Language in context seminar

Speaker: Hao Zhang (University of Edinburgh, Moray House School of Education)

Title: How to link Practiced Language Policies to pedagogies in foreign language teaching settings: a case study of two primary school Mandarin classes

Abstract: This talk is based on my PhD project, set against the background of the Scottish language policy 1+2 Approach. This policy sets out an ambitious language learning journey for Scottish pupils. Two foreign languages are to be introduced in primary one and no later than primary five respectively. Mandarin has been chosen as one of the languages across many local authorities and schools.

With this policy as a backdrop, this study aims to explore the relationships between practiced language policy (Bonacina-Pugh, 2012) and pedagogies within two Mandarin classrooms near Edinburgh, Scotland. Therefore, Conversation Analysis is applied to the 24-session audio recordings of classroom interactions, for the purpose of unravelling the practiced language policy that classroom participants orient towards. To see that through the lens of pedagogy, this search intends to show how each pedagogical frame calls for a different norm of language choice.

Additionally, in order to reveal the impact of declared and perceived language policy on Mandarin teaching practice, the study will use a thematic analysis of policy documents as well as teacher interviews. This talk will present how Ms Wong (one of the two participating Mandarin teachers) has negotiated and established the language norms across teaching activities.