Frontiers in psychology

2022年专刊

FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY（SSCI一区，2021 IF：4.232）“汉语二语/外语教学”专刊共发文23篇。内容涉及个体差异、口语准确性、学习焦虑、正字法知识、连接词线、对外汉语学习粘性、对外汉语教师身份建构等议题。欢迎转发扩散！

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刊讯｜SSCI 期刊《心理学前沿》 “汉语二语/外语阅读习得”专刊

目录

ARTICLES

■ Processing and acquisition of temporality in L2 Mandarin Chinese: Effects of grammatical and lexical aspects

■ Perspectives of transformative learning and professional agency: A native Chinese language teacher’s story of teacher identity transformation in Australia

■ The roles of motivation, anxiety and learning strategies in online Chinese learning among Thai learners of Chinese as a foreign language

■ Chinese language teachers’ dichotomous identities when teaching ingroup and outgroup students

■ Teacher cognition in teaching intercultural communicative competence: A qualitative study on preservice Chinese language teachers in Hong Kong SAR, China

■ Word Knowledge in L2 Chinese Lexical Inference: A Moderated Path Analysis of Language Proficiency Level and Heritage Status

■ How Learners’ Corrective Feedback Beliefs Modulate Their Oral Accuracy: A Comparative Study on High- and Low-Accuracy Learners of Chinese as a Second Language

■ The Influence of Form-Focused Instruction on the L2 Chinese Oral Production of Korean Native Speakers

■ Enhancing Syntactic Complexity in L2 Chinese Writing: Effects of Form-Focused Instruction on the Chinese Topic Chain

■ Lexical Orthographic Knowledge Mediates the Relationship Between Character Reading and Reading Comprehension Among Learners With Chinese as a Second Language

■The Development of Formulaic Knowledge in Super-Advanced Chinese Language Learners: Evidence From Processing Accuracy, Speed, and Strategies

■ Error Types of and Strategies on Learning Chinese Connectives: A Study on Chinese as a Second Language Learners’ Writing

■Relational Agency of University Teachers of Chinese as a Second Language: A Personal Network Perspective

■Language Interfaces in Adult Heritage Language Acquisition: A Study on Encoding of Nominal Reference in Mandarin Chinese as a Heritage Language

■Chinese Self, Australian Other: Chinese as a Foreign Language Teacher Identity Construction in Australian Contexts

■Online Self-Regulated Learning Profiles: A Study of Chinese as a Foreign Language Learners

■Pragmatic Competence and Willingness to Communicate Among L2 Learners of Chinese

■A Comparative Study of the Motivations to Teach Chinese Between Native and Non-native Pre-service CSL/CFL Teachers

■Motivational Strategies, Language Learning Strategies, and Literal and Inferential Comprehension in Second Language Chinese Reading: A Structural Equation Modeling Study

■ The Effect of Language Dominance on the Selective Attention of Segments and Tones in Urdu-Cantonese Speakers

摘要

Processing and acquisition of temporality in L2 Mandarin Chinese: Effects of grammatical and lexical aspects

Shaohua Fang1* and  Yi Xu2

1Department of Linguistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States

2Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States

Abstract 

This study investigated the second language (L2) processing and acquisition of Chinese temporality, specifically the interaction of grammatical and lexical aspects. An experimental group of 31 English-speaking learners of Chinese and a control group of 29 native speakers of Mandarin Chinese completed an online sentence-picture matching task and an offline translation task. Results from these experiments demonstrated the prototype effect: In aspectual development, perfective aspect started with telic verbs and progressive aspect started with activity verbs, in accordance with the Aspect Hypothesis, both for online processing and offline comprehension. The prototype effect of the grammatical aspect was evident for activity verbs but less so for accomplishment verbs in the L2 group across tasks, and this was explained through language-specific properties and L2 learners’ instructional input. In addition, L2 proficiency and working memory capacity were found to modulate these processes.

