The Relationship between L1 and L2 Literacy: Some Complicating Factors

This paper explores ways in which the wholesale transfer of assumptions from LI literacy can sometimes complicate the process of acquiring L2 literacy. Using the methods of narrative inquiry, I describe my attempts to reach a deeper understanding of L2 literacy via an autobiographical study of Chinese literacy acquisition. The article describes the ways in which my prior English language literacy experiences affected my progress in the L2 and outlines the very complex set of unconscious assumptions about literacy which were held by my Chinese tutor and myself. Some of the key areas in which my tutor and I held different assumptions about literacy included: the qualities of self which literacy skills display; the value of analytic approaches to learning literacy versus holistic ones; the relationship between form and content; and the signs of a good learner. The article also touches on the emotional impact of this experience and suggests that teachers need to reach a fuller understanding of their unconscious assumptions about literacy if they are to help L2 literacy learners.