Why do we promote Chinese Language Learning and English Immersion Programme at the same time?

23rd June 2020

Under the influence of globalisation, Bilingual Education has become a popular topic in the education sector. We can divide the Bilingual Education into two categories, which is a broad category and narrow category: the former refers to a teacher who teaches in two languages, while the latter refers to a teacher who imparts knowledge in a second language. As the name implies, bilingual education refers to the teaching of two languages to promote the coordinated development of children’s cognitive abilities such as cognition, thinking and memory.

According to Professor Dr. John Berry from Moscow National Research University, learners experience different levels of culture shocks and cultural identity when they learn a new language. Cultural identity refers to our recognition and identity of social groups, such as nationality, ethnicity, etc. Whether we can successfully communicate in two languages and cultures (Acculturation) is very much related to our recognition of our own culture (Heritage Culture).

If learners have low identification towards their own heritage culture, they tend to assimilate other people from the host culture when they experience culture shock and gradually lose confidence in their own culture. If the children are not properly induced when they are studying abroad, they will easily value the western culture highly over their own culture, and even find their own culture despicable.

However, if learners have high identification towards their own heritage culture and despise the host culture, they might very well experience the situation of social separation and resist contact with foreign cultures. These learners tend to stay in their own community that shares similar language and custom, and as a result, they cannot truly immerse into the host culture.

Therefore, the solution is NOT to over-value / despise either your heritage or host culture; rather, constantly learn about your own culture and at the same time be open to the host culture, only then you will be able to fully integrate into the new culture and be a real ‘Bi-cultural’.

In fact, research shows that bilingual people are more likely to have higher cultural empathy and open-mindedness. Do you wish to be one too?

To become one, we should first deeply understand our heritage culture, then be open to learning more about other cultures. We should also respect every other culture to avoid cultural shock. KnewSTEP Education always focuses on the importance of multilingual education and the understanding of our heritage culture. We believe bilingualism will make a difference in the children’s future and brighten their horizons into a whole new level. To learn more information about Bilingual Education, please ask our KnewSTEP consultancy team any questions you may have.

Reference:
1.http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190215217.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780190215217-e-2
2.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14790710903039906?src=recsys&journalCode=rmjm20

Photo Credit:
1.https://unsplash.com/photos/YLSwjSy7stw
2.https://unsplash.com/photos/lbLgFFlADrY
3.https://blogs.rsc.org/en/2015/01/28/nano-apples-nano-oranges-and-a-combination-of-both