Chinese parents’ experiences of reading English storybooks to preschool children: A case in Guangzhou, China

Abstract

This study investigated Chinese parents’ experiences of reading English storybooks to their preschool children. While the spread of English as a global language is associated with an increasing emphasis on English education, few studies have examined its impact on the early home literacy practices in non-English speaking countries. With the most English learners in the world, China has an increasing number of parents making an early start for children to learn English. This study followed the tripartite framework of Family Language Policy (FLP) to examine Chinese parents’ beliefs, practices and management in early storybook reading activities. In-depth interviews with 20 parents in Guangzhou revealed that parents’ English reading practices are language-oriented with utilitarian language ideologies. Parents’ reading practices and management were identified with contextual constraints, including non-English speaking environments, parents’ inadequate English proficiency and knowledge of selecting English storybooks. Our findings highlight the impact of English globalization on the educational practices in local families with implications for educational practitioners in countries with similar changing sociolinguistic landscapes.