The Leading Function Analysis of Confucius Institute Linguistic Landscape in Teaching Standard Chinese to International Learners

Abstract

This paper is based on the Scollon & Scollon’s place semiotics framework combined with the Kress & van Leeuwen’s multimodal theory and Sockett and other scholars’ informal learning theories. By means of qualitative and quantitative methods, the leading function of the Confucius Institute linguistic landscape in teaching Chinese to foreigners is analyzed. It is shown that the Confucius Institute linguistic landscape plays a leading role at the initial stage of the Chinese language acquisition. This role is based on the main function of the Confucius Institute and is manifested in three mechanisms: attracting attention, shaping an image, and stimulating further learning of Chinese. The results show that to be effective in international communication, mastering Chinese should not be limited to classroom teaching, but it should also focus on various language practices outside the classroom. The linguistic landscape of the Confucius Institute serves as a supplement to classroom teaching, and the visual space it provides is obviously different from that of Chinese textbooks and test papers which are mainly focused on text reading. In addition to keywords, linguistic landscapes also provide other symbolic means, such as multimodal visual media, image symbols, plate-like structures, and color patterns. This pioneering method of teaching can greatly enhance foreign students’ cognition and understanding of the Chinese culture and their interest in learning Chinese. Linguistic landscape and Chinese classroom teaching complement each other in teaching Chinese internationally. To sum up, this research focuses on the leading function of the Confucius Institute linguistic landscape, attempting to explore its mechanism and role in the international spread of the Chinese language.