Unpacking mundane practices: children's experiences of learning literacy at a Chinese complementary school in Scotland

Abstract

This article builds on the growing research interest in complementary schooling in England and internationally but a field of study less well trodden in Scotland. It takes a socio-cultural view of literacy learning and demonstrates how in a Chinese complementary school in central Scotland, spaces are created for children of primary-school age to participate in multifarious literacy practices. Drawing on observations of three classrooms, supported by interviews with teachers and conversations with children, it is argued that there is a need to re-examine the assumption of mundane pedagogical practices frequently associated with learning Chinese literacy. It illustrates how activities around reading and writing are often not only a product of the teachers’ own experiences of education but are also influenced by the children, who draw on a range of bilingual and biliterate resources at their disposal. Furthermore, the study highlights the need for further research in the Scottish context to investigate how children's engagement with diverse literacies helps shape their emerging and dynamic learner identities.