Perspectives of transformative learning and professional agency: A native Chinese language teacher’s story of teacher identity transformation in Australia

Suling Yang1,2* and  Jinghe Han2

1School of International Studies, NingboTech University, Ningbo, China

2School of Education, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia

Abstract

The notion of teacher identity has gained momentum in second language (L2) teacher education in the past decade. However, the research into Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) teacher identity has yet to receive more attention. The study employed a narrative inquiry to explore a native Chinese CFL in-service teacher’s identity negotiation and transformation within an international teacher education program. Self-reported narrative accounts, including multiple in-depth interviews and once-a-term reflective journals, were complemented by field notes and program documents. This data captured how the participant teacher negotiated internally with self and externally with the new environment to pursue professional growth. Mezirow’s transformative learning theory was used to reveal the cognitive trajectory of the participant’s teacher identity transformation with critical reflection as the central stage. Further, guided by Eteläpelto et al.’s framework of professional agency, the study also unraveled multiple external and internal influences on the transformational trajectory. The findings confirmed the value of integrating these two theoretical perspectives to explore language teacher identity development and offer insights into L2 teacher education practices focusing on teacher identity development.

The roles of motivation, anxiety and learning strategies in online Chinese learning among Thai learners of Chinese as a foreign language

Wei Xu1,  Haiwei Zhang2*,  Paisan Sukjairungwattana3 and  Tianmiao Wang2*

1Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, City University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China

2School of Chinese as a Second Language, Peking University, Beijing, China

3Faculty of Liberal Arts, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

Abstract

The impact of motivation, anxiety and learning strategies on the achievement of foreign language proficiency has been widely acknowledged in the context of traditional offline classroom settings. However, this issue has not been extensively documented in relation to online learning, which has become the predominant form of language learning during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study was conducted to investigate the relative prediction of motivation, anxiety and learning strategies for second language achievement among 90 Thai adult learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) who took online Chinese courses. The participants completed a questionnaire dealing with motivation, anxiety, learning strategies, and their Chinese proficiency was measured by self-report and a Chinese vocabulary size test. A series of hierarchical regression analyses revealed two major findings. First, anxiety emerged as the most stable factor for the participants' CFL achievement, followed by learning strategies and motivation. Second, motivation, anxiety and learning strategies only significantly predicted the participants' self-rated Chinese language proficiency, but not their performance on the Chinese vocabulary size test. The overall results indicate the relative importance of motivation, anxiety and learning strategies to Chinese language learning in the online environment and suggest different measures of CFL achievement may lead to different research findings. The general findings were of theoretical and pedagogical significance for understanding and addressing individual differences factors in online language learning.

Chinese language teachers’ dichotomous identities when teaching ingroup and outgroup students

Haijiao Chen1, Wanting Sun2*,  Jinghe Han2 and  Qiaoyun Liu3

1Department of Faculty Development, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China

2School of Education, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

3Department of Ideology and Politics, Guangxi Art School, Guangxi, China

Abstract

Research into second language teacher identity has experienced a shift in recent years from a cognitive perspective to social constructionist orientation. The existing research in Chinese language literature in relation to Foreign Language (CFL) teachers’ identity shift is principally in relation to the change of social, cultural, and institutional contexts. Built on the current literature, this research asks: “How might teachers’ self-images or self-conceptualizations be renegotiated when they are located within their own mainstream cultural and educational system, yet comprised of students from various cultural backgrounds?” The data were collected from a group of CFL teachers in a South China university. The research found that students’ backgrounds largely impacted on, and led to, the teachers’ dichotomous relational identities, but did not dramatically change the teachers’ perception on what or how much subject knowledge to be possessed to make an ideal CFL teacher. This attribute of their identity was sustained even though the teaching content was modified at a practical level in response to groups’ differences. Further, the CFL teachers’ pedagogical identity remained stable with only minor modifications when teaching “ingroups” and “outgroups” of students.

