7/17/2019 Ethnography and bilingualism http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ethnography-and-bilingualism 1/7 DOCUMENT RESUME ED 383 200 FL 022 999 AUTHOR Hsu, Yuehkuei TITLE Ethnography and Bilingualism. PUB DATE 12 May 95 NOTE 7p. PUB TYPE Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.) (120) EL RICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESLRIPTORS Bilingual Education; *Bilingualism; Cross Cultural Studies; Cultural Context; *English (Second Language); *Ethnography; Foreign Countries; *Literature Reviews; Second Language Learning IDENTIFIERS Australia; California; Quebec; Taiwan ABSTRACT This paper summarizes studies conducted on ethnography and bilingualism that illustrate the occurrence of events in context, conducted using ethnographic methods, thereby permitting a fuller, more in-depth understanding of language acquisition and development. Studies reviewed include examples of English language acquisition by a 5-year-old Taiwanese male, an Australian family raising their children in a bilingual household, bilingual education in a Chinese community, a Mexican-American community in California, and four families in arctic Quebec. Ethnographic studies offer the various forms, functions, and literacy values within the cultural framework. Findings from such studies evidence why ethnographic case study designs have been strongly supported in recent applied bilingual education. (Contains 18 references.) (NAV) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************
E t h n o g r a p h y a n d B i l i n g u a l i s m
T o g a t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n , i n t h e f i e l d o f l a n g u a g e a n d l i t e r a c y d e v e l o p m e n t ,
r e s e a r c h e r s h a v e e m p l o y e d a v a r i e t y o f t e c h n i q u e s , i n c l u d i n g e t h n o g r a p h y , c a s e s t u d i e s ,
a n d s t r u c t u r e d i n t e r v i e w s ( C r a g o , 1 9 9 2 ; M o o r e , 1 9 9 0 ; T e a l e & S u l z b y , 1 9 8 6 ) . T o s t u d y
i n - d e p t h h o w c h i l d r e n b e c o m e l i t e r a t e i n a s e c o n d l a n g u a g e , T r u e b a , J a c o b s , & K i r t o n
( 1 9 9 0 ) p o i n t o u t t h a t s o c i o h i s t o r i c a l a n d a n t h r o p o l o g i c a l a p p r o a c h e s a r e p o w e r f u l t o o l s .
T h e y a s s e r t t h a t t h r o u g h e t h n o g r a p h i c m e t h o d s , r e s e a r c h e r s c a n d i s c o v e r l i n k s b e t w e e n t h e
s p e c i f i c i n d i v i d u a l s t u d i e d a n d t h e s o c i a l a n d c u l t u r a l m a c r o s t r u c t u r e s ( K n u p f e r , 1 9 9 2 ) .
W o l c o t t ( 1 9 8 7 ) r e m i n d s u s t h a t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y e t h n o g r a p h y d i s c e r n s c u l t u r a l
p a t t e r n i n g i n t h e b e h a v i o r o b s e r v e d ; e t h n o g r a p h y i s m u c h m o r e t h a n s i m p l e d e s c r i p t i o n .
Y i n ( 1 9 8 9 ) f u r t h e r s t r e s s e s t h a t e t h n o g r a p h y a l l o w s a n i n v e s t i g a t i o n t o h a v e t h e h o l i s t i c
a n d m e a n i n g f u l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f r e a l - l i f e e v e n t s - - s u c h a s i n d i v i d u a l l i f e c y c l e s ( p . 1 4 ) .
F o l l o w i n g V y g o t s k y ' s v i e w o f l e a r n i n g a s a s o c i a l a c t i v i t y , e t h n o g r a p h e r s c a n c l o s e l y
o b s e r v e h o w a n i n d i v i d u a l i n t e r a c t s w i t h p e o p l e a n d e n v i r o n m e n t i n a l i t e r a c y a c t i v i t y
w i t h i n c e r t a i n d o m a i n s .
C l o s e o b s e r v a t i o n , a c c o r d i n g t o K a u r a n d M i l l s ( 1 9 9 3 ) , i s
p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p o r t a n t w h e n s t u d y i n g l a n g u a g e l e a r n i n g . A d d i t i o n a l l y , V y g o t s k y ( 1 9 7 8 )
m a i n t a i n s t h a t d e v e l o p m e n t p r o c e e d s i n a s p i r a l , p a s s i n g t h r o u g h t h e s a m e p o i n t a t e a c h
n e w r e v o l u t i o n w h i l e m o v i n g o n t o a h i g h e r l e v e l . R e s e a r c h i n b i l i n g u a l i s m d u r i n g t h e l a s t
d e c a d e h a s a l s o s h o w n t h a t d e v e l o p m e n t i n a s e c o n d l a n g u a g e p r o c e e d s i n s u c h a s p i r a l ,
s i m i l a r t o f i r s t l a n g u a g e d e v e l o p m e n t ( K n u p f e r , 1 9 9 2 ) .
