Crossing Borders with Mandarin: Socialisation and Identity in Chinese and British Contexts
Speaker: Dr Lin PAN (潘琳)
Abstract:
- With the global rise of Mandarin teaching, understanding the intercultural communication and identity construction of Mandarin as a Second Language (MSL) learners has become crucial. This study explores how British students navigate language socialisation and identity formation in both China and the UK. The research focuses on groups of British secondary school students who have attended summer camps in China and examines how they, as “newcomers” in China and “old-timers” in the UK, engage in collaborative activities and adopt local discursive practices. Using questionnaires, interviews, and autobiographical narrative inquiry, the study investigates how these experiences shape their evolving identities.
This study highlights the dynamic nature of language learners’ identities, which are not static but evolve across different social and linguistic contexts. It contributes to the field by providing a comparative analysis of how language socialisation in China and the UK influences MSL learners’ identity formation. The research underscores the importance of intercultural experiences in second language acquisition and offers insights into the multifaceted process of identity construction in diverse language communities.
Date: 24 February 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 13:30 - 15:00
Venue: D1-LP-07, Tai Po Campus
- Language: Putonghua and English
Registration link: https://forms.office.com/r/Yv5x3y9Qwg
Poster:
