the course, they all were not only familiar with all five topics but also acquired the skills needed for writing and revising a literature review, as well as for providing peer- review feedback. Each topic focused on a factor of learning more than one language across the lifespan. The topics were as follows: • Students’ classroom language use in full and partial immersion programs • Assessing depth of vocabulary knowledge in listening comprehension • Language assessment strategies for bilingual children in the diagnostic process for autism spectrum disorders • Parental factors and involvement in children’s English learning in China • Factors that influence the second language socialization of international students The literature reviews that follow represent a cross-section and an overview of the research on language learning. The students explore their topics by presenting empirical studies, synthesizing the main findings, and discussing classroom implications and directions for future research. They then comment on their learning from the course and this assignment, which will be of great value to other teachers who are considering graduate studies, as well as to postsecondary instructors who are framing course formats and assignments.
- ItemOpen AccessUnderstanding Chinese Language and Literacy Maintenance in Mixed-heritage Families: A Two-case Study of Family Language Policy in Alberta(2021-06) Guo, Jie; Roy, Sylvie; Tweedie, Gregory; Guo, ShibaoInformed by family language policy (FLP) framework, I investigate in this study what FLPs look like in two mixed-heritage Chinese-English bilingual families in Alberta, Canada, and the family-internal and external factors influencing the enactment and implementation of their FLPs. Data for this study were collected by multiple methods: parental questionnaires; in-depth interviews, recordings of home talk and literacy activities; related documents and artifact collection; and email communications with the parents. Results indicate that there are three major features of daily home language interaction: the diversity of language use patterns among family members; the dynamic mother-child language use patterns; and Chinese grandparents as a driving force for children’s Mandarin use and learning. In the process of parental language management, Chinese immigrant mothers engage children in varying Chinese literacy learning activities. Although the interactive Mandarin communication has been limited by the inevitable reality that Chinese immigrant mothers have to accommodate monolingual English-speaking fathers’ needs, mothers and children have been keen on investing time and effort in Mandarin-mediated activities. These findings also indicate that micro-level pro-Chinese language ideologies have been interacting and influenced by the educational reality and social tensions in Canada. However, the Chinese immigrant parents still value Chinese language transmission as a mission that needs to carry out through proactive and constant efforts for mixed-heritage children to strengthen the relations with the Chinese side of the family, as well as gain access to the valuable linguistic capital and the rich cultural heritage. This study therefore fills a void in the field of FLP on examining how Chinese immigrant parents support mixed-heritage children in the Chinese language and literacy development under the family-internal and external tensions in Alberta. Implications of this study are that, first, both parents’ mother tongues are equally important for mixed heritage individuals to maintain and develop. Secondly, positive beliefs and attitudes towards heritage language are insufficient, heritage language maintenance still needs de facto language practices and parent-child collaborative efforts can be undertaken. Finally, rather than simply a private issue in family domains, the effective implementation of FLPs requires collaborative efforts by parents, mainstream schools, community, and government.