Teacher cognition in teaching intercultural communicative competence: A qualitative study on preservice Chinese language teachers in Hong Kong SAR, China

Yang Frank Gong1,Chun Lai2, Xuesong (Andy) Gao3,  Guofang Li4,  Yingxue Huang5 and  Lin Lin6*

1Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau, Macau SAR, China

2Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

3School of Education, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

4Department of Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

5Keystone Academy, Beijing, China

6International Culture Exchange School, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine preservice Chinese language teachers’ cognition in teaching intercultural communicative competence. In the study we collected data through in-depth interviews with seven preservice teachers in a Master of Education program (Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, TCSL) at a university in Hong Kong SAR, China. The findings indicated that the participants had a relatively positive attitude and inclination toward the development of students’ intercultural communicative competence, while their conceptualizations of culture tended to be static and ambiguous. In addition, the participants’ objectives in teaching intercultural communicative competence were found to be more attitude-than knowledge- or skill-oriented. The study offers valuable insights that preservice language teachers’ cognition plays a crucial role in their future professional development and calls for curricular innovations with intercultural aims in teacher education programs.

Word Knowledge in L2 Chinese Lexical Inference: A Moderated Path Analysis of Language Proficiency Level and Heritage Status

Haomin Zhang1*,  Xing Zhang1,2,  Chichi Wang1, Jie Sun1 and  Zhenxia Pei3*

1The Psycholinguistics Lab, School of Foreign Languages, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China

2School of English Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China

3School of English Language, Anhui International Studies University, Hefei, China

Abstract

This study explored the effect of word knowledge facets (word-general and word-specific knowledge) on second language (L2) Chinese lexical inference by highlighting the moderating effect of language proficiency level and learners’ heritage status. L2 Chinese learners with a mixture of linguistic (low-intermediate and high-intermediate) and cultural (heritage and non-heritage) backgrounds completed a series of word-knowledge measurements as well as a lexical inferencing task. Through a moderated path model, the study demonstrated that word-general knowledge (morphological awareness) and word-specific knowledge (vocabulary knowledge) contributed to L2 Chinese lexical inference. In addition, the study underlined the moderating effect of heritage status on the correlation between word knowledge and lexical inference. Given the distinct patterns between heritage and non-heritage learners, morphological awareness may define the characteristics of reading profiles in the Chinese heritage learner population.

How Learners’ Corrective Feedback Beliefs Modulate Their Oral Accuracy: A Comparative Study on High- and Low-Accuracy Learners of Chinese as a Second Language

Jingwei Zhang1*,  Xianwen Cao2 and  Nan Zheng2

1Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China

2Institute for International Students, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

Abstract

This paper explores the differences in high-accuracy and low-accuracy learners’ beliefs about corrective feedback when learning Chinese as a second language (henceforth, CSL). In this study, we collected data through a questionnaire survey and an oral test with 76 CSL learners in a Chinese university. The analysis revealed that both high- and low-accuracy CSL learners shared the same beliefs in whether and how the learner errors should be corrected but differed in their beliefs about when is the best time to correct, which error should be corrected, and who the corrector should be. Specifically, the discrepancy between high- and low-accuracy groups’ beliefs about corrective feedback was found to be related to the participants’ oral accuracy. Our results confirm that learners’ CF beliefs can modulate their language accuracy. The corrective feedback beliefs held by high-accuracy groups have implications for improving low-accuracy groups’ oral accuracy. Through comparison with findings on corrective feedback beliefs of English as a foreign/second language (henceforth, EFL/ESL) learners, this study suggested that language pedagogies developed from the research of EFL/ESL learners’ CF beliefs should be able to shed light on this area and have significance for CSL learners. Implications for correcting learner errors in teaching CSL are also provided in the paper.

