Adult Chinese Learners Research Articles

중국성인 학습자의 평생학습 참여동기 프로파일에 따른 평생학습 역량 연구

Objectives This study aims to investigate and understand human behavior by applying a representative analysis method of person-centered approach research to understand the relationship between the motivation and influ-encing factors of Chinese adult lifelong learners to participate in lifelong learning.
 Methods The method of this study was a potential profile analysis using Mplus 8.8 for 803 Chinese adult lifelong learners who participated in school-affiliated lifelong education, public institution-type lifelong education, private institution-type lifelong education, vocational training and training-type lifelong education institutions (LPA) was performed.
 Results First, according to the motivation of Chinese adult lifelong learners to participate, the latent profile was divided into ‘nonsense type (6.97%)’, ‘deliberation type (15.94%)’, ‘hesitation type (62.02%)’, and ‘leading type (15.07%)’. has been classified As a result of analyzing whether there is a difference in lifelong learning com-petency by latent profile, it was found that the ‘Hesitant Type’, who had a medium level of motivation to participate in lifelong learning, had high lifelong learning competencies.
 Conclusions In constructing social policies for lifelong education, it is continuously necessary to carry out re-search based on a person-centered approach that can be subdivided by lifelong learner type in order to design and implement education policies that consider the various needs, capacities, and interests of individuals. This should provide a flexible curriculum that meets the diverse backgrounds and needs of each person, thereby ensuring that all individuals receive appropriate educational opportunities according to their capabilities and interests.

중국 성인의 평생학습 참여동기가 자기효능감을 매개로 주관적 행복감에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Chinese adults' motivation to participate in lifelong learning on subjective happiness through self-efficacy. In this study, 798 Chinese adult lifelong learners were surveyed and the SPSS 25.0 program was used for analysis. As a result of the study, first, it was found that the motivation of Chinese adult learners to participate in lifelong learning affects subjective happiness through self-efficacy. This means that learners with clear motivation to participate in lifelong learning and learners with high self-efficacy have higher subjective happiness in lifelong education activities. Second, as a result of structural model analysis, the motivation to participate in lifelong learning had a positive effect on self-efficacy and subjective happiness. Through this, it can be seen that participation motivation is an important factor in fully expressing self-efficacy when adults participate in lifelong education activities. Third, it showed a mediating effect of self-efficacy in the relationship between motivation to participate in lifelong education and subjective happiness. Efforts were needed to improve self-efficacy as well as motivation for participation in order to improve the subjective happiness of adult lifelong learners. This study is meaningful in that it revealed the important factors of self-efficacy as well as the importance of motivation to participate in lifelong learning in the subjective happiness of Chinese adult learners.

Socio‐Occupational Integration of Chinese Migrant Women in Andalusia Through Spanish Language Training

The present article explores the perceived role of work and proficiency in a second or additional language(s) among a group of Chinese migrant women learning Spanish in Andalusia. The enrolment of Chinese adult learners in language upgrading programmes in immersion contexts is relatively low, as Chinese expatriates tend to establish close‐knit, socio‐culturally elusive communities whose interactions with local residents are often limited to work‐related purposes. The distinctiveness of this ethnographic work lies in its focus on women who, having resided in southern Spain for extended periods and aiming to emancipate themselves from male family referents, have only recently sought greater inclusion in Spanish society. Through in‐depth interviews, these women’s prospects for professional advancement and self‐employment are also identified, albeit subsidiarily, among the reasons for pursuing higher levels of linguistic competence. The results point to a desire to develop higher levels of competence in linguistic, civic, and socio‐cultural literacies to expand their social networks and engage more actively in the communities where they currently live. Avoiding vulnerability to potential deception in the workplace and administrative settings, coupled with the need to participate in better‐informed decision‐making at the personal level, is also highlighted as contributory factors to their willingness to pursue multiliteracies in linguistic, civic, and occupational areas. The conclusions point to a mismatch between the training aspirations of these women and the curricula of the courses available to them within a Chinese educational organisation, whose focus lies almost entirely on the development and reinforcement of linguistic skills.

Difficulties in Production of Voiceless Interdental Fricative // Sound for Chinese Learners of English

Chinese learners of English have long been known to have significant difficulties with the voiceless fricative // sound in English. This study focuses on the challenges and errors faced by Chinese learners of English while producing the voiceless interdental fricative sound //, and aims to find out the speakers error rate and possible reasons when pronouncing it. In this study, six Chinese adult learners of English were selected as a sample for pronunciation recordings, and the average pronunciation accuracy of // and the accuracy of each individual were calculated. Next, a short interview is conducted with each of them, containing possible reasons for the mispronunciation. The results of the study showed that the overall average correct pronunciation rate of the six Chinese English learners was only 37%. There was a positive correlation between the learners' long-term exposure to a pure, full English environment and the accuracy of their pronunciation. And the correct position of the tongue during pronunciation determines correct pronunciation.

