Mar 11 Chapter 5 questions

I have not realized how frequently we are using mixed research methods until I read this chapter. Perhaps due to the nature of second language studies, we should embrace a large variety of types of data to describe and interpret the products as well as the processes of second language learning: for instance, in order to account for the development of writing strategies in a second language, both the counting of strategy use and detailed descriptions about learners’ attitudes towards strategy use should be helpful. By triangulating methods and data analysis, researchers can get a deeper understanding of the issues they are investigating as well as enhancing the validity of their findings.

However, mixed methods design is not an additive combination of quantitative and qualitative paradigms. As is pointed out by Polio and Friedman (2017), cautions should be taken against the reconciliation of theoretical, methodological and practical stances between these two research strands, such as experimental versus ethnographic, postpositivist versus postmodern, and explanatory versus exploratory. Actually, few researchers can be equally good at conducting both kinds of research. My suggestion is that quantitative and qualitative researchers can collaborate with each other to resolve SLA problems. Collaboration is becoming more and more popular in social sciences, especially in psychology and neuroscience. If a specific SLA phenomenon we are trying to account for is the same or similar to some extent, why shouldn’t we cooperate by investigating it from different angles?

For the final project, I am very interested in what Youngjoo Yi did in her study about the identity negotiation and the second language writing proficiency of Jogi Yuhak student in a US high school. I think I am going to investigate parachute Chinese kids, who are often described as economically privileged Chinese students sent alone to North America to seek educational opportunities. Probably I will do several case studies by selecting international undergraduate students (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) at UI who comes from China, analyzing their English writings by text analysis, and interview with them about their attitudes towards English writing as well as the negotiation of their identities during their study-abroad periods. I know this is a huge project; I am going to narrow it down later by talking with Professor Severino or my classmates.