Critical Insights into Ethnic Minority Education Policies in the People's Republic of China: A Study of the Dai Language Curriculum
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This paper investigates the implementation of the Dai language curriculum within a culturally diverse school setting in Xishuangbanna, China. Employing a qualitative research methodology, including semi-structured interviews, observation, and document analysis, the study examines three key aspects: curriculum implementation, diverse perspectives, and the influence of Chinese Preferential Policies (CPPs). Originating from a 2017 directive by the Xishuangbanna Office of Education emphasizing bilingual education in Dai and Chinese Mandarin, the curriculum's inception and execution are analyzed. After conducting interviews and observations with various stakeholders, including Dai and non-Dai students, educators, parents, and community leaders, we discovered that Dai students have a strong connection to their cultural heritage. Moreover, non-Dai students are interested in exploring their own languages and cultures. Additionally, the study highlights the significant influence of CPPs on curriculum implementation, underscoring its role in facilitating development and community engagement. However, the paper argues that while CPPs-driven language education may benefit dominant ethnic groups, it may inadvertently hinder cultural inclusion for non-dominant groups within the educational framework. This paper contributes nuanced insights into the complexities surrounding the implementation of ethnic language curricula in culturally diverse educational settings, shedding light on both opportunities and challenges inherent in CPPs-driven educational policies.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Banks, J. (2013). An introduction to multicultural education (5th ed.). Pearson.
Bao, W. L. J. C. (2017). The necessity and strategy of carrying out multicultural teaching in school curriculum in ethnic regions. Journal of Research on Education for Ethnic Minorities, (2), 104–108.https://chn.oversea.cnki.net/KNavi/JournalDetail?pcode=CJFD&pykm=MZJY
Chen, S. (2017). A comparative study of school’s multicultural education in frontier minority areas – Illustrated by the case of three primary schools in Gengma county, Yunnan province [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Yunnan Normal University.
Chen, X. M. (2000). Qualitative research in social sciences. Educational Science Publishing House.
Du, J. G., & Leung, B. W. (2022). The sustainability of multicultural music education in Guizhou Province, China. International Journal of Music Education, 40(1), 131–148. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761421102737
Giroux, H. A. (1992). Border crossings: Cultural workers and the politics of education. Routledge.
Giroux, H. A. (2016). When schools become dead zones of the imagination: A critical pedagogy manifesto. The High School Journal, 99(4), 351–359. https://doi.org/10.1353/hsj.2016.0014
Gu, M. (2014). On general issues of bilingual education for minority ethnic groups. Frontiers of Education in China, 9(4), 603–611. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03397042
He, X. Y. (2016). A study of harmonious education in minority areas from a multicultural perspective [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Southwest University.
Hinton, S. (2011). Ethnic diversity, national unity and multicultural education in China. US-China Education Review A, 1(5), 726–739. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED527667.pdf
Hoshino, M. (2019). Preferential policies for China’s ethnic minorities at a crossroads. Journal of Contemporary East Asia Studies, 8(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/24761028.2019.1625178
Hu, Y. Z., & Zou, Y. (2016). A proper understanding of extra credit policies for ethnic minorities. Journal of South-Central University for Nationalities (Humanities and Social Sciences), (5), 18–22. https://caod.oriprobe.com/articles/49319977/zheng_que_ren_shi_shao_shu_min_zu_gao_kao_jia_fen_zheng_ce_.htm
Huang, P. (2014). A review of research on ethnic preferential policies in China. Heilongjiang Ethnic Series, (4), 17–24. https://doi.org/10.16415/j.cnki.23-1021/c.2014.04.023
Kincheloe, J. (2008). Knowledge and critical pedagogy: An introduction. Springer.
Kivunja, C., & Kuyini, A. B. (2017). Understanding and applying research paradigms in educational contexts. International Journal of Higher Education, 6(5), 26–41. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v6n5p26
Kong, P. A., & Yu, X. R. (2019). Bilingual education for a harmonious multiculturalism: The importance of policy discourse for students of ethnic minority groups in China. Multicultural Education Review, 11(3), 189–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/2005615X.2019.1664017
Krathwohl, D. (2009). Methods of educational and social science research: An integrated approach (3rd ed.). Waveland Press, Inc.
