Using a language socialization framework to explore Chinese Students’ L2 Reticence in English language learning
Abstract Chinese students’ reticence in English learning has been widely observed in language classrooms. While a number of prior studies have made a significant contribution to understanding Chinese students’ L2 reticence, greater clarity would benefit the field's understanding of L2 reticence, in terms of L2 reticence as a classroom phenomenon and how learners’ agentic effort manifests in reticent ways of language learning. To bridge this gap, in the present study we set out to investigate Chinese students’ L2 interactional reticence drawing insights from a language socialization perspective and using an ethnographic design. In doing so, this study demonstrated the mechanisms of language socialization in an English class in China, and provided alternative ways of understanding how the students appeared to become reticent learners of English. These results suggest a more nuanced understanding of L2 reticence. Based on these findings, we discuss the potential of the language socialization approach in researching L2 reticence and implications for research in this topical domain.