Alice Chik

Becoming Autonomous in an Asian Context: Autonomy as a Sociocultural Process

Since the publication of Riley’s (1988) seminal paper on the “ethnography of autonomy”, the discussion on autonomy and culture has tended to focus on the relevance of the ‘Western’ idea of autonomy to learners from ‘non-Western’ cultural backgrounds. Discussion of this question has in turn been dominated by what Smith (2001: 70) has called “an ongoing debate regarding the validity of learner autonomy in Asian settings”. In the course of this debate, a particular image of the Asian learner has emerged — that of an individual whose learning styles and preferences are largely conditioned by values of collectivism, conformity and respect for authority inculcated through early experiences at school and in the family. In the light of this image of the Asian learner, contributors to the debate have questioned the cultural appropriateness of the emphasis on individual development in the Western idea of autonomy in Asian settings, leading to proposals for approaches to autonomy based more upon the idea of ‘autonomous interdependence’.

Narrative inquiry in language teaching and learning research

Part I: Narrative Inquiry. Chapter 1: Narrative Inquiry. Part II: Collecting narrative data. Chapter 2: Narrative interviews. Chapter 3: Written narratives. Chapter 4: Multimedia narratives. Part III: Analyzing and presenting narrative data. Chapter 5: Data analysis in Narrative Inquiry. Chapter 6: Writing up narrative studies.

Digital Gameplay for Autonomous Foreign Language Learning: Gamers’ and Language Teachers’ Perspectives

The rapidly increasing sales of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and massively multiplayer online role-play games (MMORPGs), and the growing numbers of discussion forums and walkthroughs on gaming strategies, indicate that digital gaming is thriving. A recent survey shows that 67 per cent of US households play digital games, and about half of these gamers are between 18 and 49 years old (Entertainment Software Association, 2010). Playing digital games is about as mainstream as going to the cinema or watching television, and it is no longer a domain exclusive to teenagers. In Hong Kong, 37.8 per cent of all households have at least one game console, and 82 per cent of game console owners are school students (Friends of the Earth, 2009). In addition to console games, a government survey also indicates that 30.1 per cent of the population play online digital games, and gamers between 15 and 24 play an average of 8.7 hours per week (Census and Statistics Department, 2009).

‘Facebook Me’ within a Global Community of Learners of English: Technologizing Learner Autonomy

This chapter explores aspects of learner autonomy which could possibly be the results of technological mediation by examining an online exchange project between German and Hong Kong Chinese learners. Whilst the use of technology for foreign language learning autonomy has a long history (see, for example, Schwienhorst 2008 for further discussion), the advancement of the Web 2.0 tools and the general expansion of internet use has changed the pace and requirements for language teacher professional development. Benson and Chik (2011) proposed categorizing the history of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) into five phases: behaviouristic, communicative, integrative, networked, and user-driven. The last two phases are based on the rising prominence of Web 2.0 and mobile technologies, and it is where learning through ‘naturalistic’ CALL is happening. Based on emerging findings from relevant studies in the area of New Literacies Studies (NLS) research, Benson and Chik use ‘naturalistic CALL’ to ‘draw attention to computer-based activities that are carried out on the student’s initiative, outside school, and mainly for the purpose of pursuing some interest through a foreign language, rather than for the direct purpose of learning the language’ (2011: 5). In this chapter, we propose that by understanding the operation of ‘naturalistic’ CALL in different cultural and educational contexts, it is possible to examine the social dimensions of learner autonomy as mediated by technology.

“I Am Not a Foodie…”: Culinary Capital in Online Reviews of Michelin Restaurants

This article adds to the growing literature on foodie discourse, by providing an analysis of amateur reviews of one-star Michelin restaurants sampled from two different websites, OpenRice and Yelp, which reflect two different geocultural contexts: Hong Kong and New York City. We demonstrate that online restaurant reviews provide a means through which individuals can display their culinary capital—to an audience who is likely to share similar interests—as they establish their expertise on matters such as authenticity, taste, quality, and the perceived value of their dining experiences. Furthermore, we explore how issues of social class and access to economic capital are implicated in user-generated reviews of this category of restaurants. By asserting their right to participate in a larger conversation about Michelin standards, online reviewers place themselves on equal footing with culinary elites and professional food reviewers. Consequently, we argue that new media genres such as online reviews challenge well-established hierarchies in food culture, yet at the same time, they also reproduce some existing forms of culinary capital.

