‘I sort of feel like I’m a part of France as well’Student perspectives of bilingual identity Ruth Fielding

Abstract For young bilingual students a feeling of connection to their background languages and cultures forms one important aspect of their developing identities. This paper addresses some of the findings from a larger study examining students’ understandings of their identities as bilingual. The study involved students who are part of a bilingual program that operates in French and English within a government primary school in Sydney, Australia. This paper focuses on the experiences of two students in the study, who both expressed a feeling of connection and bilingual identity associated with both French and English – the languages of the bilingual program and languages that they both use at home. The paper provides a snapshot of two young female students who were interviewed about their languages and bilingualism – Genevieve and Elizabeth (pseudonyms).

Keywordsbilingualism, identity, primary school

Theoretical backgroundFor young bilingual students feeling connected to their languages and cultures forms an important aspect of their developing identities. ‘Identity’ is a complex term and one that has been investigated thoroughly in several spheres of research. In spite of much research and theory existing about the notion of identity, little consensus exists over a precise definition. Lawler (2008), writing from a sociological perspective, states that it is not possible to provide a single definition of identity. She argues that there are multiple ways of theorising the concept of identity and each leads to a different definition. According to Joseph (2006), ‘your identity is, very simply, who you are’ (Joseph, 2006, p. 486).

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Smith, 1998; Martinez-Roldan, 2003; Molyneux, 2005; Wu & Bilash, 1998). For example, previous studies have shown that many students who have access to supportive bilingual education contexts identify positively with being bilingual and identify themselves with more than one culture (Cumming-Potvin, 2004; Molyneux, 2005). Molyneux’s (2005) Australian study investigated student views about bilingualism and found that students who were bilingual valued their bilingualism and believed it improved their self-esteem and assisted them to construct a bicultural identity. However, Molyneux’s study took place in quite a different context to this current study, with consideration of learners whose background languages may be ‘undervalued’ in the public perception. In the current study, the students involved in the discussion of identity speak what may be considered ‘elite’ or valuable languages in the wider society: French and English. Some of the students also have connections to background languages which may be perceived differently to the languages of the school environment and it is possible this could cause some tension in their consideration of their identities in association with a number of languages.

Consideration of such complexities when examining student identity brings into the equation the concepts of ‘claimed identity’ – the identity an individual sees themselves as having – versus ‘assigned identity’ – the identity that other people attribute to you (Varghese, Morgan, Johnston, & Johnston, 2005). These terms refer to the different ways a person may see themselves compared with how others see them. In combination with the different perceived values of different languages in the wider community and the wider world, this can add to the elements of tension young bilingual speakers may feel when identifying with certain languages and cultures. In this paper the term ‘assigned value’ is used, taking the idea of assigned or perceived identity and using it to refer to the perceived value of a language or culture.

From a theoretical standpoint, Norton (2006a) has discussed the importance of acknowledging the complexity of identity. Norton argues that the direction of identity work has shifted towards a new frame that identifies the complexity of identity construction, the influence of broader societal issues, and the importance of links between theory and classroom practice (Norton, 2006b).

In a study of identity in young bilingual children we must return to the link between language and identity. ‘Who we are’ relates closely to the language we use. The language or languages that we speak form an important part of who we are. Our languages influence our identity, in particular our ethnic or social identity (Deaux, 2000; Thornborrow, 1999). In an investigation of bilingual children in a bilingual education setting, language is a key factor associated with these young students’ identity construction.

However, as he also goes on to elaborate, identity as a term is not so simple to define – who you are comprises many factors (Joseph, 2006).

There are a number of commonly accepted influences upon identity formation (Fought, 2006). Factors such as gender, age, social class, ethnicity, and/or race are commonly cited as key elements (Deaux, 2000; Fought, 2006; Omoniyi, 2006). When investigating bilingual identity further factors of language, culture, and self-concept are brought into the mix.

Identity, as a complex phenomenon, has been examined and conceptualised in different ways across several fields of research including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and sociolinguistics. In this paper, identity is viewed as being influenced by both social and individual factors, and negotiated through interaction. It is seen as a process rather than an end point. This process can be one of turmoil and conflict for young children (Block, 2003; Norton & Toohey, 2002). If children do not feel they are a group member or ‘insider’ of both cultures this can impact negatively upon their identity negotiation.

