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A case study of pre-school children learning Chinese as a second language in Singapore
Author
Ng, Sok Hoon
Supervisor
Aw, Guat Poh
Abstract
新加坡于 1984 年起在中小学全面推行以英语为主要教学媒介语，二十年 后，新加坡华族家庭的用语起了很大的变化，越来越多的家庭用语逐渐从方 言、华语趋向英语，所以有越来越多学前华族儿童入学前不会说华语，华语 既成为他们入学后的第二语言学习，因此了解学前儿童华语第二语言的习得 过程和习得策略对学前儿童华语第二语言的教育具有深远意义。
本 论文是依据语言习得认知论为理论基础，采用个案追踪和观察研究法搜 集三 位学前儿童华语第二语言习得过程的资料，并依据 Tabors (1997) 的儿童 第二语言发展阶段的论点来分析与整理新加坡学前儿童华语第二语习得的历 程，同时以 Wong Fillmore（1979） 和 Chesterfield 与 Chesterfield 1985）所提出的儿童第二语言学习的社交和认知策略为基础来分析新加坡学 前儿童 华语第二语的学习策略。
本论文的研究结果显示：新加坡学前儿童 华语第二语的发展阶段和 Tabors(1997)的儿童第二语言发展阶段大同小异； 新加坡学前儿童华语第二语习得过程共采用了三种社交策略和十种认知策 略。社交策略包括参与群体活动、使用肢体语言沟通和寻求帮助；认知策略 包括观察和聆听、模仿、假设或猜测、自我练习、记忆、使用第一语言、使用惯用套语、使用电报式语言、语码混用和替换词语内容。
本 论文是依据语言习得认知论为理论基础，采用个案追踪和观察研究法搜 集三 位学前儿童华语第二语言习得过程的资料，并依据 Tabors (1997) 的儿童 第二语言发展阶段的论点来分析与整理新加坡学前儿童华语第二语习得的历 程，同时以 Wong Fillmore（1979） 和 Chesterfield 与 Chesterfield 1985）所提出的儿童第二语言学习的社交和认知策略为基础来分析新加坡学 前儿童 华语第二语的学习策略。
本论文的研究结果显示：新加坡学前儿童 华语第二语的发展阶段和 Tabors(1997)的儿童第二语言发展阶段大同小异； 新加坡学前儿童华语第二语习得过程共采用了三种社交策略和十种认知策 略。社交策略包括参与群体活动、使用肢体语言沟通和寻求帮助；认知策略 包括观察和聆听、模仿、假设或猜测、自我练习、记忆、使用第一语言、使用惯用套语、使用电报式语言、语码混用和替换词语内容。
Singapore started its full implementation of English as the main language of instruction in all primary and secondary schools in 1984. After two decades, the use of language in Singapore Chinese families has taken a big switch. A growing number of families are moving away from Chinese dialect and Chinese language to English. Hence, more and more pre-school children were unable to speak Chinese when they entered kindergartens. Chinese language has since becomes their second language learning in kindergartens. As such, understanding the acquisition processes and acquisition strategies of Chinese as a second language of pre-school children has far reaching significance in the teaching of pre-school Chinese as a second language.
This paper laid its foundation on the language acquisition cognitive theory, used case study and observation methods to track and collect data of the acquisition processes of Chinese as a second language of three pre-school children. On the basis of Tabors’ (1997) theory of the stages of children’s second language development, this study collated and analysed the acquisition processes of Chinese as a second language of Singapore pre-school children. Using Wong Fillmore’s (1979) and Chesterfield & Chesterfield ’s (1985) social and cognitive strategies of children’s second language learning as a basis, this paper analysed the learning strategies of Chinese as a second language of Singapore pre-school children.
The results of this study show that: the development stages of Chinese as a second language of Singapore pre-school children are more or less the same as that of Tabors’ (1997) findings. Singapore pre-school children applied three types of social strategies and ten types of cognitive strategies in their Chinese as a second language acquisition processes. Social strategies include participation in group activities, the use of body language to communicate and appeal for assistance; cognitive strategies included observation and listening, imitation, assumptions or speculation, rehearsing, memorization, the use of first language, the use of formulaic speech, the use of telegraphic speech, code-mixing and replacing the content of expressions.
This paper laid its foundation on the language acquisition cognitive theory, used case study and observation methods to track and collect data of the acquisition processes of Chinese as a second language of three pre-school children. On the basis of Tabors’ (1997) theory of the stages of children’s second language development, this study collated and analysed the acquisition processes of Chinese as a second language of Singapore pre-school children. Using Wong Fillmore’s (1979) and Chesterfield & Chesterfield ’s (1985) social and cognitive strategies of children’s second language learning as a basis, this paper analysed the learning strategies of Chinese as a second language of Singapore pre-school children.
The results of this study show that: the development stages of Chinese as a second language of Singapore pre-school children are more or less the same as that of Tabors’ (1997) findings. Singapore pre-school children applied three types of social strategies and ten types of cognitive strategies in their Chinese as a second language acquisition processes. Social strategies include participation in group activities, the use of body language to communicate and appeal for assistance; cognitive strategies included observation and listening, imitation, assumptions or speculation, rehearsing, memorization, the use of first language, the use of formulaic speech, the use of telegraphic speech, code-mixing and replacing the content of expressions.
Date Issued
2009
Call Number
LB1140.5.L3 H83
Date Submitted
2009