The Influence of Form-Focused Instruction on the L2 Chinese Oral Production of Korean Native Speakers

Mo Chen1,2* andWenya Li3

1School of Chinese Studies and Cultural Exchange, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

2Research Institute of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing, China

3Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Beijing, China

Abstract

Form-focused instruction (FFI) can help second language (L2) learners notice the forms of language, which is conducive to the acquisition of linguistic forms. Two types of FFIs had been proposed, including focus-on-formS (FonFs) and focus-on-form (FonF). Previously, studies on FFI in L2 classroom teaching have focused mainly on the influence of two types of FFIs on the L2 acquisition of grammar and vocabulary. The influence of FonFs and FonF on L2 oral production, however, has been addressed less often. The advantages and disadvantages of different teaching methods in FonFs and FonF have not been well investigated. On the basis of Schmidt’s noticing hypothesis, VanPatten’s input processing hypothesis, and Long’s interactive hypothesis, we investigated the effects of teaching goals, teaching steps, and interactive activities in FonFs and FonF on the complexity, accuracy, and fluency of 32 native Korean speakers’ L2 Chinese oral production. We found that FFI significantly improved the performance of L2 Chinese oral production, although different FFIs had different effects on complexity, accuracy, and fluency. FonF and FonFs could improve both complexity and accuracy, whereas FonF also significantly improved fluency, which was not observed in FonFs. Furthermore, we found that the level of L2 proficiency could modulate the interaction between instruction methods and learning outcomes. For low-proficiency learners, FonF was more helpful for the improvement of fluency. For high-proficiency learners, FonFs was more helpful for the improvement of accuracy. These results demonstrated that teachers should pay attention to the interaction between specific teaching conditions with different L2 proficiency and learning outcomes when implementing FFI. The findings of this study have important implications for the design of procedures and interactive activities of L2 spoken Chinese teaching.

Enhancing Syntactic Complexity in L2 Chinese Writing: Effects of Form-Focused Instruction on the Chinese Topic Chain

Jieyu Zhou and Chan Lü*

Department of Asian Languages and Literature, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States

Abstract

Reading in Chinese is complex because readers should not only recognize characters by basic units (i.e., characters) but also integrate characters into words when reading text. While many efforts have been devoted to investigating the effect of sub-lexical orthographic knowledge in Chinese character reading, less is known about the role played by lexical orthographic knowledge at word level. A total of 424 secondary learners with Chinese as a second language (CSL) in Hong Kong were assessed with character reading, reading comprehension, and two lexical orthographic knowledge tasks: lexical orthographic choice (OKC) and lexical orthographic choice in context (OKCC). Path analysis results demonstrated that these lexical orthographic skills significantly mediated the effect of character reading on comprehension, in which OKCC was a more critical mediator as its mediating effect was bigger than that of OKC. Further analyses showed that these mediating effects were significant only among students with richer learning experience (i.e., learning Chinese for 4 years or above). Our results illustrate the possible trajectory of CSL learners’ literacy development from character reading to reading comprehension and provide pedagogical implications for teaching and learning.

Lexical Orthographic Knowledge Mediates the Relationship Between Character Reading and Reading Comprehension Among Learners With Chinese as a Second Language

Xian Liao1, Elizabeth Ka Yee Loh2* and Mingjia Cai1

1Department of Chinese Language Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, China

2Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China

Abstract The present study aimed to investigate how native Japanese speakers learning Chinese choose preferred positions for temporal adverbs depending on their level of Chinese proficiency. A naturalness judgment task conducted on native Chinese speakers showed that the most natural position for Chinese temporal adverbs was before the subject and that placement after the locative prepositional phrase was incorrect. The same task applied to native Japanese speakers found the most natural position for Japanese temporal adverbs was also before the subject. Further, when they appear at the beginning of a sentence, they provide the time for the entire sentence. Accordingly, temporal topicalization appears to influence naturalness decisions by both native Chinese and Japanese speakers. A point of difference was that in Japanese, a temporal adverb placed after a locative prepositional phrase was judged to be acceptable. When the same task was given to native Japanese speakers learning Chinese divided into three Chinese proficiency level groups, placement before the subject was the most preferred by the higher Chinese proficiency group. In addition, placement after the locative prepositional phrase was unfavored by them while the same position was frequently selected by the lower level group. As Chinese proficiency increases it appears that the preferred temporal adverb position is before the subject and the placement after the locative prepositional is judged to be unnatural. Thus, a sense of suitable temporal adverb positions in Chinese is influenced by the level of Chinese proficiency of native Japanese speakers.

