Motivation for learning Chinese compared to European languages
An exploration in English secondary schools
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8936729 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Robert Woore (0000-0001-7585-5765, University of Oxford Department of Education Oxford UK), Laura Molway (0000-0002-2973-6148, University of Oxford Department of Education Oxford UK, corresponding author), Clare Savory (0009-0005-2407-3831, University of Oxford Department of Education Oxford UK) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 278-300 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-28 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Foreign Language Annals (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0015-718X • E-ISSN: 1944-9720 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/flan.70050 |
| OpenAlex | W7125964109 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 27 |
There is little published research on school‐aged learners of Mandarin Chinese in anglophone contexts. This article explores English secondary school pupils' motivation for learning Chinese compared to European languages. 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? Focus groups were conducted with 43 pupils (aged 11–12) in their first year at five state‐funded secondary schools. In all languages, culture and a desire to connect with speakers were strong motivators; classroom experiences were also key, underlining teachers' central role. Motivation for Chinese was frequently linked to novelty, difference, challenge, and enjoyment of the character‐based writing system. The article highlights 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
Curriculum · Focus (optics · Goal theory · Intrinsic motivation · Mandarin Chinese · Motivation to learn · Task (project management · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Teacher Professional Development and Motivation
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The L2 Motivational Self System
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Self-discrepancy
A comparison of the global status of English and Chinese
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The teaching of Chinese as a second or foreign language
Lots of Selves, some rebellious
L2 motivation research 2005–2014
Motivational trajectories for early language learning across the primary–secondary school transition
Motivating and demotivating factors for Chinese as a foreign language learners in a British CLIL program
Learner Performance in Mandarin Immersion and High School World Language Programs
Using Meaningful Interpretation and Chunking to Enhance Memory
The Flowering of Positive Psychology in Foreign Language Teaching and Acquisition Research
Motivation and Vision
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |