CHINESE LEARNING MOTIVATION OF BULGARIAN STUDENTS – A CASE STUDY OF THE CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VELIKO TARNOVO

Abstract

Learning motivation provides a long-lasting driving force for students to make continuous efforts in the process of language learning. Earlier literature related to Chinese learning motivation shows the imbalance of research in which the Eastern European country Bulgaria has been rarely involved. This article further expands the data sample on the basis of previous research and performs a more in-depth and comprehensive study on Chinese language learning motivation of Bulgarian students. The results demonstrate that the Chinese learning motivation of Bulgarian students is relatively strong in general. There are five motivation types: learning situation motivation, integrative motivation, instrumental motivation, achievement-oriented motivation, and external-pressure motivation. Individual factors include gender, age and different learning phases (pre-learning and post-learning). Several suggestions for enhancing the students’ Chinese learning motivation are put forward for the reference of Chinese teachers in order to obtain better teaching results