Dynamic brain responses to Russian word acquisition among Chinese adult learners: An event-related potential study.

Human learners are capable to acquire foreign language vocabulary at an impressive speed even in adulthood. Previous studies have examined the neural mechanisms underlying rapid acquisition of Latin-alphabet vocabulary and revealed dynamic changes in several event-related potential (ERP) components during novel word learning. However, scant attention has been paid to the acquisition of Russian words. The present study used ERP and examined dynamic brain responses to rapid Russian word acquisition in 53 native Chinese speakers with no prior knowledge of Russian language. Behavioral data showed robust individual differences in Russian word acquisition, with most participants being able to rapidly learn a subset of novel Russian words in a few exposures. ERP results revealed significant learning effects in the P200, N400, and P600 amplitudes. Moreover, P600 amplitude changes predicted participants' word acquisition after learning. These findings demonstrated dynamic brain responses to rapid Russian word learning and suggested that the P600 component may serve as a bio-marker for individual learning ability in Russian word acquisition.

The Effectiveness of the Production-Oriented Approach to Enhance Adult Chinese EFL Learners’ Language Proficiency: A Comparative Study of Three Language Teaching Approaches

The Effectiveness of the Production-Oriented Approach to Enhance Adult Chinese EFL Learners’ Language Proficiency: A Comparative Study of Three Language Teaching Approaches

Structural Relationships among Positive Psychological Capital, Learning Flow, Social Support, and Subjective Happiness in Chinese adult lifelong learners

The purpose of this study is to clarify the structural relationship among positive psychological capital, learning investment, social support and subjective well-being of Chinese adult learners. The research results are as follows. First, the relationship between variables is analyzed. Positive psychological capital has a positive impact on social support and subjective well-being. Learning involvement has a positive impact on social support and subjective well-being. Social support has a positive impact on subjective well-being. Second, the mediating effect between variables was analyzed. The mediating effect between positive psychological capital and subjective happiness of Chinese adult learners had a mediating effect on social support. Social support showed a mediating effect in the relationship between learning commitment and subjective happiness.

Comparison of the Structural Relationship between the Factors Influencing the Psychological Well-being of Adult Learners in the University Degree Courses in Korean and Chinese

본 연구는 한국과 중국의 대학 학위과정 성인학습자의 교육서비스 질, 자기주도학습능력, 학습몰입이 심리적 안녕감에 미치는 영향을 구조적 관계에 의하여 분석하고, 교육서비스 질과 심리적 안녕감의 관계에 대한 자기주도학습능력 및 학습몰입의 매개효과를 분석하여 비교하였다. 연구방법은 한국의 LiFE 사업에 참여한 대학의 성인학습자 303명과 중국의 대학평생교육원 학력인정과정 성인학습자 528명을 대상으로 설문을 실시하여 가정의 검토, 구조방정식 추정 및 매개효과를 비교‧분석하였다. 이에 대한 분석결과를 보면, 첫째, 한국 성인학습자의 심리적 안녕감에 영향을 미치는 변인 간의 구조적 관계는 교육서비스 질과 자기주도학습능력, 교육서비스 질과 학습몰입, 자기주도학습능력과 학습몰입, 학습몰입과 심리적 안녕감의 경로가 유의하게 나타난 반면, 교육서비스 질과 심리적 안녕감, 자기주도학습능력과 심리적 안녕감의 경로가 유의하지 않았다. 중국 성인학습자의 심리적 안녕감에 영향을 미치는 변인간의 구조적 관계는 교육서비스 질과 심리적 안녕감, 교육서비스 질과 자기주도학습능력, 교육서비스 질과 학습몰입, 자기주도학습능력과 학습몰입, 학습몰입과 심리적 안녕감의 경로가 유의하게 나타난 반면, 자기주도학습능력과 심리적 안녕감의 경로가 유의하지 않았다. 둘째, 학위과정 성인학습자의 교육서비스 질과 심리적 안녕감의 매개 효과는 학습몰입만이 단일매개하고, 자기주도학습능력과 학습몰입이 이중매개하는 결과로 한국과 중국이 같게 나타났다. 이상과 같이 중국 성인학습자의 교육서비스 질과 심리적 안녕감의 관계에 대하여 중국은 직접적인 관계가 있는 반면에 한국은 관계가 없고, 나머지 변인들은 심리적 안녕감에 한국과 중국이 같이 영향을 미치는 것으로 확인되었다.This study was to compare the structural relationship between educational service quality, self-directed learning ability, learning commitment, and psychological well-being of adult learners in the university degree achievement courses in Korea and China, and compared the mediating effect of self-directed learning ability and learning well-being. The research method conducted a survey of 303 adult learners at universities participating in the LiFE project in Korea and 528 adult learners in the academic qualification course of the University Lifelong Education Center in China to compare and analyze the assumptions, structural equation estimation, and mediating effects. According to the analysis results, first, the structural relationship between variables that affect the psychological well-being of Korean adult learners was significant in education service quality and self-directed learning ability, education service quality and learning commitment, and psychological well-being. In the structural relationship between variables affecting the psychological well-being of Chinese adult learners, the paths of educational service quality and psychological well-being, educational service quality and learning commitment, self-directed learning ability and psychological well-being were significant, but the paths of self-directed learning ability and psychological well-being were not significant. Second, the mediating effect of educational service quality and psychological well-being of adult learners in the degree acquisition process was the same as that of Korea and China as a result of single-mediation of learning commitment and self-directed learning ability and learning commitment. As described above, it was confirmed that China has a direct relationship with the relationship between the educational service quality and psychological well-being of Chinese adult learners, while Korea has no relationship with the rest of the variables have an effect on psychological well-being.

