Decision Making of Chinese Immigrant Parents on Young Children's English-Mandarin Dual-Language Program Enrollment

• In Event: Understanding and Valuing Immigrant Parents' Experiences, Knowledge, and Perspectives in Language Education

Abstract

Given the growing presence of Chinese immigrants in the U.S. specifically and the increase in immigrant population more generally, some U.S. school districts are now offering dual-language programs in Chinese and English. Yet little is known about immigrant parents’ beliefs about the importance of heritage language, their perceptions of dual-language programs, language use in the home and community, and immigrant family life in relation to heritage language in the period of early childhood. This longitudinal study investigated parents’ ambivalence about dual-language programs, decision-makings regarding school choice between Mandarin/English Dual language program and traditional English program, and changes overtime in two Chinese immigrant families, in which the home languages involve varying levels of proficiency in Mandarin and English and Chinese dialects.

Authors

• Hao Wu, Nanjing Normal University

• Rebecca S. New, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill