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1 Second Language Acquisition: Case Studies of Ethnic Minority Students SAIF Project Report Yuanyuan Hu February 8, 2016 Introduction Second language acquisition, traced back to the late 1960s, is an interdisciplinary field drawing upon multiple disciplines such as linguistics, education, child language acquisition, psychology, anthropology, and sociology (Lightbown & Spada, 2013). As a relatively young but intriguing field, second language acquisition has been explored from cognitive, linguistic, psychological, and sociocultural perspectives and remains wide open for further exploration (Saville-Troike, 2012). Conducting case studies of second language learners has been a common practice in the field. Second language acquisition research can answer real-world questions, for example, the starting age for learning a second language and linguistic support for children of immigrant families (Lightbown & Spada, 2013; Ortega, 2009; Saville-Troike, 2012). Factors that have been identified as influencing second language acquisition include age, first languages, the linguistic environment (i.e., instructional settings vs. naturalistic settings), cognition, second language aptitude, motivation, individual differences, and social dimensions (Ortega, 2009). Exceptionally successful second language learners are particularly interesting to the field in that their experiences are likely to shed new light on the previously mentioned factors as well as provide empirical evidence on the factors (Ortega, 2009). This study aims to to find out the similarities and differences among four exceptionally successful second language learners, who are from different linguistic and ethnic backgrounds, in terms of their second language acquisition experiences and second language proficiencies and factors that may account for the similarities and differences.

2 Methodology Participants The four participants, who were the researcher s former students, are all females in their 20s. Table 1 provides a basic overview of the participants. Table 1 An Overview of the Participants Participant First Second Ethnic Nationality Current Status Name Language Language Background Aurora Spanish English Hispanic U.S. College Student Brittany Hmong English Hmong U.S. College Student Chunhua Korean Chinese Chaoxian China Employee Dawayuzhen Tibetan Chinese Tibetan China Employee Note. Pseudonyms are used. Data Collection The researcher collected data following the procedure as follows: 1) having each participant write an essay in her second language (see Appendix A for the essay prompt), 2) interviewing each participant in her second language (see Appendix B for interview protocols), and 3) reviewing a participant s former assignments or social media posts. Each interview was audiotaped. Table 2 presents an overview of data collection. Table 2 An Overview of Data Collection Participant Essay Interview Interview Other Name Language Mode Language Aurora English Face-to-face English Former Assignments Brittany English Face-to-face English Former Assignments Chunhua Chinese Online Video Mandarin Chinese Social Media Posts Dawayuzhen Chinese Online Video Mandarin Chinese Social Media Posts

3 Data Analysis The researcher compiled a second language acquisition profile for each participant on the basis of the participant s essay and interview responses and contacted a participant for follow-up questions and/or clarifications if necessary. The researcher then examined the similarities and differences among the profiles and identified factors that may account for the similarities and differences. Results and Discussion The four participants are all exceptionally successful second language learners. They are all bilinguals, but they differ from each other in terms of their first language literacy skills and second language proficiencies (see Table 3). Table 3 An Overview of the Participants Language Proficiencies Participant First First Language Second Name Language Literacy Skills Language Aurora Spanish Yes English (Native fluency with slight first (home education) language influences) Brittany Hmong Limited English (Native fluency with slight first (self education) language influences) Chunhua Korean Yes Chinese (Native fluency with little first (school education) language influence) Dawayuzhen Tibetan Yes Chinese (Native fluency with little first (home education) language influence) Table 4 presents an overview of the participants pre-college education, which to a certain extent can account for the differences in their language proficiencies shown in Table 3.

4 Table 4 An Overview of the Participants Pre-college Education Participant Home Second Schools Attended Before College Name Language Language Aurora Spanish English K-3 rd grade in a Texas school; 4 th -12 th grade in rural Wisconsin schools Brittany Hmong English Schools in Madison area, Wisconsin Chunhua Korean Chinese Korean and Chinese Bilingual Schools in Fushun area, China Dawayuzhen Tibetan Chinese Schools for Han Chinese in Tongren area, China Additional results and discussion will be shared on UW-Platteville Faculty and Staff Research Day in fall 2016.

5 References Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ortega, L. (2009). Understanding second language acquisition. London: Hodder Education. Saville-Troike, M. (2012). Introducing second language acquisition (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

6 Appendix A: Essay Prompt In 30 minutes, please write an essay in your second language describing your experience of learning your second language. 请在 30 分钟内用你的第二语言写一篇文章, 描述一下你学习第二语言的经历

7 Appendix B: Interview Protocols Interview Protocol #1 (for participants whose second language is English) Note: The researcher will use English in interviews with participants whose second language is English. Background What is your current status? Are you a student or a full-time employee? If you are a student, when will you graduate? What is your dream job? If you are a full-time employee, what is your job? First Language What is your first language? Do you use your first language on a daily basis? When do you usually speak your first language? On what occasions do you usually speak your first language? Do you feel proficient speaking your first language on those occasions? Are you able to read in your first language? How did you learn to read in your first language? What do you usually read in your first language? Are you able to write in your first language? How did you learn to write in your first language? What do you usually write in your first language? How has your use of your first language changed over the years? Was there a point in your life when you were particularly concerned about your first language proficiency? When and what happened? Was there a point in your life when you were particularly proud of your first language proficiency? When and what happened? What role does your first language play in your life? Second Language As far as you could remember, when were you first exposed to English? As far as you could remember, when did you begin to learn English? Do you use English on a daily basis? When do you usually speak English? On what occasions do you usually speak English? Do you feel proficient speaking English on those occasions? What do you usually read in English? Do you feel proficient reading in English? What do you usually write in English? Do you feel proficient writing in English?

8 Please describe your experience of learning English in grade school. Please describe one experience that positively affected your English language proficiency. Please describe one experience that negatively affected your English language proficiency. Was there a point in your life when you were particularly concerned about your English language proficiency? When and what happened? Was there a point in your life when you were particularly proud of your English language proficiency? When and what happened? What factors do you think have influenced your English language proficiency? What factors are more important to you? What role does English, your second language, play in your life? Have you ever felt disadvantaged by English being your second language? When and what happened? Is your experience of learning English common among people of the same ethnic background as you? First Language and Second Language Other Please describe your use of your first language and second language on a typical weekday of you. Which language do you use more? What language do you identify yourself with? Why? In which language do you think? Is there anything you wish were different about your first language proficiency? What is it? Is there anything else you would like to share about your first language? Is there anything you wish were different about your English language proficiency? What is it? Is there anything else you would like to share about English, your second language? What suggestions would you give to K-12 students of the same ethnic background as you in terms of language learning? What suggestions would you give to college students of the same ethnic background as you in terms of language learning? What suggestions would you give to instructors and staff working with ethnic minority students? Do you have any questions?

9 Interview Protocol #2 (for participants whose second language is Chinese) Note: The researcher will use Mandarin Chinese in interviews with participants whose second language is Chinese. Background 你目前什么状态? 学生还是全职雇员? What is your current status? Are you a student or a full-time employee? 如果你是学生, 什么时候毕业? 你梦想的工作是什么? If you are a student, when will you graduate? What is your dream job? 如果是全职雇员, 你做什么工作? If you are a full-time employee, what is your job? First Language 你的第一语言是什么? What is your first language? 你每天使用你的第一语言吗? Do you use your first language on a daily basis? 你什么时候说你的第一语言? When do you usually speak your first language? 你什么场合说你的第一语言? 在这些场合说你的第一语言, 你感觉得得心应手吗? On what occasions do you usually speak your first language? Do you feel proficient speaking your first language on those occasions? 你能用你的第一语言阅读吗? 你怎么学会用你的第一语言阅读的? 你通常用你的第一语言阅读些什么? Are you able to read in your first language? How did you learn to read in your first language? What do you usually read in your first language? 你会用你的第一语言写吗? 你怎么学会用你的第一语言写的? 你通常用你的第一语言写些什么? Are you able to write in your first language? How did you learn to write in your first language? What do you usually write in your first language? 多年来你的第一语言的使用有些什么变化? How has your use of your first language changed over the years? 你是否曾经有一刻尤其担忧你的第一语言水平? 什么时候, 发生了什么? Was there a point in your life when you were particularly concerned about your first language proficiency? When and what happened? 你是否曾经有一刻因你的第一语言水平而尤其自豪? 什么时候, 发生了什么?

