Social-Class Identity and English Learning: Studies of Chinese Learners

This article first looks at the complex conceptualization of Chinese learners’ social-class identities with respect to a shifting Chinese class stratification. It then examines the link between social class and second-language learning in the Chinese context by reviewing several studies on Chinese learners’ social-class backgrounds and their English language learning experiences, discussing the strengths and limitations of these studies and suggesting some directions for future research.