Teaching the Chinese language to heritage versus non-heritage learners: parents' perceptions of a community weekend school in the United States

Abstract

This article presents results of a study on a weekend Chinese community school in a mid-Atlantic state that looks at parents' perceptions of the challenges the school faced in teaching Chinese to heritage versus non-heritage learners. Survey and qualitative interviews with parents show differences in their expectations regarding teacher communication and teaching style, and an increasing call to incorporate cultural practices into the curriculum and language learning process. These changes not only helped self-identified non-heritage learners achieve identification with the ethnic group, heritage learners who experienced ethnic ambivalence were also drawn back through increased pride and enjoyment in their heritage.