10 Was there a point in your life when you were particularly proud of your first language proficiency? When and what happened? 你的第一语言在你生活中扮演什么角色? What role does your first language play in your life? Second Language 就你记忆所及, 你什么时候开始接触汉语? As far as you could remember, when were you first exposed to Chinese? 就你记忆所及, 你什么时候开始学习汉语? As far as you could remember, when did you begin to learn Chinese? 你每天使用汉语吗? Do you use Chinese on a daily basis? 你什么时候说汉语? When do you usually speak Chinese? 你什么场合说汉语? 在这些场合说汉语, 你感觉得心应手吗? On what occasions do you usually speak Chinese? Do you feel proficient speaking Chinese on those occasions? 你通常用汉语阅读些什么? 用汉语阅读, 你感觉得心应手吗? What do you usually read in Chinese? Do you feel proficient reading in Chinese? 你通常用汉语写些什么? 用汉语写, 你感觉得心应手吗? What do you usually write in Chinese? Do you feel proficient writing in Chinese? 请描述一下你在中小学阶段的汉语学习 Please describe your experience of learning Chinese in grade school. 请描述一项对你汉语水平有正面影响的经历 Please describe one experience that positively affected your Chinese language proficiency. 请描述一项对你汉语水平有负面影响的经历 Please describe one experience that negatively affected your Chinese language proficiency. 你是否曾经有一刻尤其担忧你的汉语水平? 什么时候, 发生了什么? Was there a point in your life when you were particularly concerned about your Chinese language proficiency? When and what happened? 你是否曾经有一刻因你的汉语水平而尤其自豪? 什么时候, 发生了什么? Was there a point in your life when you were particularly proud of your Chinese language proficiency? When and what happened? 你觉得哪些因素影响了你的汉语水平? 哪些因素对你来说更重要? What factors do you think have influenced your Chinese language proficiency? What factors are more important to you?

11 汉语, 你的第二语言, 在你生活中扮演什么角色? What role does Chinese, your second language, play in your life? 你是否曾经因为汉语是你的第二语言而感觉处于劣势? 什么时候, 发生了什么? Have you ever felt disadvantaged by Chinese being your second language? When and what happened? 在你的同族中, 你学习汉语的经历普通吗? Is your experience of learning Chinese common among people of the same ethnic background as you? First Language and Second Language 请描述一下你在某一典型的工作日使用你的第一和第二语言的情况 Please describe your use of your first language and second language on a typical weekday of you. Which language do you use more? 你认同哪种语言? 为什么? What language do you identify yourself with? Why? 你用哪种语言思考? In which language do you think? 就你的第一语言水平而言, 你是否但愿有什么不同? 什么不同? Is there anything you wish were different about your first language proficiency? What is it? 关于你的第一语言, 你还有什么愿意分享的? Is there anything else you would like to share about your first language? 就你的汉语水平而言, 你是否但愿有什么不同? 什么不同? Is there anything you wish were different about your Chinese language proficiency? What is it? 关于你的第二语言, 汉语, 你还有什么愿意分享的? Is there anything else you would like to share about your second language, Chinese? Third Language 英语是你的第三语言吗? Is English your third language? 就你记忆所及, 你什么时候开始接触英语? As far as you could remember, when were you first exposed to English? 就你记忆所及, 你什么时候开始学习英语? As far as you could remember, when did you begin to learn English? 英语, 你的第三语言, 在你生活中扮演什么角色? What role does English, your third language, play in your life? 关于你的第三语言, 英语, 你还有什么愿意分享的?

12 Is there anything else you would like to share about your third language, English? Other 对你同族的中小学生, 就语言学习而言, 你有什么建议? What suggestions would you give to K-12 students of the same ethnic background as you in terms of language learning? 对你同族的大学生, 就语言学习而言, 你有什么建议? What suggestions would you give to college students of the same ethnic background as you in terms of language learning? 在教导少数名族学生方面, 你对老师和行政人员有什么建议? What suggestions would you give to instructors and staff working with ethnic minority students? 你有什么问题? Do you have any questions?

A VALIDATION STUDY OF THE ACHIEVEMENT TEST OF TEACHING CHINESE AS THE SECOND LANGUAGE by Chen Wei A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate School and Colleg

A VALIDATION STUDY OF THE ACHIEVEMENT TEST OF TEACHING CHINESE AS THE SECOND LANGUAGE by Chen Wei A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate School and Colleg 上海外国语大学 SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY 硕士学位论文 MASTER DISSERTATION 学院国际文化交流学院专业汉语国际教育硕士题目届别 2010 届学生陈炜导师张艳莉副教授日期 2010 年 4 月 A VALIDATION STUDY