An investigation into the role of culture and the development of oral fluency: A case study involving Chinese learners of English.

摘要

This study investigated the relationship between Chinese culture and English language learning (ELL) in Canada, by examining the manner in which Chinese learners of English develop oral fluency. The purpose was to uncover how cultural beliefs facilitate and/or constrain Chinese learners' efforts to develop spoken English. In an ethnographic, multi-case study, 17 Chinese English language learners (ELLs) were surveyed. Ten of these respondents were interviewed separately for one hour each, and then observed on five separate occasions at two different classroom sites. Detailed classroom observation notes were also taken by the researcher. Emerging themes were noted; the data were analyzed again using these themes as coding categories; and the data were organized according to these codes. This analysis indicated that Chinese ELLs in this study encounter various challenges while learning to speak English in Canada. These students confirmed, in varying degrees, the existing literature on second language acquisition and Chinese cultural beliefs. The primary issues which affected some of the participants while learning English were the concepts of 'face', listening-centeredness, academic achievement, maintaining harmony and respecting authority.;Keywords: Culture, Oral Fluency, Case Study, Chinese Learners of English, ESL, Language Acquisition