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Adult Beginning Learners' Engagement in Learning Mandarin University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2017 Adult Beginning Learners’ Engagement in Learning Mandarin as An Additional Language at a Canadian Post-secondary Institute Wu, Xueqin Wu, X. (2017). Adult Beginning Learners’ Engagement in Learning Mandarin as An Additional Language at a Canadian Post-secondary Institute (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/24717 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3626 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Adult Beginning Learners’ Engagement in Learning Mandarin as An Additional Language at a Canadian Post-secondary Institute by Xueqin Wu A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH CALGARY, ALBERTA JANUARY, 2017 © Xueqin Wu 2017 Abstract This research investigates the Mandarin learning experience of both heritage and non- heritage beginners in a Canadian post-secondary institution to understand students’ engagement in learning Mandarin as an additional language (MAL). It integrates the complexity theory with an ecological perspective on second language education to capture the dynamic relationship between the learning context and the learners’ engagement in learning MAL. The case study methodology was chosen for the research purpose, and data were collected through classroom observations, focused group conversations and individual interviews. Research findings are presented from two perspectives: the learning experience and the classroom teaching and learning practices. Issues related to student engagement were discussed, including motivation, identity, curriculum, and teaching practice. Analysis on the findings reveals the complexity and ambivalence of Chineseness to heritage and non-heritage MAL learners, which must be understood in their particular socio-cultural context. It also advocates for promoting learner agency through the development of their own “Chinese voice”. In addition, in order to encourage students’ long-term engagement in learning MAL, it is important for the curriculum designers to allocate more time for students to practice Mandarin, make the teaching content more relevant to students’ knowledge and experiences, and develop an assessment system that values learner difference while remaining fair to both heritage and non-heritage students. Implications for MAL education are discussed at the end of the thesis. Key words: student engagement, Mandarin as an additional language, complexity and ecological approach, Chineseness, curriculum and teaching practice ii Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………. ii Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………….. iii List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………. v List of Figures and Illustrations……………………………………………………… vi INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………..... 1 CHAPTER 1: ISSUES IN TEACHING CHINESE AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE…………………………………………………………………... 5 1.1 The Chinese Language Family ……………………………………………. 5 1.2 Chinese as An Additional Language………………………………………. 8 1.3 Learners of Chinese as An Additional Language………………………….. 10 1.4 Key Issues in TCAL……………………………………………………….. 14 1.4.1 An example—PG’s Chinese language learning experience………… 14 1.4.2 Reasons for PG’s change of attitudes towards learning Chinese…… 16 1.4.3 What is an effective teaching method?................................................ 19 1.4.4 The teaching of Chinese characters (Hànzi)………………………… 21 1.4.5 Can we teach language without culture?............................................. 30 1.4.6 How to interpret and teach culture in a TCAL classroom?................. 33 1.5 Research Questions………………………………………………………… 35 CHAPTER 2: A COMPLEXITY APPROACH TO STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN SECOND LANGUAGE EDUCATION………………………………………. 40 2.1 A Brief Review on Student Engagement Research………………………... 40 2.2 Willms, Friesen and Milton’s (2009) Construct of Student Engagement…. 46 2.3 Language Ecology and Complexity Theory in Second Language Learning. 48 2.3.1 Key principles of language ecology and complexity theory………... 49 2.3.2 Language as a complex and ecological system……………………... 53 2.3.3 Second language acquisition as a complex and ecological system…. 55 2.3.4 Language learners’ agency, identity and translanguaging practice…. 61 2.3.5 Challenges with the complex approach to second language education …………………………………………………... 67 CHAPTER 3: INTERPRETIVE CASE STUDY METHODOLOGY………………. 70 3.1 Interpretive Case Study ……………………………………………………. 