The Development of Formulaic Knowledge in Super-Advanced Chinese Language Learners: Evidence From Processing Accuracy, Speed, and Strategies

Hang Zheng1, Bo Hu2* and Jie Xu3

1Department of Chinese (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China

2Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, City University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China

3Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China

Abstract 

The study examined the development of Chinese as a second language learners’ formulaic knowledge through comparing the processing of Chinese idioms versus non-idiomatic formulaic sequences (FSs) by advanced-level learners (ALs), super-advanced learners (SLs), and native speakers (NSs). Using two phrase acceptability judgment tasks with and without think-aloud protocols, we collected data on participants’ processing accuracy, processing speed, and processing strategies of reading the two types of FSs. Four processing patterns emerged from the analyses of the datasets. First, learners’ processing accuracy and speed increased along with their proficiency. Second, learners’ idiom processing ability was generally lower than that of non-idiom processing ability, but they demonstrated an improving trend as their proficiency level increased. Third, learners’ use of processing strategies did not change much as proficiency rose and demonstrated a categorical difference from NSs. Fourth, all three groups exhibited poorer productive idiom knowledge than productive non-idiom knowledge. The overall findings denote that second language learners’ formulaic knowledge can evolve beyond the lexical plateau as learners move from the advanced to a higher proficiency level, but the productive idiom knowledge can be a long-term problem. The findings provide implications for measuring and teaching Chinese formulaic knowledge at the higher-than-advanced stage.

Error Types of and Strategies on Learning Chinese Connectives: A Study on Chinese as a Second Language Learners’ Writing

Lirui Zhang1, Shaobo Sun2 and  Shuangyun Yao2*

1School of Foreign Languages, Xuchang University, Xuchang, China

2Research Center for Language and Language Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China

Abstract

The correct use of connectives has great influence on language learners’ writing proficiency, while errors of connectives are common in foreign learners’ interlanguages. This study examines the types of errors that occur in native English-speaking learners’ Chinese writing, the possible causes for the errors, and the learners’ consequent learning strategies. The present research adopted corpora investigation, questionnaire survey, and focus-group interviews to examine the error types, causes of identified errors, and related learning strategies. Data analysis indicated that: (1) the main error types made by native English-speaking learners from high to low are misuse, overuse, mismatch, misplacement, and underuse of connectives; (2) causes related to intralingual transfer greatly contributes to the presence of errors; and (3) memory, social, and cognitive strategies were the most preferred, followed by metacognitive and compensation strategies, and then by effective strategies which were the least preferred. These findings showed that different strategies can be employed to cope with different errors in writing. The study further suggests that teachers and educators need to help native English-speaking learners find strategies that work best for them in terms of learning Chinese connectives.

Chen Chen*

International College, Southwest University, Chongqing, China

Abstract

This study explored international students’ online Chinese as a foreign language learning stickiness in a Chinese university context. A new theoretical model was designed and verified to serve the mixed-method investigation. Participants were a group of 194 international students learning CFL online in a Chinese university. Data were collected through an online questionnaire for all the students and semi-structural individual interviews with eight volunteer participants. The structural equation modeling was conducted to analyze the collected quantitative data, and content analysis was used for the qualitative interview. Findings revealed that the online learning stickiness was significantly impacted by students’ learning expectancy confirmation, which was closely correlated with three key factors: academic integration, social integration, and technological factors. Moreover, social integration was found to be a direct contributor to learning stickiness. These results highlighted the importance of the high quality of the curriculum, the harmonious learning atmosphere, and the need for technical preparations and training for online Chinese language teaching and learning. The study also emphasized the need of integrating social interaction into Chinese learning in an online context. Investigation of a wider range of Chinese learners was recommended for future studies on learning stickiness and the new online approach.

