As a Chinese teacher, how do I effectively help students stay motivated and improve their performance in listening and speaking Chinese?
I’ve been teaching Chinese conversation classes at the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures for these two years and that definitely is a great opportunity for me to put what I learned from NLGL program into practice and reflect on my practice. During my teaching, I found that we are losing students after they finishing 200 courses (intermediate level). As a Chinese teacher, I would like to find ways to help students stay motivated in Chinese learning and I hope they will keep learning Chinese after finishing 200 courses and even after their graduation.
There is no doubt that Chinese and English, from two language families, are very different and it is a challenge for English native speakers to learn Chinese. Because my classes focus on listening and speaking, I explore more on how to help students succeed in listening and speaking Chinese facing on the challenge. To motivate students, technology integration in instruction is for sure necessary in 21st century. Integrating instructional technology in teaching and learning allows students learn effectively and learn with fun. I also found that involving community and having a global connection motivate students since they need to use what they learned in authentic situations. With bigger motivation, students are more engaged in learning and thus leading to better performance.
There is no doubt that Chinese and English, from two language families, are very different and it is a challenge for English native speakers to learn Chinese. Because my classes focus on listening and speaking, I explore more on how to help students succeed in listening and speaking Chinese facing on the challenge. To motivate students, technology integration in instruction is for sure necessary in 21st century. Integrating instructional technology in teaching and learning allows students learn effectively and learn with fun. I also found that involving community and having a global connection motivate students since they need to use what they learned in authentic situations. With bigger motivation, students are more engaged in learning and thus leading to better performance.