Spoken Word Recognition across Language Boundary: ERP Evidence of Prosodic Transfer Driven by Pitch

Extensive research has explored the perception of English lexical stress by Chinese EFL learners and tried to unveil the underlying mechanism of the prosodic transfer from a native tonal language to a non-native stress language. However, the role of the pitch as the shared cue by lexical stress and lexical tone during the transfer remains controversial when the segmental cue (i.e., reduced vowel) is absent. By employing event-related potential (ERP) measurements, the current study aimed to further investigate the role of the pitch during the prosodic transfer from L1 lexical tone to L2 lexical stress and the underlying neural responses. Two groups of adult Chinese EFL learners were compared, as both Mandarin and Cantonese are tonal languages with different levels of complexity. The results showed that Cantonese speakers relied more than Mandarin speakers on pitch cues, not only in their processing of English lexical stress but also in word recognition. Our findings are consistent with the arguments of Cue Weighting and attest to the influence of native tonal language experience on second language acquisition. The results may have implications on pedagogical methods that pitch could be an important clue in second language teaching.

Influence of high-level mathematical thinking on L2 phonological processing of Chinese EFL learners: Evidence from an fNIRS study

The contribution of language to the development of mathematical skills has been studied for several decades. However, how mathematical thinking influences language learning, especially second language (L2) learning, remains unknown. To approach this question, this study employed a control/experimental design to reveal the impacts of high-level mathematical thinking used in geometrical problems on the phonological processing of adult Chinese learners of English as a foreign language using a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device. The results showed that high-level mathematical thinking in processing geometrical problems would not produce instant behavioural impacts on learners’ L2 learning, although it inhibited learners’ brain function activation and network functional connectivity (FC) for language processing. Nevertheless, it is presumed that high-level mathematical thinking may generate ‘cognitive residue’ in phonological processing of L2 as only learners with good phonics ability could reluctantly activate the brain regions necessary for English phonological decoding.

Anxiety and enjoyment of older learners of English in Chinese Universities of the third age

ABSTRACT This paper investigated a research area worthy of greater attention: foreign language classroom anxiety (hereafter FLCA) and enjoyment (hereafter FLE) of older adults learning English as a foreign language in Chinese Universities of the Third Age. Understanding the largely overlooked emotional involvement of older language learners contributes to sustaining their motivation in lifelong learning for more remarkable personal growth and successes. Based on the survey of 587 Chinese older learners of English between the age of 50 and 80, paired sample t-test showed that more FLE was reported than FLCA. The results of Welch’s ANOVA suggested that those who were better educated had less FLCA and those who believed themselves healthier had more FLE. The language performance evaluation (i.e. relative standing in class and English mastery) affects both FLE and FLCA. Further interviews with 34 older participants revealed three major sources of FLE, including the language use in life situations, the favorable attitude toward FL learning in the cognitive, aesthetic cultural and pragmatic aspects and the social interactions in the U3As. FLCA occurs when the language performance is perceived as dissatisfying and when aspects of mental health (e.g. worsening memory) impede effective learning. Although FLCA and FLE had only a very weak correlation, Chinese older adult learners commented on a shared belief that anxiety usually precedes and subsequently enhances enjoyment in learning, indicating a sign of emotional resilience later in life. This paper demonstrates a need for understanding the emotions in language learning across life stages and socio-cultural contexts.

