Dual-Language Program Parents' Perspectives on Bilingualism: A Convergent Parallel Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Cross-Cultural Explorations in Language and Literacies

Abstract

This paper presents Chinese immigrant parents’ perspectives on bilingualism, especially the varying views on the benefits of heritage language (HL) learning between parents whose children attend the Mandarin dual language (DL) program and those whose children do not. The findings reveal that DL parents have stronger beliefs in the importance of bilingualism. They are more likely to agree on the economic advantages of HL learning, but feel more strongly about the cost of HL learning on English learning and a sense of belonging in school. Using convergent parallel mixed methods, this paper provides a fuller understanding of the coexistence of DL parents’ language-as-resource and language-as-problem ideologies, which is inconsistent with the DL program’s stated goals.

Authors

• Wenyang Sun, University of Utah

• Na Liu, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Xue Lan Rong, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill