Learning in Language School: Parents’ Expectation of Culture and Mandarin to the Second Generation Immigrants

Fang-Tzu Hsu, SSCE PHD student

About the Research… Parents’ Expectation: 1.Who chose the school? 2.Similarities? Difference? Language School: 1. What kind of role? 2.More than “language”.

Culture Issues

Research Method:Method date Participators length Media/place Special

Interview 1 1/12 201316:42-17:40

Mr. N, Mrs. N

58 min Skype Mr. N (the first half )and Mrs. N(the most)

Interview2 2/1 201321:10-21:52

Mr. N 42min Mr. N’s dining room

Mr. N mentioned culture

Interview3 2/2 201318:05-18:48

Mrs. N 43min Mr. N’s dining room

Mrs. N showed me the textbook

Observation1 2/3 20139:07-10:02

Sky school 55min Kindergarten classroom

Jessica’s class, teacher was patient

Observation2 2/3 201310:12-11:29

Sky school 77min 5-grade classroom

Erikson’s class, culture

Observation3 2/24 20138:47-10:06

Sky school 79min Kindergartenclassroom

Jessica’s class,They did the Chinese lantern

Observation4 2/24 201310:11-11:20

Sky school 69min 5-grade classroom

Erikson’s class,Teacher complained to meMrs. N did not like teacher

Research Questions: Why parents send their children

to language school? What is parents 'expectation

about cultural learning? What is the outcome of students’

cultural learning? Does what school teaches really

provide the parents 'cultural need?

Themes Emerge1.Culture-Environment Issues Interview1:Mrs. N: Yeah, just like what I said. It is environment……. It is easy for children born in this kind of environment to learn both English and Chinese!

H: I know that Erikson and Jessica speak Mandarin at home, but how about in other situation?

Mrs. N: Other situation? H: Well, like playing with other kids……. Mrs. N: Oh, if other kids’ parents are

from Taiwan, they would speak in Mandarin. Children are very smart. They can automatically “switch” the language they use.

2. Culture: learning style?Mrs. N:Sky language school is very strict to students, and that is why students can learn a lot from them……Is “strict” learning style the best way?But She also says:Jessica likes her teacher. She let students play and learn Chinese together   

3. Taiwanese Culture: Parent’s expectation:Mr. N:Taiwanese parents here hope their children can “touch” the culture as more as possible. So they let children learn Chinese language and Chinese martial arts.Mrs. N:I think Sky is a good school. Teachers are very concentrated on their teaching, and teach children very important values, like “respect” and “Chinese culture.”

What really happened: (1)Using Chinese phrase: Teacher: (pointed to PPT) The word

“ 棒” is from French word “Bon Voyage”. See, it is important to link these ideas when you learn language . “ 舉一反三” (extend and imply the experience to other situations) is important. Even Confucius says he would not teach students who cannot “ 舉一反三 ” (5th grade)

(2)Learning Taiwanese phonetic symbols At 10:06, She  wrote down examples

as word-filling game in traditional Chinese : “ 上” and “ 八” . “Be careful. You have to distinguish what are phonetic symbols, and what is traditional Chinese.”  The break time started at 10:00. (in the kindergarten)

(3)Learning cultural event and custom: When Jessica came out from the

classroom, she got a Chinese paper- made lantern on her hand. She said the teacher lead them to make this in the second half of class. (kindergarten, on “Lantern Festival”)

Something should be noticed…1.Social-economic issues:In the 5th grade: -student played professional digital camera during the break-parents talked about math cram school2.Density of Taiwanese community:-most of parents’ friends are Taiwanese-High-density Taiwanese community (community center= Ling Liang Church)

Further analysis is under progressing…