H u a n g a n d H a t c h ( 1 9 7 8 ) s t u d i e d t h e E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e a c q u i s i t i o n o f a 5 - y e a r o l d
T a i w a n e s e b o y . T h e y f o u n d t h a t t h e c h i l d o m i t t e d t h e E n g l i s h v e r b s a n d a r t i c l e s i n
s e n t e n c e s w h e r e t h e y a r e o p t i o n a l a n d g e n e r a l l y o m i t t e d i n C h i n e s e . H u a n g a n d H a t c h
c o n j e c t u r e d t h a t t h i s t e n d e n c y m a y b e p a r t i a l l y a t t r i b u t e d t o h i s l a n g u a g e b a c k g r o u n d .
S i m i l a r l y , H a k u t a ( 1 9 8 7 ) i n d i c a t e d t h a t c h i l d r e n l e a r n i n g E n g l i s h w i t h J a p a n e s e o r K o r e a n
a s t h e i r f i r s t l a n g u a g e t e n d t o h a v e d i f f i c u l t y w i t h E n g l i s h a r t i c l e s w h i c h d o n o t e x i s t i n t h e i r
f i r s t l a n g u a g e s y s t e m .
U s i n g a n e t h n o g r a p h i c c a s e s t u d y o f a n A u s t r a l i a n f a m i l y t r y i n g t o r a i s e t h e i r
c h i l d r e n b i l i n g u a l l y , S a u n d e r s ( 1 9 8 2 ) e x a m i n e d m o t i v e s f o r c r e a t i n g b i l i n g u a l i s m , i n f a n t
b i l i n g u a l i s m , c h i l d r e n ' s c o m m u n i c a t i o n s s t r a t e g i e s , r o l e - p l a y i n g , s t o r y - t e l l i n g , c o d e
s w i t c h i n g , l i t e r a c y a c t i v i t y i n d i f f e r e n t c o n t e x t s , b i l i t e r a c y , a n d r e s o u r c e s i n d e v e l o p i n g
b i l i n g u a l i s m . A f t e r s t u d y i n g t h e f a m i l y f o r a n e i g h t - y e a r p e r i o d , S a u n d e r s ( 1 9 8 2 ) i n d i c a t e d
t h a t c h i l d r e n ' s a c q u i s i t i o n o f b i l i n g u a l i s m i s m u c h m o r e l i k e l y t o b e n o r m a l , p o s i t i v e ,
r e w a r d i n g , a n d e n r i c h i n g f o r b o t h c h i l d r e n a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s .
I n h i s s t u d y o f a H i s p a n i c c o m m u n i t y , A n d e r s o n ( 1 9 8 2 ) e x a m i n e d t h e k i n d s a n d
f r e q u e n c y o f l i t e r a c y e v e n t s , a n d t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s i n v o l v e d i n t h e e v e n t s . P a r t i c u l a r l y , h e
e m p h a s i z e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f i d e n t i f y i n g t h e t y p e s o f l i t e r a c y e v e n t s t o w h i c h c h i l d r e n a r e
e x p o s e d i n p r i n t a n d i n a d u l t - c h i l d i n t e r a c t i o n . H e s u g g e s t e d t h a t l i t e r a c y e v e n t s i n t h i s
c o m m u n i t y w e r e u s e d i n f u n c t i o n a l w a y s b y f a m i l i e s w h i c h l i n k e d t h e m t o t h e l a r g e r
s o c i e t y .
G u t h r i e ' s s t u d y ( 1 9 8 5 ) o f b i l i n g u a l e d u c a t i o n i n a C h i n e s e c o m m u n i t y i n C a l i f o r n i a
c o n s i d e r e d t h e c l a s s r o o m , t h e s c h o o l , a n d t h e b r o a d e r c o m m u n i t y a s a w h o l e . U s i n g a
m u l t i l e v e l e t h n o g r a p h i c a p p r o a c h , t h i s s t u d y d o c u m e n t e d t h e w a y s t h a t a b i l i n g u a l
e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m w a s i n i t i a t e d , i m p l e m e n t e d , a n d p e r c e i v e d i n a C h i n e s e c o m m u n i t y .
T h e r e s e a r c h f i n d i n g s i n d i c a t e d t h e n e e d f o r l o n g - t e r m p a r t i c i p a n t o b s e r v a t i o n a n d
e t h n o g r a p h i c i n t e r v i e w i n g i n t h e t a r g e t s c h o o l a n d c o m m u n i t y , t h e e d u c a t i o n a l p e r s p e c t i v e s
o f t h e c o m m u n i t y r e s i d e n t s a n d t h e i r i n t e r a c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e s c h o o l a n d t h e c o m m u n i t y .
