Research Commons
      • Browse 
        • Communities & Collections
        • Titles
        • Authors
        • By Issue Date
        • Subjects
        • Types
        • Series
      • Help 
        • About
        • Collection Policy
        • OA Mandate Guidelines
        • Guidelines FAQ
        • Contact Us
      • My Account 
        • Sign In
        • Register
      View Item 
      •   Research Commons
      • University of Waikato Research
      • Education
      • Education Papers
      • View Item
      •   Research Commons
      • University of Waikato Research
      • Education
      • Education Papers
      • View Item
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

      Being a language learner—Is that all there is?

      Lee, Jinah
      Thumbnail
      Files
      Lee 2017_TESOLANZ25 Special Edition.pdf
      Accepted version, 472.7Kb
      Link
       www.tesolanz.org.nz
      Citation
      Export citation
      Lee, J. (2017). Being a language learner—Is that all there is? TESOLANZ, 34–43.
      Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/13696
      Abstract
      Asian migrants are inevitably categorised as language learners. At times, it is the migrant's own definition and can be used as a support. At others, it is an imposition in two senses: it can be imposed by others and by institutions; and also acts as a hindrance to resettlement in the new country. Language learning raises issues of a sense of belonging and a sense of self-value.

      A narrative inquiry study of six Asian migrant women follows their experience as language learners over a twelve-month period, focusing on the different concepts above, as the women negotiate their identities, to finally divesting the label language learner. The findings suggest that there is a close link between a sense of belonging and a sense of self-value which influences the participants’ identity trajectories―towards valuable members of the mainstream society. The discussion poses two questions to education providers, ESL educators and policy makers: What does the image of language learner migrant do to the perception that others have of newcomers? How long is a newcomer a migrant?
      Date
      2017
      Type
      Journal Article
      Publisher
      TESOLANZ
      Rights
      This is an author’s accepted version of an article published in the journal: TESOLANZ. Used with permission.
      Collections
      • Education Papers [1411]
      Show full item record  

      Usage

      Downloads, last 12 months
      21
       
       

      Usage Statistics

      For this itemFor all of Research Commons

      The University of Waikato - Te Whare Wānanga o WaikatoFeedback and RequestsCopyright and Legal Statement