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Title

Heritage Cantonese Education in Vancouver – a case study

Project summary

This study explores the policy perspectives and classroom-based practices of Cantonese heritage language education in Metro Vancouver, focusing on both ‘top-down’ (governmental) and ‘bottom-up’ (community) efforts. Using the Heritage Language Education Capacity Index (HLECI) framework (Aravossitas, 2016), it examines the assets and educational systems that support heritage language (HL) teaching and learning. The research investigates how institutional support from public and private institutions, including government bodies and community organizations, contributes to HL education for both children and adults. It also considers pedagogy, language planning, and the language ideologies held by speaker communities and government agencies. Ultimately, the project aims to understand how cultural and linguistic heritage is preserved through these educational efforts.

About the student

Eunice Wong volunteers at an elementary school in Metro Vancouver through  afterschool program and also supports children as a speech-language pathologist assistant. Her work with children from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds has given her firsthand insight into the multilingual and multicultural fabric of the Canadian society. These experiences have inspired her interest in heritage language education, particularly how it is transmitted and maintained among the younger generation. Eunice is passionate about education. She aspires to become a speech-language pathologist or an early childhood educator, with a focus on fostering inclusive, language-rich learning environments.

Eunice is also a member of Dr. Yue Wang’s Language and Brain lab, where she gained a deeper understanding of speech and language perception, production, and acquisition while working under the ‘Adaptations in conversation: Engaging voices, faces, brains and machines’ project.

Exam Committee

Dr. Panayiotis Pappas, Supervisor
Dr. Yue Wang