S i m i l a r l y , D e l g a d o - G a i t a n ' s ( 1 9 9 0 ) s t u d y o f a M e x i c a n - A m e r i c a n c o m m u n i t y i n
P o r t i l l o , C a l i f o r n i a y i e l d e d f o u r m a j o r f i n d i n g s . F i r s t , l i t e r a c y a c t i v i t i e s o b s e r v e d t h r o u g h
i n t e r a c t i o n p r o v i d e a v i e w o f s o c i o c u l t u r a l c o h e r e n c e , w h i c h a f f i r m s f a m i l i e s ' r o l e s a s
m o t i v a t o r s i n t h e i r c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n . S e c o n d , a l t h o u g h M e x i c a n p a r e n t s c a r e a b o u t t h e i r
c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n , t h e y o f t e n d o n o t h a v e t h e n e c e s s a r y s k i l l s r e q u i r e d b y s c h o o l s .
T h i r d , t h e p a r e n t s ' i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e c o m m u n i t y m a k e s t h e i r p a r t i c i p a t i o n m o r e
m e a n i n g f u l . F i n a l l y , t h e l a c k o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n p a r e n t s a n d t h e s c h o o l m a y
e x p l a i n w h y s o m e p a r e n t s a l s o e x p e r i e n c e i s o l a t i o n a n d f r u s t r a t i o n i n d e a l i n g w i t h s c h o o l s .
C r a g o ( 1 9 9 2 ) , i n a l o n g i t u d i n a l e t h n o g r a p h i c s t u d y o f f o u r c h i l d r e n a n d t h e i r
f a m i l i e s i n a r c t i c Q u e b e c , i n v e s t i g a t e d t h e r o l e o f c u l t u r a l c o n t e x t i n t h e c o m m u n i c a t i v e
i n t e r a c t i o n s o f y o u n g E s k i m o c h i l d r e n a n d t h e i r c a r e g i v e r s . T h e f i n d i n g s e m p h a s i z e d t h e
s o c i o c u l t u r a l a s p e c t s o f c o m m u n i c a t i v e i n t e r a c t i o n i n s e c o n d l a n g u a g e a c q u i s i t i o n .
U t i l i z i n g e t h n o g r a p h i c m e t h o d s , t h e a b o v e s t u d i e s i l l u s t r a t e t h e o c c u r r e n c e o f e v e n t s
i n c o n t e x t s , h e l p i n g u s t o h a v e a f u l l e r a n d m o r e i n - d e p t h u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f l a n g u a g e
a c q u i s i t i o n a n d d e v e l o p m e n t .
R e s e a r c h e r s a n d e d u c a t o r s p o i n t o u t t h a t i n f o r m a l ,
n a t u r a l i s t i c o b s e r v a t i o n , o n e o f t h e e t h n o g r a p h i c m e t h o d s , i s t h e m o s t e f f e c t i v e a n d p o s i t i v e
w a y t o l e a r n a b o u t c h i l d r e n ' s l a n g u a g e a n d t h e i r w a y o f l e a r n i n g ( G o o d m a n , Y , 1 9 8 5 ;
W a t s o n , 1 9 8 5 ) . H a u s s i e r ( 1 9 8 5 ) a g r e e s , m a i n t a i n i n g t h a t a n e t h n o g r a p h i c c a s e s t u d y i s a n
i n - d e p t h a n a l y s i s o f o n e c h i l d ' s d e v e l o p m e n t ( p . 7 4 ) .
C h i l d r e n ' s l e a r n i n g p a t t e r n s
e m e r g e a f t e r b e i n g r e p e a t e d l y o b s e r v e d a n d q u e s t i o n e d . A s W a l l a t a n d G r e e n ( 1 9 8 4 ) p o i n t
o u t , a n e t h n o g r a p h i c p e r s p e c t i v e f o r l o o k i n g a t l a n g u a g e a c q u i s i t i o n a l l o w s u s t o v i e w b o t h
c h i l d r e n a n d a d u l t s a s a c t i v e s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t i c i p a n t s i n t h e m a k i n g o f l i t e r a t e l e a r n e r s . W h a t
e t h n o g r a p h i c s t u d i e s h a v e p o r t r a y e d a r e t h e v a r i o u s f o r m s , f u n c t i o n s , a n d l i t e r a c y v a l u e s
w i t h i n a c u l t u r a l f r a m e w o r k . T h e p r e v i o u s s t u d i e s i n d i c a t e w h y e t h n o g r a p h i c c a s e s t u d y
d e s i g n s h a v e b e e n s t r o n g l y s u p p o r t e d r e c e n t l y i n a p p l i e d b i l i n g u a l e d u c a t i o n .
