Chinese as a Second Language. The journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, USA - Volume 54, Issue 3, 2019

Abstract

This paper reviews current literature on contributions of the study abroad context to second language (L2) Chinese pragmatics and discusses the future prospects of this rapidly growing research area. By synthesizing sixteen empirical studies on pragmatic competence in L2 Chinese in the study-abroad context, this paper answers one question: What impacts L2 Chinese pragmatic competence in the study abroad (SA) context? The findings show that the SA effect on L2 Chinese pragmatic development is mediated by seven factors including general proficiency, pre-program pragmatic competence, language exposure, intercultural competence, learner agency, linguistic affordance, and learner language and cultural background. Based on the research synthesis, this paper suggests future research directions regarding target pragmatic features, measurements, pragmatic competence in writing, and learner factors mediating study-abroad effect from a dynamic-system perspective.

Abstract

This study examines learners’ perceptions of an approach for improving Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language learners’ language proficiency, especially their speaking ability. Built upon the Distributed Design Model, a wiki-enhanced, Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) approach was designed at the syllabus level, taking into consideration various learning contexts. The approach was implemented and evaluated. Findings show that the overall design of this approach and most of the different components of the pre-task, core-task (interviews with native speakers, wiki-writing, and in-class presentations), and post-task activities were very positively perceived by the students. All students liked this design and enjoyed the class. The main reasons include (1) Students valued the opportunity to interact with native speakers outside the classroom; (2) The in-class presentations gave them an opportunity to express their personalities; (3) They liked the fact that the wiki-essay writing was connected to the in-class presentation because this helped them prepare the content of their presentation, also enabled them to develop writing and speaking on a single topic so they could become more advanced in that topic; (4) They also liked the consistency in organization and the eight units being procedurally similar. The learners held varying views on a few components of the pre-task and post-task activities.

Abstract

Online peer feedback is advocated but not sufficiently used or researched in language classrooms, especially in Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) context. There is not sufficient evidence on the relationship of peer feedback type and revision, and controversies remain regarding learners’ perceptions of peer feedback, especially in terms of its trustworthiness. This study examines the typology, uptake, and learner perceptions of online peer feedback in an advanced level CFL classroom. Participants’ first drafts, feedback, and revisions in four writing assignments were analyzed and interviews were conducted. Feedback was mostly given on vocabulary, grammar, and character. 70.9% of the corrective feedback led to successful revision, and direct change, suggestion, and clarification most frequently led to revision. Participants generally trusted peer feedback, while they were also autonomous in giving feedback and deciding on uptakes. Learners’ positive perceptions include the comprehensibility of peer feedback and a sense of supportive community.

This article reviews China’s Development and Dilemmas: Authentic Readings for Advanced Learners978-1-62291-239-1

This article reviews The grammar of Chinese characters: Productive knowledge of formal patterns in an orthographic system978-1-138-29081-5