Norton and Toohey (2002) have written that ‘contemporary applied linguistic researchers have been drawn to literature that conceives of identity not as static and one-dimensional, but as multiple, changing, and a site of struggle’ (Norton & Toohey, 2002, p. 116). Indeed, research has indicated that for some children their experiences of two languages and cultures have elements of complexity and inner struggle. Identity is something that is constantly evolving in different contexts and over time. One element of negative identification is examined in Kanno’s (2003) study of teenage Japanese students returning to live in Japan. This research illustrates students’ feelings of not belonging in either culture after living abroad for an extended period. Kanno (2003) argues that these students end up with a conflict of feelings as they feel caught ‘between’ the two cultures. They feel like ‘outsiders’ in both contexts.

Yet, not all bilingual children find this process of identity development a struggle or a cause for inner conflict. Some children find that their experiences of two languages and cultures coexist in a symbiotic relationship. Some research indicates that if children receive a sufficient amount and quality of exposure to two cultures they can develop integrated identities (Baker, 2002). This means that, rather than resulting in a conflict or confusion of identity, children can construct identities that involve multiple cultures integrating with each other. Baker (2002) describes integrated identities as a bridge between two cultures. He argues that motivation and appropriate environmental support enable bilingual children to develop integrated values and beliefs.

Previous work in this area has revealed ways in which children identify positively with bilingualism and with more than one language and culture (Cumming-Potvin, 2004; Diaz Soto, 2002; Martin & Stuart-

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Aim of the PaperIn this paper we illustrate and discuss the experiences of two students. In spite of the inherent complexity of examining identity, the two students, whose perspectives are presented in this paper, had very definite notions that they were bilingual and that they had a connection to France, to the French language and to Australia or England and English language. We accept that exploring just these two students does not present the full picture of the range of students who were involved in the wider study, nor does it cover all of the data involved in the examination of identity involved in the full study (Fielding, 2009). The theoretical frame from the full study showed that three aspects were essential for students to develop positive bilingual identity; the elements of sociocultural connection, interaction, and investment all need to be present for the child to positively identify as bilingual.

In this paper I present the stories told by two students as they explored their self-concepts through the interview process. Therefore, there is a focus upon the students’ self-concepts as one of the elements within each of the identity strands of sociocultural connection, interaction, and investment (Fielding, 2009). The paper highlights similarities and individual differences in the expression of bilingual identity and suggests that in a time when a large number of the students in primary classrooms have a connection to more than one language, it is imperative that we seek ways of valuing all students background languages and cultures as major elements of their identities. This study shows that positive identity development is possible when a supportive environment is provided and when the languages involved are perceived as valuable. I argue that an environment of supportive bilingual identity development should be possible for students from all language backgrounds, not just those involving languages that have a societal ‘assigned value’. The two students showcased in this paper were found in the wider study to have the sociocultural connection, interaction, and investment necessary to identify positively with both of their languages. Further, I argue that where the assigned value of a language involved is low, the element of investment – in the form of the community support needed – is missing from the frame required for positive bilingual identity development.

Data CollectionThrough qualitative semistructured interviews the students spoke about their use of language and their attitudes towards their languages. The two stories are told using the students’ own words to illustrate their bilingual experiences.

Data were collected across a six-month period and the interviewees also completed Likert-scale questionnaires about their languages, and journals of their language use prior to the interviews. In the broader study, structured classroom observations were also conducted, along with semistructured teacher interviews. The data in this paper are drawn only from the

student interviews and are presented in two separate stories to show the individuality of each student’s experience. The overlapping elements and themes are subsequently discussed.

Genevieve’s story: ‘speaking more than two languages is a gift’

Genevieve has a bilingual home life in English and French. Her use of language with different people in her life is depicted in figure 1.

English

French

Frenchteacher

Onefriend

Grandparents

Englishteacher

Allother

friends

Mum Aunt

Dad

Genevieve speaks both English and French at home. Her father’s first language is French and her mother’s first language is English and each parent speaks to her in his/her first language. She speaks French to her extended family on her father’s side and speaks both French and English to her father. Genevieve speaks English to her mother and to most of her friends, although with one friend she speaks both English and French. At school she speaks French to the French-speaking teacher and English to the English-speaking teacher.