70 3.2 Research Context and Participants………………………………………… 73 3.3 Data Collection Methods…………………………………………………... 76 3.3.1 Classroom observations…………………………………………….. 76 3.3.2 Focus group conversations………………………………………….. 77 3.3.3 One-on-one interviews……………………………………………… 79 3.4 Main Aspects Covered in the Conversations and Interviews……………… 80 3.4.1 General questions related to participants’ learning of MAL………... 81 3.4.2 Grammar and teaching methods…………………………………….. 81 3.4.3 Chinese character (Hànzi)…………………………………………... 82 3.4.4 The role of culture in learning MAL………………………………... 83 3.5 A Philosophical Hermeneutic Approach to Interpretive Research………… 87 3.5.1 Truth as an on-going and participated event………………………... 87 3.5.2 Experience as the result of participation……………………………. 89 iii 3.5.3 Hermeneutic situatedness and fusion of horizon……………………. 90 3.5.4 Good teaching practice begins with good understandings………….. 92 CHAPTER 4: UNDERSTAND ENGAGEMENT FROM THE LEARNERS’ PESPECTIVE………………………………………………………………….. 94 4.1 Chinese Heritage Language Learners……………………………………… 94 4.1.1 Family influence…………………………………………………….. 94 4.1.2 Career development…………………………………………………. 98 4.1.3 “I am Chinese. I have no excuse for not knowing Mandarin.”……... 100 4.2 Non-Chinese Heritage Language Learners………………………………… 105 4.2.1 Family influence…………………………………………………….. 105 4.2.2 Sense of achievement from learning Mandarin and the attraction of Chinese culture……………………………………………………….. 106 4.2.3 Career development…………………………………………………. 109 4.2.4 “I will always be a Canadian, although I want to become maybe more Chinese.”……………………………………………………….. 112 4.3 Understand Student Engagement from the Learners’ Perspective………… 118 4.3.1 Learners’ motivation in learning MAL……………………………... 118 4.3.2 Learners’ identification with Chineseness…………………………... 126 CHAPTER 5: CLASSROOM TEACHING AND LEARNING OF MAL………….. 134 5.1 The Learning Materials…………………………………………………….. 134 5.2 The Teaching Methods…………………………………………………….. 140 5.3 The Chinese Characters……………………………………………………. 144 5.4 Role of Culture…………………………………………………………….. 149 5.5 The Assessments…………………………………………………………… 154 5.6 Student Engagement in Classroom Learning Environment……………….. 159 5.6.1 Opportunities to practice Mandarin in class………………………… 160 5.6.2 Relevance of the learning content…………………………………... 163 5.6.3 Assessments…………………………………………………………. 168 CHAPTER 6: IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH……………………... 172 6.1 Research Implications……………………………………………………… 173 6.1.1 MAL learning materials……………………………………………... 173 6.1.2 Teaching method and teaching content……………………………... 175 6.1.3 Assessment………………………………………………………….. 178 6.1.4 Teacher training……………………………………………………... 180 6.2 Limitations of the Research………………………………………………... 181 6.3 Future Research……………………………………………………………. 183 6.4Towards a Translanguaging and Transcultural Practice…………………… 184 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………. 190 Appendix 1 Consent Form for Focus Group Conversation………………………….. 199 Appendix 2 Consent Form for Individual Interview…………………………………. 202 Appendix 3 Consent Form for Classroom Observation……………………………… 205 Appendix 4 Guided Questions for Focus Group Conversation and Individual Interview.……………………………………………………………………… 208 iv List of Tables Table 1.1 Examples of Chinese writing systems.……………………………………. 6 Table 3.1 Student participants of focus group conversations and one-on-one interviews…………………………………………………………………………….. 75 v List of Figures and Illustrations Figure 1.1 An Example of Character Recognition in Heisig & Richardson, 2009 ….. 29 Figure 5.1 Examples from Integrated Chinese Level 1 Part 1……….……………….. 137 vi INTRODUCTION The learning of Chinese as an additional language (CAL) has gained popularity worldwide in recent years due to the increasing impacts of China in international economy and politics. A recent survey conducted by the Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA) among college-level Chinese language programs in the US and Canada (Li, Wen, & Xie, 2014) shows that interest in the Chinese language is enjoying an unprecedented upsurge, as indicated by the largest enrollment ever. Data collected from 162 higher education institutions including 4-year and 2-year public and private colleges and universities in the USA and Canada shows that a total of 21,103 students enrolled in the Chinese language programs in the academic year 2011-2012. However, the survey also reveals low retention in the Chinese language programs. Li et al. reported that the decrease was found in all tracks including heritage and non-heritage combined track, heritage
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