Trilingual Literacy for Ethnic Groups in China-A case study of Hani People in Yuanyang County of Yunnan

Yuanbing Duan

doi:10.5539/elt.v4n4p274

Abstract

This paper examines the current trilingual literacy situation of Hani People in Yuanyang County of Yunnan, China, with significance of finding out specific problems which influence the trilingual education greatly. It also reports on the effects of training for trilingual teachers, ways of improving learner’s motivation and updating the trilingual education materials. Lastly, several possible solutions are provided for successful minority education.

Highlights

This paper will discuss one part of school literacy in China, to be specific, how do ethnic groups start learning English, their difficulties and problems in current situation, and suggested solutions are provided for guiding students’ literacy success.With the reform and open policy carried out in 1978, education in China has gained its growing concern; more and more people have had the consciousness of being literate
Historians have great interests on the history and development of specific group; ethnographies focus on origin and transformation of minority people; linguists pay special attention to their minority educations and languages
As an EFL teacher in Yunnan, to pay particular focus on the diverse ways of school literacy by ethnic minority students will make a contribution to this international endeavor of education for sustainable development

Summary

Introduction

This paper will discuss one part of school literacy in China, to be specific, how do ethnic groups start learning English, their difficulties and problems in current situation, and suggested solutions are provided for guiding students’ literacy success. Historians have great interests on the history and development of specific group; ethnographies focus on origin and transformation of minority people; linguists pay special attention to their minority educations and languages. As an EFL teacher in Yunnan, to pay particular focus on the diverse ways of school literacy by ethnic minority students will make a contribution to this international endeavor of education for sustainable development. To narrow down my concerns of this paper are how do ethnic people start to learn English; what is their learning situation, what might be problems in their contexts and what are possible solutions.

Profile of Yuanyang and Hani People

Literature on Trilingual Education

Problems