Identity Perception of Chinese Immigrant Youth at a Mandarin Bilingual School

This study explored identity perception of youth from Chinese backgrounds in the context of a Mandarin/English bilingual education program in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The study was based on the theory proposed by Grosjean (2015) on bilingualism and biculturalism, together with bilingual identity negotiation framework by Fielding (2015). Six students from Grades 7 to 9 were individually interviewed about how they used languages and how they perceived their identities as a person from Chinese backgrounds in the Mandarin/English bilingual program. Results indicated that bilingualism is a dynamic process. Some participants in this study started with one language as the dominant language, but after a transition period, the first language became the weaker language and the second language the stronger language. Meanwhile, results revealed their creative uses of languages. Most participants engaged in code-switching in their language use both in the interviews and in their home usage of languages. Through this program, they learned how to value their own languages and cultures as well as feeling proud of being Chinese. Implications of the study suggested the need to emphasize the importance of affirming identities in language learning for immigrant students. In order for students’ bilingual competence to develop, the immigrant students’ heritage background should be seen as a valuable resource and be fully respected.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Research

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Lai, Xingru

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Roy, Sylvie

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Chapman, Olive
• Dressler, Roswita

• Chinese immigrant
• Identity

Statement dc:rights

• 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.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/32654

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/107472