At the time of the interview Genevieve explained that she had relations visiting from France for three months. Her grandmother and aunt do not speak English so she communicates with them entirely in French

so I speak with them quite a lot in French and I’ve done that practically every morning and every afternoon when I get home. So I speak fluently in French with them.

This supports what she wrote in her journal about speaking entirely in French with these relations. She explains her use of French with her father in this way:

well (laughs) well he talks to me in French, but I sometimes answer back but usually I just answer back in English ‘cos I understand quite well.… Usually on weekends I speak French with my Dad because I’m usually busy with homework and things in the week

When she is asked about her language use with her friends, Genevieve says that with one friend she sometimes speaks French, but mostly she speaks English with her friends outside of class. In this way,

IN A TIME WHEN A LARGE NUMBER OF THE STUDENTS IN PRIMARY CLASSROOMS HAVE A CONNECTION TO MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE SEEK WAYS OF VALUING ALL STUDENTS BACKGROUND LANGUAGES AND CULTURES AS MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THEIR IDENTITIES.

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GENEVIEVE’S EXPERIENCE OF LANGUAGES BOTH INTERGENERATIONALLY AND INTRAGENERATIONALLY APPEARS TO SUPPORT OTHER RESEARCH FINDINGS THAT YOUNGER GENERATIONS USE BILINGUAL COMMUNICATION WITH OLDER GENERATIONS BUT TEND MORE FREQUENTLY TO INTERACT MONOLINGUALLY WITHIN THEIR OWN GENERATION.

Genevieve’s experience of languages both intergenerationally and intragenerationally appears to support other research findings that younger generations use bilingual communication with older generations but tend more frequently to interact monolingually within their own generation (Ó Giollagáin, 2007).

Genevieve also spoke about the ways that she thinks in French and English and how she uses this ability to help her understand things in both languages. Genevieve said,

…say if I get a question in French I’ll read it again in my head and then I’ll try to figure it out. Well if I say it in my head if I try to figure out what it is in English my brain’s a bit confused so I do it in French…and I understand it better.

In this extract Genevieve says that she uses both languages to think. She indicates that she uses each language strategically to understand more clearly.

As outlined in figure 1, Genevieve speaks both French and English at home and in her interview she expresses enjoyment at learning and understanding the differences between French and English. She places a high value on both of her languages. When asked what she thinks about learning French she describes it as follows,

um it’s fun … learning the language is very different to English ‘cos they’ve got all sorts of, like, vocabulary and things like that…it’s completely different

Genevieve’s description of enjoying learning the differences between the two languages indicates a deeper level of understanding and interest in both languages than was shown by the other students who were interviewed. She shows that she notices the differences between the languages and is able to make comparisons and connections between the two languages that she speaks. Her indication that it is fun to learn these differences shows a positive attitude to both of the languages and a positive attitude to learning. This supports the findings that were

made in a study in Victoria involving primary school students in a bilingual Hebrew/English program. These students showed an understanding of the literacy differences between the two languages and were able to explain linguistic differences between the two languages (de Courcy, 2006).

When Genevieve was asked if she thinks that speaking two languages is something that would be useful, she responded, ‘yeah I’d take advantage of that. Speaking more than two languages is a, a gift I guess’. This response arguably shows what a high value Genevieve places upon knowing two languages. She feels that not everyone has the ability to speak more than one language and that it is something she is lucky to have.

Genevieve is pleased that other students in the school learn French even if they do not find it easy or do not have a connection with France themselves. She says ‘yeah, it’s good even if they don’t understand, I like that they learn it still’. I suggest that this indicates that the level of intercultural understanding that other students might gain from language learning in a bilingual program helps this French-speaking student to feel more comfortable in the school environment. This is a point that was echoed in some of the other students’ interviews, indicating that a number find it reassuring to know that other students value languages and speak other languages at home.

The students in the interviews had previously completed a written questionnaire about their language use and language attitudes (Fielding, 2009). In this questionnaire they were presented with a diagram of a continuum showing Australian at one end, French at the other and Both Equally in the middle of the continuum. The students were asked to place a cross on the line according to how they saw themselves. This procedure mirrored a method used in another study looking at bilingualism in Australia (Lotherington, 2003). In the interviews the students were asked to explain why they had placed their crosses in the locations they had selected. Genevieve placed her cross above the words ‘both equally’ in the middle of the

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for her to describe herself as bilingual. She also takes support from her parents’ opinions that she speaks French very well.

Elizabeth’s story: ‘It makes me feel, like, lucky’

English

French

Frenchteacher

Brothers

Englishteacher

Friends

DadMum

Elizabeth presents quite a different story to Genevieve. Her linguistic profile is illustrated in figure 2. Elizabeth speaks only English to her parents, who are both from England. Elizabeth was born in France and started school in France while her parents worked there. She speaks French with her older brothers as they all spent several years at school in France up to high school level. While living in France, English was maintained at home, while French was spoken at school and in the wider community. Now that the family are in Australia, French is actively maintained in the home alongside the English that is spoken.

Elizabeth’s older brothers speak more French than she does as they went to school to a higher level than Elizabeth in France. She explains that outside of school most of her French conversation takes place with her brothers, saying she speaks French with ‘mostly my brothers because they speak it better than my parents do’.

Elizabeth illustrates the importance of siblings in assisting younger siblings to

Genevieve: yeah when I talk to people in France they speak fully French and some of the jokes I don’t get or anything but um I do like that…yeah there’s the difference between living in France all your life and living in Australia.

In this extract there are a number of explicit references to Genevieve’s understanding of identity and culture. Firstly, she explicitly acknowledges that she has two backgrounds and she labels herself as having two cultures (‘I’m not just from one culture, from France AND Australia’). This shows an acknowledgement of bilingual identity through her feeling of biculturality. Secondly, Genevieve clearly links her feelings of belonging to two cultures with an ability to understand people from both cultures. When similar concepts were posed to other students asking them about understanding other people, very literal responses were obtained with the students taking the term ‘understanding’ to mean literally understanding the meaning of the words in French. Genevieve shows a deeper level of interpretation of the term by answering about intercultural understanding and showing that she feels she would understand the jokes more fully if she had lived in that culture. She indicates that because she lives in the Australian culture she might not fully understand the viewpoint and context that the French person was referring to, as there is a difference in understanding between growing up in one country and growing up in another country.

When Genevieve is asked whether she would describe herself as bilingual she answers,

yeah I reckon, ‘cos I, my parents say I can speak French very well and um I’m at the middle standard of French ‘cos I did some tests recently …and uh yeah and English is fine for me.

From this extract of the interview Genevieve links viewing herself as bilingual with her ability in both languages. She does not appear to think that she needs to have equal ability in both languages, but because she thinks she has ability in both it is sufficient

continuum line. In response to the interview question asking why she placed herself in that position along the French/Australian continuum Genevieve responded,

well, ‘cos I was born in Australia I feel Australian mostly, but with French, um ‘cos my Dad’s born in France and I’ve been over there um twice in my life and I can speak the language a lot, I sort of feel like I’m a part of France as well…so I see myself as French and English.

From this excerpt of the interview it is clear that Genevieve feels mostly Australian because it is her country of birth. Her connection to feeling French is due to two reasons, her family connection with France and because she can speak French. In this way, Genevieve is making a clear link between her ability to speak the language and a corresponding development of identity associated with that language.

Genevieve cited three factors as being influential upon her bilingual identity: birthplace, language, and family background. Other students also cited these factors as the main things determining whether they are bilingual. Independently, three students listed these three factors as the things that make them bilingual.

The words I see myself as and I feel like I’m used here show that Genevieve is describing her self-concept in this description and this is a clear indication that she is describing an aspect of her identity. Genevieve’s interview offered further insight into her opinion, as shown in the following excerpt.

Genevieve: yeah I’ve got two different backgrounds, which I like

Interviewer: So you think that makes you a bit different in a good way?

Genevieve: yeah I’m not just from one culture, from France AND Australia (students own emphasis)

Interviewer: and do you think that helps you to understand people who are from other countries and how they might feel?

GENEVIEVE CITED THREE FACTORS AS BEING INFLUENTIAL UPON HER BILINGUAL IDENTITY: BIRTHPLACE, LANGUAGE, AND FAMILY BACKGROUND. OTHER STUDENTS ALSO CITED THESE FACTORS AS THE MAIN THINGS DETERMINING WHETHER THEY ARE BILINGUAL.

