語言、自我認同與英語學習: 探索打工度假者之觀點

Abstract

隨著全球化的擴張，許多年輕人選擇到英語圈內國 (Kachru, 1992) 旅居或求學以直接學習到具有高度市場價值的英語型態，因此，打工度假者的數量近年來急遽上升。然而，關於打工度假者的期待，自我認同，對英語學習的影響之相關研究仍然缺乏。 此研究以Norton的學習投入概念為理論基礎 (Norton-Pierce, 1995; Norton, 2000, 2001)，採用質性研究方式來探究兩位來自台灣的打工度假者在澳洲短居期間的英語使用/學習歷程。研究重點在於了解打工度假者在英語圈內國複雜的社會關係當中，如何建構個人的自我身份，及他們的自我期許如何影響他們的英語使用及學習。資料收集期間為2015年二月至2016年四月，研究資料之收集乃採下列三種方式: a) 研究對象之自我歷程紀錄，b) 半結構式訪談，c) 通訊軟體對話紀錄。 此研究發現打工度假者的社會身份，如: 身為一一名新工作者或是亞洲女性，對他們的第二語言使用有所影響，除了打工度假者現實中參與的社群之外，他們的理想身份也影響了他們的第二語言學習投入，再者，以第二語言參與多樣的社群也使得打工度假者從非合理英語使用者轉化為合理英文使用者。本研究試圖闡明打工度假者之社會身份、自我期許、自我認同及社會關係如何牽動他們的第二語言學習投入。此研究結果能提供語言教育者、政府機構、研究者及未來打工度假者為參考以期了解打工度假者在國外旅居期間之第二語言使用之經驗，也為未來打工度假相關之研究提供可用資訊。

With the acceleration of globalization, many young people choose to live and/or study abroad in inner circle countries (Kachru, 1992) to gain direct exposure to the English varieties that they regard as high market value. As such, the population of working holiday makers (WHMs) has been dramatically increasing in recent years. However, research addressing WHMs’ aspirations, identities, and investment in English learning remains scant. Adopting Norton’s notion of identity and investment (Norton-Pierce, 1995; Norton, 2000, 2001) as a theoretical frame, the study employs a qualitative methodology to explore two Taiwanese WHMs’ experience of using/learning English during their sojourn in Australia. The focus is on how WHMs’ multiple identities and aspirations affect their investment in using/learning English in the complex social relations they are situated during their sojourn in an Anglophone context. Data for the study were collected between February, 2015 and April, 2016 from three sources: a) informants’ self-documented process logs, b) semi-structured interviews, and c) online text messages. The study found that WHMs’ social identities, such as novice workers and Asian females had impact on their L2 use. In addition to their participation in the tangible communities, their imagined identities also shaped their L2 investment. Moreover, participating in diverse social communities in the L2, WHMs also transformed their identities from illegitimate English users to legitimate English users. This study is significant in illuminating how WHMs’ diverse social identities, aspirations, and social relations interact with their L2 investment. The findings could provide insights for language educators, government agency, researchers, and potential WHMs to understand WHMs’ experience with L2 use during their overseas sojourn. It also brings insight to future research on WHMs.