UK secondary school students’ motivations for learning Chinese as a Foreign Language

We explored students’ motivation for learning Chinese compared to European languages (French, German and Spanish) in five comprehensive secondary schools in the Oxford area.

The research questions were:

1. What is the strength and nature of pupils’ self-reported motivation for learning languages?
2. How does pupils’ motivation for learning Chinese compare with their motivation for learning European languages?

A questionnaire was completed by almost 1,000 pupils (aged 11-12) in their first year at five state-funded secondary schools. Focus groups were conducted with a sub-sample of 43 pupils. Key findings were that, across all languages, target language cultures and a desire to connect with speakers of the language were strong motivators. Classroom experiences were also central, underlining the central role of teachers in influencing students’ motivation for language learning. Additionally, motivation for learning Chinese was frequently linked to the novelty of the language, its difference from English, the challenges it presented and an enjoyment of learning its character-based writing system. The project led to practical classroom implications, particularly the need for teachers to consider the motivational impact of pedagogical decisions relating to curriculum content, task design and classroom organization.