Children's Thoughts on Growing Up Multilingual with Chinese Heritage

We are thrilled to announce the next chapter of the acclaimed project "Growing Up Multilingual with Chinese Heritage"! Building on the success of our earlier initiative, this follow-on event promises to explore the experiences of young people growing up in multilingual environments, providing an innovative platform for dialogue, reflection, and creative expression. Mark your calendars for 6 December 2024 at 9:00 AM (GMT), and join us for this thought-provoking online event.

A transformative journey

The original project, "Growing Up Multilingual with Chinese Heritage, centered the voices of 11-18-year-olds with Chinese heritage. Through essays, photographs, songs, and focus groups, young people shared their perspectives on navigating multiple languages and cultural contexts. A compelling feature of this project was its commitment to co-production, inviting seven young co-researchers to help frame research questions, analyze data, and co-author publications. This collaborative approach offered a unique lens into the lived realities of multilingualism.

What to expect at this forum

On 6 December, the follow-up event will take the findings of this project to new heights. Attendees will explore a dynamic blend of data, personal stories, and artistic interpretation through an engaging series of video productions, ranging from short films to a short documentary and slideshow.

The event will also include opportunities for audience interaction, allowing participants to engage in discussions about the films, the research, and the future of multilingualism studies.

Speakers

For this fascinating discussion, we will be joined by Dr Sabine Little from the University of Sheffield and Dr Yue Zhou from the University of Sheffield. The following are their biographies:

Dr Sabine Little

Dr Sabine Little is Senior Lecturer in Languages Education at the University of Sheffield, and Director of Education in the School of Education. She convenes the UK Literacy Association’s Special Interest Group on Literacy and Multilingualism, and her work on Sheffield’s multilingual children’s library has been awarded the international Brenda Eastwood Award for Diversity and Inclusion. Her work focuses on links between multilingualism, identity, and belonging.

Dr. Yue Zhou

Yue is a dedicated researcher in applied linguistics and languages education. She is currently a Research Associate at the University of Sheffield, engaged in a co-produced project with young people that explores their experiences of growing up multilingual with Chinese heritage. Her research interests lie in multilingualism and education within migration contexts, with a keen focus on the wellbeing and identity of minoritised learners. Her work involves close collaborations with multilingual children, families, teachers, and schools in the UK. Yue completed her Ph.D. in Education at the University of Cambridge, where she investigated the wellbeing experiences of young heritage learners, aiming to foster a positive, connected, and meaningful journey of language learning and development.

About the UK - China Seminar Series

The Confucius Institute regularly invites academics and experts worldwide to give talks at the China Seminars Series about the latest research in language studies, language teaching, international relationships and economics, and other topics.

The China Seminar Series is an annual project organised by the SCI designed to host a number of talks across the year by renowned academic and professors from around the UK and China.

The seminars cover a variety of topics, including Chinese language education, cross-cultural communication, Chinese philosophy, Chinese history and Chinese agriculture among others. In order to promote cross-cultural dialogue between our British and Chinese colleagues, the UK-China Seminar Series was created.

Event Details

• Date: 6 December 2024
• Time: 9:00 AM (GMT)
• Location: Online (no booking required)
• Access: Simply click the event link in event description to access webinar

A call to reflect and connect

This forum invites you to explore the intersections of language, culture, and identity, showcasing the creativity and resilience of multilingual young people. Whether you're revisiting the project or joining for the first time, don’t miss this opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue on 6 December.