Relational Agency of University Teachers of Chinese as a Second Language: A Personal Network Perspective

Weijia Yang1, Citing Li1* and  Xuesong Gao2

1School of English Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China

2Faculty of Education, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Relational agency is pivotal for understanding how language teachers seek and utilize relational resources in different contexts and grow to be agents of change amid various educational challenges. This study explored how three university teachers of Chinese as a second language (CSL) enacted their relational agency to enhance their research capacity and sustain their professional development. Data on their personal network development was collected through concentric circle interviews, life-history interviews and written reflections over three months. Thematic analysis was adopted for iterative coding and interpretation of the data. The findings revealed that teachers’ personal networks provided them with value guidance, emotional support and academic support, which exerted differential levels of impact on them to make agentic choices and actions. The study suggests that personal network analysis may serve as a suitable theoretical lens to achieve a multi-layered understanding of relational agency. The study also calls for more efforts to create learning opportunities and spaces in the relational context for teachers to build their career as agentic academics in language teacher education and development programs.

Language Interfaces in Adult Heritage Language Acquisition: A Study on Encoding of Nominal Reference in Mandarin Chinese as a Heritage Language

Jing Jin1*,Sihui Echo Ke2 and  John Chi-Kin Lee1,3

1Department of Chinese Language Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

2Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States

3Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Chinese Self, Australian Other: Chinese as a Foreign Language Teacher Identity Construction in Australian Contexts

Yu Han1 and Xiaoyan Ji2*

1College English Education Center, Nanfang College, Guangzhou, China

2School of Education, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Research in the field of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) education has been increasing in the past decades. However, the number of studies on CFL teacher identity is limited. To bridge the gap, this study employed a qualitative method to explore Chinese CFL teachers’ identity formation and reformation in Australian contexts. A Chinese-Australian language program was studied to examine the challenges, struggles and developments of Chinese CFL teachers who came to Australia to pursue professional growth. Five Master’s theses and three interview participants were included to paint a picture of how Chinese CFL teachers interact internally and externally with a new environment. Guided by Mead’s theory of self and other, we found that Chinese CFL teachers’ identity formation and reformation in Australian classrooms are deeply influenced by their self-identification and their integration with others in the community. Cultural connectedness is a key for organizational attitudes in the relationship of self and other. Chinese CFL teachers were found lacking the wholeness of self in Australian contexts, which led to obstacles in teacher identity construction. Insufficient communication between self and other resulted in their positioning crisis.

Online Self-Regulated Learning Profiles: A Study of Chinese as a Foreign Language Learners

Lin Lin1†,Yang Gong2† and  Nuo Xu1*

1International Cultural Exchange School, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China

2Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China

Abstract

The role of self-regulated learning (SRL) in achieving academic success has been widely investigated for campus-based college students. However, research on online learners’ SRL is limited, while the number of online learners has been increasing tremendously in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. As SRL is context-bound, differences caused by classroom and home environments may be expected. This study investigated the factor structures of online learners’ SRL in Chinese as a foreign language education and the existence of SRL profiles in online learners. Data were collected from 378 international students enrolled in online Chinese language courses in 2020. Ten latent factors were revealed by exploratory factor analysis with motivation and learning strategies scales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). A follow-up latent profile analysis showed three profiles of low, moderate, and high self-regulated learners. The study supports the context-bound nature of SRL and calls for developing adaptive training programs according to SRL profiles of Chinese language learners.

Pragmatic Competence and Willingness to Communicate Among L2 Learners of Chinese

Xiaoxuan Lv1, Wei Ren1* and  Lin Li2

1School of Foreign Languages, Beihang University, Beijing, China

2School of International Studies, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China

Abstract

Research in second language (L2) pragmatics has paid increasing attention to learners’ individual differences, but few studies have examined the relationship between learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in L2 and their pragmatic competence. To this end, this study investigates the association between WTC and pragmatic awareness and comprehension of Chinese as a second language (CSL) learners. A total of 80 CSL learners studying abroad in three universities in China participated in this study. Data were collected through a WTC questionnaire, a self-perceived communication competence (SPCC) questionnaire, a pragmatic awareness judgment task, and a multiple-choice test for pragmatic comprehension. Statistical analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between the learners’ pragmatic awareness and pragmatic comprehension on the one hand and their WTC and SPCC in L2 on the other. The findings indicated that SPCC correlated positively with the learners’ L2 pragmatic comprehension, but not with their L2 pragmatic awareness. No correlation was found between WTC and pragmatic awareness and comprehension. The results suggest that SPCC may contribute to learners’ L2 pragmatic comprehension; some implications for teaching and future research directions are also discussed.