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THE LANGUAGES INVOLVED FOR THESE TWO GIRLS ARE GENERALLY PERCEIVED AS ‘VALUED’ IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY. THEIR STORIES OF PRIDE MAY HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT IF THE LANGUAGES INVOLVED WERE NOT PERCEIVED TO BE USEFUL OR VALUABLE.

in France. Her desire to stay in Australia is mainly because she likes her peers.

In the interview, Elizabeth indicated that she feels that she is partly French and partly English. She has not lived in Australia for as long as she lived in France and so she feels less attachment to being Australian. Elizabeth’s attachment to being English is associated with her parents both being from England and her attachment to being French stems from her use of the language and having lived there. When Elizabeth was asked to explain why she placed herself in the middle of the continuum with English at one end and French at the other, she explained that ‘French and English are basically the most that I feel and Australian’s like sort of, like, new’.

Elizabeth has only been in Australia for two years and she has been at the same school for all of that time. She explains that being in this school has helped her to adapt to life in Australia. She likes school here more than in France because it is not as strict. Elizabeth finds that her schooling is important for language maintenance and building up her proficiency in French now that she lives in Australia with English-speaking parents.

Elizabeth expressed her connection to French culture though her description of what she finds funny in French humour. She reads French comics and watches French movies because she likes the humour. She was asked to describe her understanding of French humour and whether she thinks that it is connected to understanding the culture of France. Her explanation indicates that she thinks it is necessary to understand French culture to fully understand the French sense of humour. She said,

you probably have to know a bit about France to find that funny…and a bit about the schools and everything

She indicates in her explanation that to find the humour in the comic funny you might need to know about France and the French school system because the story is set in a French school and about a character at school. She believes that the humour is based on knowledge of the culture of school

develop and practise language (Gregory, 2005), particularly in relationship to the development of membership of the cultural group and of individual identity. Elizabeth explains that in their family she thinks they use English about 75 per cent of the time and the remaining quarter of communication is in French.

In her interview Elizabeth indicated that she had spent some of her childhood so far in France, with parents that speak mostly English. When she was asked how she felt about speaking two languages Elizabeth had the following exchange with the interviewer.

Elizabeth: I thought that it was good to be able to speak two languages.

Interviewer: Why do you think that it’s good?

Elizabeth: so that I can, like, I don’t know so that I can sort of, like, communicate with different people

Elizabeth has been in situations where both English and French were important tools to communicate with people and so she expresses the importance of being good at two languages. For Elizabeth going to school in France provided her with access to learning French at a young age and her parents helped her to develop her English in the home environment. When questioned further about her feelings on speaking two languages Elizabeth responded positively,

well it like makes me feel sort of, like, smart but, like, …still it makes me feel, like, lucky and everything, like, being able to know two languages and I can speak them both as well [as each other]

Elizabeth feels lucky to be able to speak two languages and feels that it means that she is clever. She shows that she knows that not all children her age can speak two languages and she is proud to be able to do so. When she was asked whether she feels more comfortable speaking French or English she said she feels the same in both languages. Elizabeth reads books in English and French, but says that she would probably choose English over French because it is a bit

easier. However, she does see the benefit of reading in French because it helps her to maintain her language skills. She noted,

well it’s, like, pretty interesting like the words that I’ve forgotten that come back into my head…so yeah I’ve started enjoying it now.

For Elizabeth, reading is a strategy for maintaining and remembering language that she otherwise does not get to practise. The more she remembers the more she enjoys reading in French. Alongside maintaining her language, she becomes increasingly motivated to read more in French. Initially, she began reading French books because she was prompted by her mother to and she had access to her older brothers’ French books. At the time of the interview she indicated that she had begun to see the benefits of reading in French and was beginning to enjoy it.

When Elizabeth was asked what it means to her to speak French and English, she reiterated some of the positive aspects mentioned previously, saying,

well I feel, like, proud to know, like, two different languages that I can speak both pretty well and I think it’s, like, a good thing, like, not a bad thing

In two separate sections of the interview Elizabeth spoke about being able to speak both languages as well as each other. This seems to be a source of pride for her and something that she feels is special. In spite of not explicitly describing herself as bilingual in this section of the interview, Elizabeth’s description of herself as equally proficient in both languages indicates that she sees herself as a functional bilingual according to the definition of Baetens Beardsmore (1982). In order to clarify whether Elizabeth saw herself as bilingual, she was asked in a latter section of the interview whether she would call herself bilingual and she confirmed that she would.

