The formation of parental language ideology in a multilingual context : a case study in Taiwan
In the past ten years, the number of English cram schools has tripled in Taiwan and more than 70% of fifth and sixth graders claim they attended cram schools before receiving formal English education in primary schools. In response to pressures of both globalisation and localisation, the government introduced a school policy of learning a Taiwanese minority language, in addition to Mandarin, in 2005. The majority of parents, however, are not keen to encourage their children to learn a Taiwanese second language compared to the âtrendâ of learning English (as a foreign language). This study explores family language policies using a multiple-case-study strategy with twelve families whose children attend a language school in Taichung, Taiwan, with two additional cases from different geolinguistic areas. The main focus is on how parents form their ideologies about language and language learning. The data were gathered using semi-structured interviews. The macro- and micro-factors which underpin the parentsâ language ideologies are the central focus of analysis. Amongst these families the process of ideology formation involves more than three languages, English, Mandarin, Minnan and Hakfa (which, in this study,
Chen, Yi Ling
multilingual ; parental language ideology
The formation of parental language ideology in a multilingual context : a case study in Taiwan. In the past ten years, the number of English cram schools has tripled in Taiwan and more than 70% of fifth and sixth graders claim they attended cram schools before receiving formal English education in primary schools. In response to pressures of both globalisation and localisation, the government introduced a school policy of learning a Taiwanese minority language, in addition to Mandarin, in 2005. The majority of parents, however, are not keen to encourage their children to learn a Taiwanese second language compared to the âtrendâ of learning English (as a foreign language). This study explores family language policies using a multiple-case-study strategy with twelve families whose children attend a language school in Taichung, Taiwan, with two additional cases from different geolinguistic areas. The main focus is on how parents form their ideologies about language and language learning. The data were gathered using semi-structured interviews. The macro- and micro-factors which underpin the parentsâ language ideologies are the central focus of analysis. Amongst these families the process of ideology formation involves more than three languages, English, Mandarin, Minnan and Hakfa (which, in this study,
formation parental language_ideology multilingual context case_study taiwan number english school triple taiwan fifth sixth claim attend school receive formal english_education primary_school response pressure globalisation localisation government introduce school policy learn taiwanese minority_language addition mandarin majority parent however keen encourage child_learn taiwanese second_language compare trend learn_english foreign_language study_explores family language_policy use multiple_case study strategy twelve family whose child attend language school taiwan additional case different area main_focus parent form ideology language language_learning data_gather use semi_structured_interview macro micro factors underpin parent language central_focus analysis amongst family process ideology formation involve language english_mandarin study