Rethinking language socialization through a learner of misrecognized success: an intrinsic case study of a bilingual Canadian student in China
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Yu, Wenjun
[1]
;
Xu, Hao
[1]
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[1] Beijing Foreign Studies University
Beijing Foreign Studies University
China
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- Localización: International journal of bilingual education and bilingualism, ISSN 1367-0050, Vol. 29, Nº. 8, 2026, págs. 1142-1161
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
Situated in Chinese-and-English-medium higher education, this intrinsic case study rethinks prevailing standards for successful Language Socialization (LS) by examining misrecognized success. In such cases, learners’ visible competence and smooth participation are taken as evidence of successful integration, even as they remain internally distant and superficially engaged. To capture this process in institutional contexts, the study follows a bilingual Canadian undergraduate during a six-month exchange at a university in China and uses thematically analyzed qualitative data to trace socialization across academic and peer interactional contexts. Findings show that, despite fluent Chinese and confident public performance, the participant’s engagement with the local community often remained limited. He avoided clarification, relied on contextual inference, and used digital tools to manage interactional demands. These practices were not rooted in linguistic deficiency but shaped by social-cognitive mechanisms aimed at preserving self-image and minimizing discomfort. To illustrate this pattern, the study introduces the transparent shell metaphor to show how visible participation can coexist with constrained internal socialization. The study problematizes behaviorally oriented LS standards that equate fluency with adaptation and highlights pedagogical needs for emotional safety, reflective dialogue, and low-risk opportunities for clarification in bilingual and international classrooms.
