Reflexive language attitudes and language practices among school-aged Chinese Australian immigrant bilinguals

This study examines the reflexivity of immigrant children in forming their language attitudes (LAs). Considering the special cultural environment of the Chinese community in Australia, which refers to the community’s well-matched cultural powers with Australia, this research explored Chinese Australian children’s conflicting but reflexive LAs and language practices. By drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews and longitudinal participant observations conducted in multiple schools, this study classified Chinese Australian children into four types according to their perceptions and behaviors toward language learning and use and examined each age group’s characteristics. The study further analyzed the mutually influential relation between cultural environment, family, immigrant children, and their LAs. These findings shed light on immigrant children’s agency in forming and reconfiguring their LAs. This is an important addition to the existing knowledge about bilingual children’s language choices, language development, and language education.