Identity and second language learning

: an investigation into mainland Chinese students' Cantonese learning in Hong Kong

Abstract

The increasing research interest in the interaction between identity and second language learning began in the 1970s and much progress was made in this area in the 1990s when Norton's widely-cited work on social identity, investment and second language learning signified a major breakthrough and the initiation of the sociocultural approach to research on identity and second language learning. Although the research scope of identity and second language learning has expanded, particularly in the 2000s, English has remained dominant in the realm of focal languages. The qualitative research methods have been dominating in terms of research methodology. This study investigated the issues relating to sociocultural identity and the learning of Cantonese as a second language in Hong Kong, focusing on mainland Chinese students. The impact of demographic factors is examined alongside. A quantitative and qualitative research methodology was adopted. A questionnaire on mainland Chinese students' sociocultural identity and Cantonese learning was designed based on interview data analysis and tested for revision through a pilot study. The revised version of the questionnaire was adopted for the formal study. Two hundred and thirteen mainland Chinese students studying in a university of Hong Kong participated in the survey. Preliminary data screening identified 184 completed copies as valid to be accepted into the dataset. IBM SPSS20.0 was used for the data analysis. Statistical analysis findings in this study indicated that there was a relationship between mainland Chinese students' sociocultural identity in Hong Kong and Cantonese learning: mainland Chinese students' Cantonese ability was associated with their sociocultural identity construction; their investment in learning Cantonese was an important bridging factor between the sociocultural identity construction and Cantonese ability. It was also shown in this study that some demographic factors (e.g. the length of residence in Hong Kong, gender, the degree level) had impact on mainland Chinese students' sociocultural identity and Cantonese learning. This study has confirmed the relationship between social identity and second language learning, which was discussed in previous studies carried out with qualitative methods, with quantitative research methods and further clarified the role of ‘investment' in second language learning in the relationship. Pedagogical suggestions were made for language learning and teaching in relation to second language learners' social identity.

Date of Award	14 Feb 2014
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Xiu YAN (Supervisor)