A n d e r s o n , A . B . ( 1 9 8 2 ) . L i t e r a c y r e s o u r c e s : H o w p r e s c h o o l e r s i n t e r a c t w i t h w r i t t e n
c o m m u n i c a t i o n . F i n a l R e p o r t . S a n D i e g o , C A : C a l i f o r n i a U n i v e r s i t y , L a b o r a t o r y
o f C o m p a r a t i v e H u m a n C o g n i t i o n . ( E R I C D o c u m e n t R e p r o d u c t i o n S e r v i c e N o .
E D 2 3 7 2 2 7 )
C r a g o , M . B . ( 1 9 9 2 ) . C o m m u n i c a t i v e i n t e r a c t i o n a n d s e c o n d l a n g u a g e a c q u i s i t i o n : A n
I n u i t e x a m p l e . T E S O L Q u a r t e r l y , 2 1 ( 3 ) , 4 8 7 - 5 0 5 .
D e l g a d o - G a i t a n , C . ( 1 9 9 0 ) . L i t e r a c y f o r e m p o w e r m e n t : T h e r o l e o f p a r e n t s i n c h i l d r e n ' s
e d u c a t i o n . N e w Y o r k : T h e F a l m e r P r e s s .
G o o d m a n , Y . ( 1 9 8 5 ) . K i d w a t c h i n g : O b s e r v i n g c h i l d r e n i n t h e c l a s s r o o m . I n A . J a g g a r
& M . T . S m i t h - B u r k e ( E d s . ) , O b s e r v i n g t h e l a n g u a g e l e a r n e r ( p p . 9 - 1 8 ) . N e w a r k ,
D E : I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e a d i n g A s s o c i a t i o n .
G u t h r i e , G . P . ( 1 9 8 5 ) . A s c h o o l d i v i d e d . A n e t h n o g r a p h y o f b i l i n g u a l e d u c a t i o n i n a
C h i n e s e c o m m u n i t y . H i l l s d a l e , N J : E r l b a u m A s s o c i a t e s P u b l i s h e r s .
H a k u t a , K . ( 1 9 8 7 ) . T h e s e c o n d l a n g u a g e l e a r n e r i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e s t u d y o f l a n g u a g e
a c q u i s i t i o n .
I n P . H o m e l , M . P a l i j . , & D . A a r o n s o n ( E d s . ) , C h i l d h o o d
b i l i n g u a l i s m ; A s p e c t s o f l i n g u i s t i c , c o g n i t i v e , a n s o c i a l d e v e l o p m e n t ( p p . 3 1 - 5 5 ) .
H i l l s d a l e , N J : L a w r e n c e E r l b a u m .
H a u s s l e r , M . M . ( 1 9 8 5 ) . A y o u n g c h i l d ' s d e v e l o p i n g c o n c e p t s o f p r i n t . I n A . J a g g a r &
M . T . S m i t h - B u r k e ( E d s . ) , O b s e r v i n g _ t h e l a n g u a g e l e a r n e r ( p p . 7 3 - 8 1 ) . N e w a r k ,
D E : I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e a d i n g A s s o c i a t i o n .
H u a n g . J . , & H a t c h , E .
( 1 9 7 8 ) . A C h i n e s e c h i l d ' s a c q u i s i t i o n o f E n g l i s h .
I n E . M .
H a t c h ( E d . ) , S e c o n d l a n g u a g e a c q u i s i t i o n ( p p . 1 1 8 - 1 3 1 ) . R o w l e y , M A : N e w b u r y
H o u s e P u b l i s h e r s .
K a u r , S . , & M i l l s , R . ( 1 9 9 3 ) . A y o u n g c h i l d l e a r n s E n g l i s h . I n R . W . M i l l s & J . M i l l s
( E d s . ) , B i l i n g u a l i s m i n t h e p r i m a r y s c h o o l ( p p . 3 8 - 5 6 ) . L o n d o n : R o u t l e d g e .
K n u p f e r , A .
( 1 9 9 2 ) . C r o s s i n g t h e w a t e r s : C h i n e s e c h i l d r e n ' s a c q u i s i t i o n o f E n g l i s h .
U n i v e r s i t y o f I o w a : U n p u b l i s h e d d o c t o r a l d i s s e r t a t i o n .
M o o r e , A . ( 1 9 9 0 ) . A w h o l e l a n g u a g e a p p r o a c h t o t h e t e a c h i n g o f b i l i n g u a l l e a r n e r s .
O c c a s i o n a l p a p e r # 1 5 ( E R I C D o c u m e n t R e p r o d u c t i o n S e r v i c e N o . E D 3 3 2 5 0 0 )
S a u n d e r s , G . ( 1 9 8 2 ) . B i l i n g u a l c h i l d r e n : G u i d a n c e f o r t h e f a m i l y . M u l t i l i n g u a l M a t t e r s 3
( E R I C D o c u m e n t R e p r o d u c t i o n S e r v i c e N o . E D 2 2 4 3 3 0 )
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