Liu, X. (2020). Comparing multicultural education in China and Finland: From policy to practice. Asian Ethnicity, 23(1), 165–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/14631369.2020.1760078
Ma, R. (2014). Reflections on the debate on China’s ethnic policy: My reform proposals and their critics. Asian Ethnicity, 15(2), 237–246. https://doi.org/10.1080/14631369.2013.868205
McCarthy, S. K. (2009). Communist multiculturalism: Ethnic revival in southwest China. University of Washington Press.
McLaren, P. (1998). Life in schools: An introduction to critical pedagogy in the foundations of education (3rd ed.). Longman Pub Group.
Wan, M. G., & Bai, L. (2008). A comparison between the Western multicultural education and Chinese ethnic education. Ethno-national Studies, 50(6), 32–41.
Wang, G., & Gao, F. (2023). The school-based multicultural education curriculum in China: A case study of two Yugur middle schools. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2023.2166944
Wang, G., & Zhang, X. (2016). Internationalization and localization of bilingual education projects in Southwestern multiethnic areas: A study on Bai and Chinese bilingual education project in Jianchuan county of Dali Bai autonomous prefecture of Yunnan province. Journal of Research in Education for Ethnic Minorities, 27(2), 89–93. https://caod.oriprobe.com//articles/48045795/Internationalization_and_Localization_of_
Bilingual_Education_Projects_.htm
Wang, J. (2014). Issues of and suggestions for ethnic policy-making and implementation in China. Contemporary Education and Culture, 6(6), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.13749/j.cnki.cn62-1202/g4.2014.06.005
Wang, J., & He, X. G. (2000). On criticism and reflection on multicultural education. Journal of Shanghai Education Research, 145(1), 32–35. https://doi.org/10.16194/j.cnki.31-1059/g4.2000.01.010
Wang, T. (2020). An exploration of cultural diversity and educational policies in Chinese society. Journal of Chinese Education, (3), 43–50.
Wang, Y. X., & Phillion, J. (2009). Minority language policy and practice in China: The need for multicultural education. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 11(1), Article 138. https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v11i1.138
Yao, J. Z., Turner, M., & Bonar, G. (2022). Ethnic minority language policies and practices in China: Revisiting Ruiz’s language orientation theory through a critical biliteracy lens. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 45(7), 2400–2411. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2050915
Ye, H., Jacob, W. J., Xiong, W., & Chen, B. (2017). The challenges and obstacles in China’s bilingual education for ethnic minorities. Research on Higher Education of Nationalities, 5(1), 32–39. https://doi.org/10.14045/j.cnki.rhen.2017.01.006
Yu, T., & Zhang, Y. (2016). Survey on multicultural education situation of schools in Miao nationality areas in south Sichuan province. Proceedings of the 2015 International Seminar on Social Science and Humanistic Education, 24, Article 02007. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20162402007
Zhang, W. Z. (2017). Multicultural ethnic music education in communist China. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 19(3), 65–84. https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v19i3.1359
Zhang, Z. Y., & Hou, H. Y. (2015). The origin, formation and development of critical pedagogy. Theory and Practice of Education, 35(31), 3–7. https://caod.oriprobe.com/articles/47360956/The_Origin__Formation_and_Development_of_Critical_.htm
Zhong, J. R., & Jiang, S. H. (2018). Towards integration: The way of multicultural education in the field of national schools. Research on Higher Education of Nationalities, 6(5), 22–27. https://caod.oriprobe.com/articles/54997215/Towards_Integration__The_Way_of_Multicultural_Educ.htm
Zhou, Q. S. (2013). China’s development of language policy for “subjectivity with diversity”. Journal of Xinjiang Normal University (Edition of Philosophy and Social Sciences), (2), 32–44. https://caod.oriprobe.com/articles/32429958/China_s_Development_of_Language_Policy_for__Subjec.htm
