On the afternoon of June 12, 2025, our institute hosted a specialized lecture by Professor Li Guofang from the University of British Columbia, Canada. Professor Li, a distinguished scholar and doctoral supervisor, is renowned for her expertise in cross-national and global perspectives on language development and literacy education for children and adolescents. Her lecture, titled “The Impact of Family Bilingual Environments on Children’s Bilingual Vocabulary Development”, was hosted by Professor Guo Haojun, with Professor Xu Lixin in attendance. Participants included graduate students specializing in English language teaching, undergraduate students majoring in English Education, and faculty members from the School of Foreign Languages.

Professor Li has made significant contributions across various fields including bilingual literacy, minority language education, teacher training, cross-cultural adaptation of immigrant children, bicultural development, technology integration in primary and secondary language instruction, and language policy and practice in the context of globalization. She has authored 19 monographs, published over 200 academic articles, and presented at more than 200 conferences worldwide. Recognized as one of the top 2% most-cited social scientists globally, she has delivered keynote speeches at numerous international forums. What’s more, she has led major research projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education on international language education, as well as research grants from the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Canadian social sciences and humanities funding agencies. She has served as an invited reviewer for annual grants from organizations such as the U.S. Department of Education, the Canadian government, and the China English Reading Research Institute. Besides, she used to take the roles of Executive Director of the U.S. Language Literacy Research Association, head of various divisions within the American Educational Research Association, member of the Publications Committee of TESOL International, and Executive Director of the National Chinese Social Science Association.

At the outset of the lecture, Professor Li posed an insightful question "Why do teachers need to know about students' studying at home?" This provocative question revealed a gap in the knowledge of some pre-service teachers—namely, their limited awareness of students' out-of-class and home learning environments. Subsequently, Professor Li drew upon her research across various stages of her career, situating language education within a broader socio-cultural context. She analyzed the underlying educational beliefs and cultural traditions that often go unnoticed behind seemingly routine teaching methods. Additionally, she discussed the educational challenges faced by new immigrant families in Canada and mainstream schools, stemming from cultural differences. In response to these issues, Canadian teacher education programs currently emphasize developing pre-service teachers' skills in cross-cultural communication with parents from diverse backgrounds, curriculum development, and reflective practice.

Subsequently, Professor Li focused on a recent study conducted by her team. This research tracked the bilingual vocabulary development trajectories of Canadian children over time, examining how family bilingual practices influence both native and second languages, as well as the importance of bilingual reading activities and resources. The findings indicated that the home environment is critical for maintaining bilingual proficiency, and the richness of family language use serving as a consistent predictor of bilingual vocabulary growth. Moreover, the quality of family interactions proved more influential than merely providing language resources; high-quality activities like shared reading between parents and children significantly promote vocabulary development. Bilingual reading resources support language growth in both languages, though the effectiveness of digital resources varies with age—being particularly beneficial during preschool years but potentially having adverse effects in later grades.

Research findings offered valuable insights for promoting comprehensive language development among bilingual children. At the family level, parents can enhance high-quality reading and writing activities in their native language and optimize the language environment by thoughtfully managing bilingual book resources and cautiously using digital devices. In terms of school support, educators can provide professional guidance to parents on family literacy activities and offer personalized assistance to families whose native language is not Mandarin, thereby improving the quality of home-school collaboration. Future research directions include analyzing how different socioeconomic statuses influence the acquisition of the dominant language and minority languages (such as dialects), examining children’s proactive behaviors in family literacy, and exploring patterns of children’s engagement with digital resources.

In the concluding part, Professor Guo Haojun highlighted that Professor Li’s research offered profound inspiration for pre-service English teachers across three dimensions: understanding language, understanding society, and understanding the self. It demonstrated how leading global education scholars dedicate years to their research with unwavering passion, show empathy and concern for the circumstances of teachers and students, and use rigorous empirical studies to bring the stories of overseas Chinese family education into view. Despite the many challenges faced by Canadian teachers in a multicultural context, they continue to demonstrate professionalism, pedagogical wisdom, and a love for education to resolve conflicts in home-school communication. Engaging in cross-cultural dialogue and sharing research experiences within the framework of a shared human destiny helps broaden the international perspective of future teachers. It also deepens our admiration for the hardworking teachers in China’s basic education sector, as we see a commonality among Chinese and Canadian educators—the relentless pursuit of professional excellence and the powerful internal drive to love education as if it were life itself.

During the interactive session, two pre-service English teachers shared their greatest takeaways, expressing that their educational ideals have become even more steadfast. They also posed questions to Professor Li about practical issues encountered in their daily English teaching. Professor Li patiently and thoroughly addressed each inquiry, sharing more vivid stories of education and research, creating a rich academic atmosphere on site.

Finally, Professor Xu Lixin summarized that Professor Li’s lecture offered a novel perspective on the essence of language teaching from a socio-cultural standpoint. This new perspective can enhance teachers’ cognitive frameworks, thereby influencing pedagogical decision-making. For future educators, mastering solid teaching skills is fundamental, while a deep understanding of students’ developmental backgrounds and learning characteristics is equally essential. Additionally, home-school collaboration serves as a crucial entry point for educational research and a vital safeguard for improving educational quality. Students should cultivate keen observational skills through practical teaching experiences, learn to identify and analyze problems, and strive to become research-oriented and reflective teachers—those who combine practical wisdom with research capabilities in the new era.

Text and images: Zhang Qi and Hong Xiaoqian 

Editor: Guo Haojun 

Review: Xu Lixin