Language Learning Motivation and Its Role in Learner Complaint Production

While motivation plays an important role in language learning, few attempts have been made to explore its significance in second language (L2) pragmatics learning. The current study investigated whether and how language learning motivation affects L2 pragmatics production. A total of 60 adult Chinese learners of English participated in this study. Data were elicited from a motivation questionnaire and a discourse completion task (DCT). The results revealed that L2 learners with high motivation performed better in making complaints in the target language than learners with low motivation. Moreover, learners’ levels of pragmatic production correlated positively with their overall L2 motivation, as well as with four motivational subscales, namely, attitudes towards learning English, ideal L2 self, intended learning efforts, and attitudes towards the L2 community. Regression analysis showed that learners’ attitude towards learning English best predicted their production of the speech act of complaints. The findings of this study support the role motivational dispositions play in learners’ L2 pragmatic production. The study provides insight into the interaction of L2 motivation and pragmatics learning.

Web-Based Text Structure Instruction on Ells’ High-Order Reading Comprehension Skills

ABSTRACT The difficulties with developing high-order reading comprehension skills negatively impact academic success across fields. The current study investigated whether the text structure strategy instruction, delivered through the Intelligent Tutoring of Structure Strategy (ITSS) to adult English learners as a foreign language (EFL), can improve reading comprehension, especially their higher-order reading comprehension skills. With a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design, 61 adult Chinese EFL learners from two classes were assigned to experimental or control groups. The experimental group utilized the ITSS to support their English reading instruction, whereas the control group was provided with the traditional instruction. Our results indicated that the web-based text structure instruction had a statistically significant positive effect on Chinese EFL learners’ reading comprehension (β = 3.22, p < 0.05). Furthermore, we confirmed our hypothesis that text structure intervention was a significant predictor for inferential (β = 0.91, p < 0.05) and evaluative (β = 1.06, p < 0.05) subskills of comprehension, but not for literal subskills (β = 1.25, p > 0.05). Based on these results, research and pedagogical implications of this study are discussed.

An Empirical Study on the Omission of Third-Person Singular -s in Writing

Enlightened by studies in inflectional morpheme in L2 speech, this article reports a survey on the use of third-person singular -s in writing by 6 L1 Chinese L2 English learners enrolled in Lancaster University in 2014. The results show that these undergraduate students omitted almost half -s marking in obligatory contexts but made little or no mistake when they actually used third-person singular -s. The students were more successful in using be form than -s form. The grammar of these students seemed to be &amp;ldquo;fossilized&amp;rdquo; in -s marking since they made no improvement after attending a pre-sessional program at Lancaster University. Whiling echoing the findings of previous studies on either Chinese or other English learners (adults or Children), this article concludes that the acquisition third-person singular -s is a challenge for adult Chinese English learners in writing. The implications for English language teaching in China are also discussed.

A Research Proposal on Applying Chinese Phonetic System in Teaching Pronunciation of English Words to Older Chinese EFL Adult Learners

Recent years have seen a rapid growth of older Chinese people going abroad, either visiting their relatives or taking on a long-term trip. These older adults find it is necessary to learn some English words to help them blend in local environment. However, a lot of them encounter challenges of memorizing the pronunciation of English words via using English phonetic alphabet, because many have little English learning experience. Their tongues had never been trained to pronounce English words in their childhood, and it is so difficult for them to remember a new pronunciation system and change their pronunciation habit. So they tend to memorize the pronunciation of words by referring its sound to their acquired pinyin system—a phonology system for Chinese characters. This inspires the author to think it may be, in a way, meaningful to exam the feasibility of applying such approach in teaching older Chinese adult beginners for specific purpose. Hence, the proposal of designing a controlled experiment to explore this teaching method. By offering a tentative research design, the paper provides predicative analysis and implications on studying the L1 play in L2 pronunciation acquisition in second language classroom.

