Childhood Home Language Effects on Teacher Risk-Taking and Student-Centered Professional Practice in a Bilingual Chinese Context

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of English Childhood home language (CHL) on teacher risk taking and identity in a Chinese context where Chinese and English bilingualism is prioritized in its national school curriculum. Data were collected from 3388 Chinese Singaporean teachers. We used structural equation modeling to examine the relationships among CHL, risk taking, and teacher identification with student-centered practices. Results indicated that English-CHL professionals have stronger risk-taking tendencies compared with Chinese-CHL professionals, and that risk taking mediates the association between CHL and the likelihood of implementing student-centered practice. The results also indicate that CHL has direct effects on student-centered practice. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.