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A Comparison of Written Chinese Achievement Among Heritage Learners in Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Groups
Author(s) -
Shen Helen H.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
foreign language annals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.258
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1944-9720
pISSN - 0015-718X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1944-9720.2003.tb01475.x
Subject(s) - heritage language , homogeneous , vocabulary , mathematics education , active listening , psychology , test (biology) , cultural heritage , linguistics , pedagogy , history , mathematics , communication , paleontology , philosophy , archaeology , combinatorics , biology
This paper examines the effects of grouping practice on written Chinese achievement among heritage learners in college Chinese classes. Subjects were two groups of heritage students: a homogeneous group (heritage students only) and a heterogeneous group (heritage students mixed with nonheritage students). Students' performance in written Chinese was measured by an instructor‐made vocabulary test and the SAT II Chinese Test with Listening. Quantitative analysis of their performance showed that heritage students in the homogenous group performed significantly better in written Chinese with one year of study than did heritage students in the heterogeneous group with two years of study. This result suggests that in college‐level Chinese language classes, tracking based on linguistic background can improve heritage students' academic achievement, because it provides them an environment in which they can learn to their maximum capacity.