Optimal Use of L1 and L2 in Teaching Chinese to Sri Lankan Students: Approaches and Challenges

Traditional perspectives on monolingual education and total immersion have been substituted by more novel approaches to multilingual education such as translanguaging and partial immersion where the learners’ language repertoire is paid adequate respect. The present study investigates the role of L1 and L2 in teaching Chinese in Sri Lanka using 42 adult Chinese language learners in Sri Lanka as informants and a structured questionnaire was used as the main data collection tool. The informants have a highly divided perspective towards the use of L1 and L2 in the classroom. Most students have favored English instruction considering its efficacy in career prospects and Sinhala for convenience of comprehension. Considering the existing situation of Chinese language textbooks, language policy, and recent trends in multilingualism in Sri Lanka, total immersion is less likely to bring optimal effectiveness in teaching Chinese. The present study suggests that partial immersion and translanguaging would be more constructive for Sri Lankan students if cautiously handled with less hindrance to the delivery of target language content and its accuracy. A multilingual approach would, on one hand, offer a safe space for students to communicate while penetrating cross-cultural barriers through cultivation of culture-sensitivity.

Neuro-Cognitive Differences in Semantic Processing Between Native Speakers and Proficient Learners of Mandarin Chinese.

The present study aimed to investigate the neural mechanism underlying semantic processing in Mandarin Chinese adult learners, focusing on the learners who were Indo-European language speakers with advanced levels of proficiency in Mandarin Chinese. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging technique and a semantic judgment task to test 24 Mandarin Chinese adult learners (L2 group) and 26 Mandarin Chinese adult native speakers (L1 group) as a control group. In the task, participants were asked to indicate whether two-character pairs were related in meaning. Compared to the L1 group, the L2 group had greater activation in the bilateral occipital regions, including the fusiform gyrus and middle occipital gyrus, as well as the right superior parietal lobule. On the other hand, less activation in the bilateral temporal regions was found in the L2 group relative to the L1 group. Correlation analysis further revealed that, within the L2 group, increased activation in the left middle temporal gyrus/superior temporal gyrus (M/STG, BA 21) was correlated with higher accuracy in the semantic judgment task as well as better scores in the two vocabulary tests, the Assessment of Chinese character list for grade 3 to grade 9 (A39) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised. In addition, functional connectivity analysis showed that connectivity strength between the left fusiform gyrus and left ventral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG, BA 47) was modulated by the accuracy in the semantic judgment task in the L1 group. By contrast, this modulation effect was weaker in the L2 group. Taken together, our study suggests that Mandarin Chinese adult learners rely on greater recruitment of the bilateral occipital regions to process orthographic information to access the meaning of Chinese characters. Also, our correlation results provide convergent evidence that the left M/STG (BA 21) plays a crucial role in the storage of semantic knowledge for readers to access to conceptual information. Moreover, the connectivity results indicate that the left ventral pathway (left fusiform gyrus-left ventral IFG) is associated with orthographic-semantic processing in Mandarin Chinese. However, this semantic-related ventral pathway might require more time and language experience to be developed, especially for the late adult learners of Mandarin Chinese.

Morphological Awareness in L2 Chinese Reading Comprehension: Testing of Mediating Routes.

This study aims to examine the contribution of morphological awareness to second language (L2) Chinese reading comprehension through potential mediating factors. Adult L2 Chinese learners (n = 447) participated in the study and completed two morphological awareness tasks (segmentation and discrimination), two vocabulary knowledge tasks (character knowledge and word-meaning knowledge), one lexical inference task, and one reading comprehension task. By testing alternative path models, this study identified the preferred model assuming the covariates of morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge. Morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge jointly contributed to L2 Chinese reading comprehension through lexical inference. The written modality of morphological awareness induced the activation of both morphological and orthographic information in print. The result suggests that morphological awareness (in the form of grapho-morphological knowledge) and vocabulary knowledge seem to be two parallel components under the same construct predicting Chinese reading comprehension. More importantly, this study underscores the intermediary effect of lexical inference in associating morphological awareness and reading comprehension in L2 Chinese learners.

Examining Self-Regulated Learning Strategy Model: A Measurement Invariance Analysis of MSLQ-CAL among College Students in China

This study examined psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire for Chinese adult learners, learning strategy scale (MSLQ-CAL-LS). Data were collected from 2499 college students from 15 Chinese universities. Results from factor analysis suggested satisfactory psychometric properties of MSLQ-CAL-LS. We further identified strong evidence to support the configural, metric, scalar and strict invariance across the gender groups, confirming the appropriate use of MSLQ-CAL-LS that can accurately capture the construct of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies among both female and male Chinese adult learners. This study provides one step forward to measure SRL outside the Western context. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

A Study on the Relationship between Lifelong Learning Competency, Lifelong Learning Participation Motivation, Learning Characteristics, and Psychological Empowerment of Chinese Adult Learners

A Study on the Relationship between Lifelong Learning Competency, Lifelong Learning Participation Motivation, Learning Characteristics, and Psychological Empowerment of Chinese Adult Learners