ABSTRACT
This paper investigates how children interpret the practice of guan (Chinese parenting) within the home and its relationship to family language policy (FLP). The study involved nine adolescent participants from six families. Using a written reflective task, the study explores the attitudes of adolescents towards the practice of guan and its effectiveness in the development and maintenance of the heritage language (HL). Data were collected as part of a larger research project investigating multilingualism among Chinese families in Ireland. The findings show that adolescents view parental guan as necessary and effective in HL development through parental encouragement, parental support and parental investment. The article responds to the linguistic and demographic changes in Irish society and makes an important contribution to knowledge about cultural practices, which may support the multilingual development of children in transnational families. Its focus on families in rural Ireland provides scope to develop the HL in the absence of large communities and language schools. Critically, the article expands on current scholarly discussions surrounding adolescents, identity, belief and agency within the field of FLP, by shedding light on how adolescents interpret parenting practices and cultural concepts and perceive complex bilingual and bicultural family structures.
摘要
本文探讨孩童如何理解并解读家庭领域中“管教”实践与家庭语言政策(FLP)的关系。研究涉及六户家庭的九名青少年参与者，通过书面反思任务探究青少年对父母 “管”教实践的态度。为补充数据，笔者通过访谈与焦点小组讨论深入探究“管”在母语/传承语言(HL)发展与维持中的(非)有效性。研究发现，“管”对母语/传承语言的发展具有必要性与有效性。父母可以通过鼓励、支持及投入实现的管教行为，来得到一定的成果。本文回应爱尔兰社会语言与人口结构的变迁，为跨国家庭儿童多语发展提供本土实践支持，具有重要学术价值。聚焦爱尔兰乡村家庭的视角，为缺乏大型社群和语言学校的环境下发展传承语言提供了研究空间。本文通过揭示青少年如何解读本土文化概念及感知复杂家庭结构，拓展了语言教育领域中关于青少年身份认同、信念体系与能动性的学术讨论。