Data_Sheet_1_Parents’ planning, children’s agency and heritage language education: Re-storying the language experiences of three Chinese immigrant families in Australia.docx

This study delves into the heritage language experiences of Australian-born Chinese immigrant children under the framework of family language policy. Storytelling as a narrative inquiry method is used to reveal the lived experiences of the protagonists in relation to heritage language and culture. The three family stories involved for case studies reveal different levels of parent agency in Chinese immigrant families regarding their children’s home language use and heritage language education. It is noted that the level of child agency corresponds with the level of their parent agency. Where parents strongly advocate and practice heritage language maintenance, stronger agency is observed in their children to continue the use and learning of their heritage language. In addition, maintaining harmony while parents are implementing family language policies and providing children with formal instruction in heritage language are conducive to heritage language development, particularly in terms of its literacy.

本研究深入探讨澳大利亚出生的华裔移民儿童的母语传承体验，以家庭语言政策为研究框架。通过叙事探究法中的讲故事技巧，揭示主人公在母语与文化传承方面的亲身经历。涉及三个家庭案例的研究故事揭示了华裔移民家庭在子女家庭语言使用和母语教育方面的家长能动性的不同层次。值得注意的是，儿童的能动性水平与父母的能动性水平相对应。当父母强烈倡导并实践母语传承时，他们的子女在继续使用和学习母语方面表现出更强的能动性。此外，在实施家庭语言政策的同时保持和谐，并为儿童提供正式的母语教育，有利于母语的发展，特别是在其读写能力方面。