Pedagogic affect and African international students’ attunement to Chinese language learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT The growth of the Chinese language in African countries and African students’ consequent flocking into Chinese higher education are both emergent phenomena. This partly explains the lack of empirical research on this body of student migrants and their Chinese language learning. This paper applies Watkins’ theorisation on pedagogic affect to explore pedagogic practices and students’ learning experiences in a vocational college in Southeast China. Through a participant observation stance, journal entry and interview data reveal that the teacher’s pedagogy generated and heightened affects, which skilfully aroused students’ desire to learn but also the capacity to do so. By engaging with the ‘affective turn’ in second language acquisition studies, I argue that the affective link developed through pedagogic relationships and the bonds fostered in language learning have powerful potential to contribute to the delivery of language skills and resolve cultural adaptation issues in a positive atmosphere.