Strategy Use Among Chinese as Second Language Learners in  China From the Mediation Theory Perspective

Chili Li1, Lu Chen1,2,  Chunyan Ma3,  Shuang Zhang4,5* and  Haiquan Huang1*

1School of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China

2International College, Jiangxi University of Engineering, Xinyu, China

3Department of Education, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, New Era University College, Kajang, Malaysia

4Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, New Era University College, Kajang, Malaysia

5School of Humanities, Wuhan University of Engineering Science, Wuhan, China

Abstract

This paper reports a mixed-methods study that explored the strategy use of a cohort of Chinese as second language learners in China from the perspective of mediation theory. Data sources include a questionnaire survey (N = 189) and a semi-structured interview (N = 12). The findings revealed that the participants orchestrated a repertoire of language learning strategies and frequently used social and meta-cognitive strategies. Analysis of the qualitative data suggested that the participants' strategy use was shaped by the learners' self agentic power (their beliefs and Ideal L2 self), and the socio-cultural environment. Specifically, their strategy use was mediated by a host of socio-cultural factors, including learner beliefs, social agents, cultural artifacts, and learning environment. Considered together, the findings illuminate the socially situated nature of the use of language learning strategy. That is, strategy use of the participants stems from the interplay of learner agency and socio-cultural factors. The findings also imply the necessity of strategy-based instruction and highlight the importance of a Chinese-speaking environment for Chinese learning.

A Comparative Study of the Motivations to Teach Chinese Between Native and Non-native Pre-service CSL/CFL Teachers

Ling Gu,  Binglong Wang and  Haiwei Zhang*

College of International Education, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China

Abstract

The present study compared the motivations to teach Chinese between native and nonnative pre-service teachers of Chinese as a second/foreign language (CSL/CFL). The participants included 325 native and 325 non-native Chinese-speaking pre-service CSL/CFL teachers registered in the Masters in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (MTCSOL) programs; the teachers were asked to complete a 24-item questionnaire. Two major findings emerged. First, a similar six-factor teacher motivation was observed for both the native and non-native teachers. Second, the two groups showed non-significant differences in their ratings of the importance of cross-cultural value, intrinsic value, altruistic value, and fallback career choice as types of motivation but differed significantly in their ratings of extrinsic value and social influence. These results highlight the differences and similarities in the motivation of the second language teacher and offer insights into the variables at different levels that might influence the motivation of the second language teacher. Teacher motivation is advised to be taken into account in the training and administration of CSL/CFL teachers to alleviate the problems of teacher shortage  China.

Motivational Strategies, Language Learning Strategies, and Literal and Inferential Comprehension in Second Language Chinese Reading: A Structural Equation Modeling Study

Lin Lin1*,Wai-Ip Lam2 and  Shek Kam Tse2

1School of International Cultural Exchange, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China

2Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Abstract

Motivational strategies have been recognized as a crucial but insufficiently explored component in second language (L2) learning. This study intends to explore the relationships between motivational strategies, language learning strategies, and literal and inferential comprehension in L2 Chinese reading. Data were collected from 547 international students of universities in China through a strategy use questionnaire and a Chinese reading test. The analysis of the structural equation model indicated that motivational strategies indirectly affected literal comprehension through the mediation of learning strategies. Moreover, motivational strategies were found to directly affect inferential comprehension. The results emphasize the need for a more sophisticated analysis of the motivational strategies and language learning strategies in L2 Chinese reading.