A Comparative multimodal analysis of restaurant reviews from two geographical contexts

In this article, the authors offer a comparative approach to the analysis of a popular internet genre – user-generated restaurant reviews – sampled from two different websites (OpenRice and Yelp), which have emerged from two different geographic contexts (Hong Kong and the US). Their investigation reveals both similarities and differences of in terms of review format, content discussed and the use of several semiotic resources, such as the posting of photographs, the use of emoticons and emoji, and the expressive use of orthography and punctuation. The authors demonstrate that, while many of the formal properties of the genre are quite similar, some variations in review content may reflect underlying cultural differences. Furthermore, they show not only how the website’s architecture can either constrain or encourage the use (or non-use) of particular semiotic resources, but also suggest that other variables (i.e. orthographic systems, review community norms) may interact with medium factors.

Teaching popular culture in a second language university context

This article examines an established course on Popular Culture which is framed within the general educational model in an English-medium university. The article is organized into three parts: the underlining educational rationale for general educational courses, the course description and the students’ perspectives of their learning experience. This course aims primarily to develop students’ abilities to analyse critical issues and approaches in the study of popular culture. Both locally and globally situated popular cultural references are used in this course to motivate students to think and learn beyond their immediate popular cultural practices. We problematize issues that have arisen in the course such as pedagogy, language, culture and agency and discuss the implications these have for developing and teaching such courses in a multicultural higher-education environment, enabling more critical analysis by students as second language learners.

English Language Teaching Apps: Positioning Parents and Young Learners

Since the introduction of iPads in 2010, the sales of tablet computers and mobile applications (apps) have grown exponentially. iPads and other tablets are marketed as learning tools, and many apps target learners as young as six months old. This article reports on a research project examining the unique features of English learning apps based on an analysis of 90 app descriptions. Findings suggest that most English learning apps are not designed for English as a Foreign Language learners, and do not encourage user interaction around the texts. Positioning theory is adopted to show how app developers position themselves, parents and learners in the global discourse on technology and English teaching. The use of such apps as extensions or alternatives to classroom-based learning may have a strong impact for the future of English teaching, and caveats are offered.

Native English-speaking Students in Hong Kong EFL Classrooms: A Case Study

Abstract The present study explores the learner stories of two Hong Kong English language students: a returnee student (a native speaker of English) and those of one of his local classmates (a native speaker of Cantonese). With the high level of migration from and to Hong Kong over the last 25 years, the number of children returning to Hong Kong from English-speaking countries has increased dramatically. Many of these returnee children enter the local Hong Kong education system and study English as a foreign language alongside Cantonese-speaking students. Through biographical interviews, this study investigates the complexities of the Hong Kong EFL classroom contexts and the implications on bilingual identity formation. The interview data provide insight on the negotiation of and limitations on bilingual identity formation in educational settings.

Autonomy in language learning and teaching : new research agendas

This book seeks to expand the research agendas on autonomy in language learning and teaching in diverse contexts, by examining the present landscape of established studies, identifying research gaps and providing practical future research directions. Based on empirical studies, it explores research agendas in five emerging domains: language learning and teaching in developing countries; social censure and teacher autonomy; learner autonomy and groups; learner autonomy and digital practice; and finally, learner autonomy and space. In doing so, it sheds new light on the impact of digital media, group dynamics and the application of ecological perspectives on learner autonomy. The contributors present a novel reconsideration of new learning affordances, and their discussion of spatial dimensions provides much needed expansion in the field. This book will have international appeal and provide an invaluable resource for students and scholars of second language learning and higher education, as well as teacher educators.