ABSTRACT
Children's language skills are recognized as a key element in their literacy development. High-quality language experiences in preschool are known to foster children's development in literacy in kindergarten and the primary school years. Chinese children are recognized as good academic achievers in many Australian schools and this trend is also documented for other English-speaking countries. The research into Australian Chinese students has explored the factors contributing to Chinese children's success in schools. The social power between the participants and the role that participants play are vital factors influencing the organization of the text of language. This chapter gains some insight into the language experiences that Chinese children had in Australian early childhood centers. The finding that a large portion of educators' language is made up of offers and commands raises a concern as to the quality of the limited interaction between the educators and the Chinese children.
