Flourishing in Chinese Heritage Language Learning: Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Language Learner Wellbeing

This study aims to break new ground by placing the concept of wellbeing at the heart of its investigation and delving into a domain-specific understanding of language learner wellbeing. Specifically, it focuses on the wellbeing experiences of a particular learner group – young Chinese heritage language (CHL) learners in the UK – with the ultimate goal of fostering positive and flourishing HL learning experiences for them. Since research into language learner wellbeing is still in its early stages and no study to date has explored HL learner wellbeing, this study aims to contribute to this body of research by filling the gaps in its conceptualisation, measurement, and support system. It seeks to establish an empirically validated model and a psychometrically sound measure of language learner wellbeing, while also identifying ways to support it in language learning. To achieve these goals, the study employed a multi-phase, mixed-method research design. In the first phase, a qualitative inquiry was conducted, placing young learners at the core of the investigation to explore their perspectives on the components of wellbeing (n = 40). Building on the insights gained from the children’s conceptualisation, a questionnaire was developed and administered to a wider population of learners in the second phase (n =545). This phase aimed to validate the model and measure of language learner wellbeing, as well as obtaining a broader understanding of wellbeing among young CHL learners, including its levels, patterns, and relationship with HL proficiency. In the third phase of the study, in-depth narrative studies were conducted with four individual learners, two flourishing and two languishing, to explore ways to support children’s wellbeing in their language learning journey from an ecological perspective. The findings of the study have contributed to a new model of language learner wellbeing, informed by children’s insights, validated with a larger sample, and refined through individual case analysis. This model encompasses four core elements of HL learners’ flourishing: enjoyment, connectedness, meaning, and competence, illustrating the multidimensional, interconnected, dynamic, and contextually situated nature of language learner wellbeing. The quantitative analysis confirmed the sound psychometric properties of the domain-specific questionnaire, revealing that young CHL learners generally perceive a satisfactory level of wellbeing. Learner variables such as gender, generation, age, and language use were found to shape their wellbeing experiences. Additionally, the results demonstrated that participants’ language learner wellbeing positively contributed to self- reported language proficiency, highlighting the importance of promoting wellbeing for enhanced language learning outcomes. Furthermore, through analysis of individual wellbeing cases, the study shed light on factors influencing wellbeing across different ecologies, emphasising the need for comprehensive support systems in personal, home, institutional, and digital contexts. By focusing on the wellbeing experiences of CHL learners, this study aims to inspire a paradigm shift in HL education, moving beyond linguistic outcomes and towards a deeper understanding of the socio-emotional wellness of HL learners. Ultimately, this approach aims to enhance the prospects of bilingual children both within and outside the HL classroom, providing them with the most positive and flourishing learning experience possible. The model and measure of language learner wellbeing developed in this study also show great potential for application in other second language (L2) learning contexts, serving as effective tools for assessing and monitoring language learner wellbeing in future research. By exploring what brings happiness and wellbeing at the language-domain-specific level, this study provides a starting point for potential interventions that can lead to individuals’ flourishing in their language learning journey.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Zhou, Yue

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Liu, Yongcan

• Chinese
• Heritage language learners
• Language learner wellbeing
• Mixed-methods study
• Questionnaire
• Wellbeing

Licence

• https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/c91e29ef-14e3-4460-a487-fd3b776acdcf/download
• https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/

Language dc:language

eng

Author Identifier

0000-0003-0635-6211

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/362625