When asked if she would continue to speak both languages as she gets older she responded that she would like to, although she doesn’t think she would go back to live

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and what that means in France. Elizabeth feels connected enough to French culture that she connects with the humour.

At a different stage in the interview Elizabeth spoke about her description of watching French movies in her journal of language use. When she was asked about the kind of movies she watches, she said:

Comedy... I like the ones that are basically made in France because [in dubbed films] when they talk they like record over the voice that it was and I find that a bit confusing

Elizabeth shows that she prefers to watch films that have been made in France. This may be because the culture and language do not mesh together in dubbed films in the same way that they do in a film made and spoken in the one language and culture. Elizabeth specifically chooses to watch comedy films from France, again showing her feeling of connection to French culture.

DiscussionThe terms Genevieve and Elizabeth use to describe their language experiences show a belief that they are privileged in some way by knowing two languages. There is a level of awareness that they have something extra in the Australian context — they are special, lucky and have a gift. In considering these students’ self-concepts it is important to report their own words, and to ensure that interpretation does not remove the intention of the individuals in selecting the words they have chosen. As mentioned earlier, the languages involved for these two girls are generally perceived as ‘valued’ in the wider community. Their stories of pride may have been very different if the languages involved were not perceived to be useful or valuable.

Both Genevieve and Elizabeth indicated that they feel more confident about speaking two languages when they know that other students also speak other languages. Research has indicated that in multilingual learning contexts student confidence with language is closely related to their use of

language, and that this, in turn, is influenced by the formal language learning setting that they experience in school (Kirsch, 2006). In line with this research, the students in this study indicated in the interviews that by knowing that others in the school environment value languages and speak other languages they felt more confident and comfortable about their own linguistic skills. This offers an important consideration for teachers of all students with bilingual identities. Teachers need to consider how different languages in the classroom are incorporated as valuable tools for students. When transformative pedagogies such as this are used students appear to be more comfortable with being bilingual.

The students used various words to express the positive feelings they have towards speaking two languages: lucky, special, and proud. The students indicated awareness that their linguistic skills are different from the average Australian student, and they viewed this in a positive way, seeing their skills as something special that they felt proud of. Pride is a theme that was also noted in Molyneux’s (2004) study of bilingual learners in Victoria. Molyneux (2004) found that students learning bilingually felt the learning setting helped them to develop pride in both their family background and being Australian. Thus, this study’s findings support Molyneux’s assertion that bilingual education can support students in developing a positive self-image of their language skills. However, for both Elizabeth and Genevieve the languages they are associated with are English and French, which are generally perceived to have ‘assigned value’ in the wider community and wider world. This may contrast with the context of Molyneux’s (2004) study where the students’ community languages were sometimes perceived differently. Therefore, it is possible that Elizabeth and Genevieve have not encountered some of the tensions that students with background languages that are not perceived positively in the community may experience.

Elizabeth indicated the importance of maintaining her language skills. As she

THE STUDENTS IN THIS STUDY INDICATED IN THE INTERVIEWS THAT BY KNOWING THAT OTHERS IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT VALUE LANGUAGES AND SPEAK OTHER LANGUAGES THEY FELT MORE CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE ABOUT THEIR OWN LINGUISTIC SKILLS.

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had lived in France in the past she saw the benefit of learning in a bilingual setting for her language maintenance and expressed pleasure in regaining some of the skills and vocabulary that she had lost in the intervening time. Both students explicitly cited the school program as a place that fosters their language maintenance. It was mentioned that a benefit of being in the school bilingual program is being able to maintain French language more easily and have regular contact with the language. As the literature shows, quality and quantity of exposure to both languages are extremely important in development of bilingualism and bilingual identity (Baker, 2002).

Genevieve was quite explicit in her discussion of enjoying noticing the differences between her two languages. This reflects similar findings in another Australian study (de Courcy, 2006) and indicates that Genevieve is developing biliteracy skills that enable her to see and talk about the two languages in terms of their differences and similarities. The development of biliteracy skills is closely related to development of bilingual identity (Bialystok, 2002; Hamers & Blanc, 2000). Genevieve expresses metalinguistic understanding through her comparison of the two languages, and her description of her enjoyment of the process of comparing the languages. In this way her awareness of language may indicate part of her self-concept of bilingual identity. Across all of the interviewed students in the broader study (Fielding, 2009) it was indicated that the factors that most strongly influenced development of bilingual identity were language, family connection to culture or language, and place of birth. Language was shown to be an important factor for the students because of the languages they use and have access to. Genevieve’s developing biliteracy and metalinguistic understanding are tools that bilingual students in ‘regular’ classrooms can draw on to assist with their language learning, their learning of English, and their understanding of their background languages.

