The Roles of Motivation and Anxiety in Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language

Understanding learners’ motivation and anxiety is crucial to effectively teach Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL). Through examining various topics on learner motivation and anxiety, this language pedagogy course will help students: 1) build a comprehensive and solid understanding of the most important psychological development and variations of Chinese language learners; and 2) apply the theoretical discussion into designing curriculums, learning materials, and classroom activities that help to sustain learners’ long-term motivation. The topics that we will explore include: the socio-cultural educational model of learner motivation, the L2 motivational self-system, learner motivation of less commonly taught languages, anxiety in foreign language learning, second-culture memory and learner motivation, learner behaviors and anxiety in the language classroom, motivation and Third Space, Chinese heritage learners’ motivation, and online language learning motivation and anxiety. Students are expected to be engaged in readings, lectures, discussions, language class observations, presentations, and a final project. Course materials are in either Chinese or English. Taught in Chinese.