The Effect of Language Dominance on the Selective Attention of Segments and Tones in Urdu-Cantonese Speakers

Yi Liu1,2* and  Jinghong Ning1

1Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR China

2PolyU-PekingU Research Centre on Chinese Linguistics, Hong Kong, SAR China

Abstract

To perceive a second language (L2), non-native speakers not only have to focus on phonological, lexical, and grammatical knowledge, but also need to develop a good mastery of L2 strategic knowledge, including selective attention and language planning. Previous research has found that non-tonal speakers are overtly attentive to segments, while tonal language speakers give more attention to tones. However, it is unclear how different dominant language speakers distribute their attention while processing segments or tones and segments and tones stimuli in non-native speeches. The present study also aims to examine the roles of language dominance play in the designed perceptual tasks. In the current study 20 Cantonese native speakers, 18 Cantonese-dominants, and 18 Urdu-dominants participated in an attention distribution experiment in Cantonese. The results show that the Urdu-dominants retain their L1 attentional strategy in the processing of Cantonese stimuli, classifying the stimuli along segments, while the Cantonese native speakers are more attentive to tones. Moreover, the Cantonese-dominants show a perceptual flexibility as highly proficient and experienced listeners. The results reveal that language dominance plays a vital role in listeners' attention distribution. The research also supports PAM-L2 theory on bilingual. The findings of the current study can be applied to Chinese language learning and teaching and language acquisition studies.

期刊简介

About this Research Topic

Over the past two decades, Chinese as a foreign or second language (CFL/CSL) has been increasingly taught and learnt as an important language both within and outside China. Studies in the field have attempted to address deep-seated tensions between existing educational ideologies, concepts, strategies, and approaches and student learning process and performance, and between existent teaching methods and techniques and the globalization of Chinese language education.

The findings of these research studies have largely contributed to the acquisition of CFL/CSL both theoretically and practically. Verifications and modifications have been made to the existing CFL/CSL theories and models. Discourses have been enriched on teacher education and development, particularly in identifying unique challenges Chinese language teachers are encountering when applying or even transforming culture-affected ideologies (e.g. Confucianism) into various CFL/CSL contexts. These current studies have provided crucial insights into critical issues in CFL/CSL research. This includes CFL/CSL teachers’ cognition, pedagogical/instructional practices, technology-integrated practice, and their professional development across career stages. It extends to learners’ cognitive engagement, co-constructive learning and sociocultural development.

To build on the current research, this special issue aims at collecting a body of advanced empirical and theoretical research on CFL/CSL teaching and learning, with an expectation of generating new layers of analysis, providing some exceptional insights and expanding the current understanding of second language theories as well as instructional practices. The particular contribution of this special issue is to advantage theoretical and practical understanding of CFL/CSL acquisition and pedagogy through bringing learners’ and teachers’ perspective.

This Research Topic welcomes the most recent empirical studies and synthetic review studies situated in the diversified contexts of CFL/CSL teaching and learning with clear psychological and pedagogical implications for incorporating both learner and teacher perspectives into Chinese and second language acquisition. Possible topics include but are not limited to:
• CFL/CSL teachers’ attributes (e.g., emotion, motivation, goal orientation), conceptualization (e.g., perceptions, attitudes) and practice (e.g., agency, efficacy) in teaching vocabulary, Chinese characters, grammar, etc.)
• CFL/CSL learners’ attributes (e.g., emotion, identity), conceptualization (e.g., beliefs, attitudes, cognitive styles), and action in terms of efficacy or strategies
• Diversity in Chinese language education, such as ethnicity and cultural diversity, and its positive or negative consequences in Chinese learning
• CFL/CSL learners’ cognitive, psychological and sociocultural development
• The effect of learning disabilities (e.g., Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism) on Chinese language acquisition
• The role of technology integration in facilitating learners’ cognitive development regarding Chinese learning
• Teachers’ and learners’ coping strategies, stress, wellbeing and emotions during COVID-19 online teaching and learning process

官网地址：https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/21145/teaching-and-learning-chinese-as-a-foreign-or-second-language-the-educational-psychology-perspective

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