Family connection to culture or language was shown to be important by students saying that their family (or part of their

family) is from a particular country and that by being part of that family they are also connected to that country. The students also cited family connection by saying that through using the language with family members they feel connected to the culture. The importance of family connection as cited by these students presents a link to the literature that shows identity as something that is always formed within the influences of context and society (Duff, 2002, 2003, 2007; Fought, 2006; Lave & Wenger, 1991). Interaction in the language with family members is cited as a key influence upon sociocultural connection and, thus, development of bilingual identity (Fielding, 2009). Both Genevieve and Elizabeth use two languages in their family communication. Genevieve uses French with her father and English with her mother while Elizabeth uses English with her parents and French and English with her brothers.

Place of birth was also cited as an important factor through students acknowledging that they were born in a particular country and, therefore, they identify with that nationality. As the literature has shown, language is also considered to be fundamentally linked to concepts of national identity (Suleiman, 2006). Place of birth can be seen as an important factor influencing connection to national identity. For students with a connection to another country it could be a factor contributing to their bilingual identity. For Elizabeth this is a factor contributing to her connection with France. For Genevieve the connection to France is through her father.

For all students with connections to more than one culture, the factors of their language, their family connection to language and culture, and their place of birth could be considered to be important elements in how or whether they feel part of more than one language and culture and consider themselves bilingual. The assigned value given to the languages and cultures involved is a key factor in how a young student might feel in expressing a connection to a language or culture. If they, consciously or subconsciously, pick

A BENEFIT OF BEING IN THE SCHOOL BILINGUAL PROGRAM IS BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN FRENCH LANGUAGE MORE EASILY AND HAVE REGULAR CONTACT WITH THE LANGUAGE. AS THE LITERATURE SHOWS, QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF EXPOSURE TO BOTH LANGUAGES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN DEVELOPMENT OF BILINGUALISM AND BILINGUAL IDENTITY.

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up on a negative assigned value associated with the language or culture there may be reluctance to nurture a connection to that language and culture. The girls in this paper were fortunate: the languages they connect with were assigned high values in their community and beyond. They, therefore, expressed pride in their bilingual identities.

ConclusionBoth students in this paper express connection to two languages and two countries. They have different experiences in terms of language use and where they have lived. These two students’ stories show one example of the different experiences of language and culture that students in primary schools have. These students are developing identities that incorporate a bilingual element and their voices show the individuality of that process, along with some of the common elements found across their stories and the stories of other students in the broader study (Fielding, 2009).

In today’s Australian classrooms many students have some connection to more than one language. It is important to consider how these students might conceive of their bilingual identities. It is also important to consider the differences and tensions that may exist in relation to the ‘assigned value’ of the languages involved. For the two students in this paper their languages had perceived value across their community and therefore the community aspect of the third element of ‘investment’– from the three pronged frame of sociocultural connection, interaction, and investment – was present (Fielding, 2009). However, not all students have this supportive environment. Many young Australians feel connected to languages and cultures that are devalued in the society around them and further consideration of how best to support these students is needed in order for them to develop the ‘investment’ required for their bilingual identity to fully develop and flourish.

Dr Ruth Fielding is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney. She specialises in Language Teaching Curriculum and Methodology, and Bilingualism. Ruth worked as a high school teacher of German and French prior to completing her PhD in bilingualism. Her thesis examined the identity development of young bilingual children.

Email ruth.fielding@sydney.edu.au

IN TODAY’S AUSTRALIAN CLASSROOMS MANY STUDENTS HAVE SOME CONNECTION TO MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER HOW THESE STUDENTS MIGHT CONCEIVE OF THEIR BILINGUAL IDENTITIES. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE DIFFERENCES AND TENSIONS THAT MAY EXIST IN RELATION TO THE ‘ASSIGNED VALUE’ OF THE LANGUAGES INVOLVED.

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