Primary School Students In China Research Articles

An analysis of phenomena of consonant substitution and strategies for development for Cantonese EFL elementary learners: A case study

The present study focuses on the phenomena of consonant substitution and strategies for remediation or development for Cantonese primary school students in China. 8 students from the graduating classes of Dongguan Haide Bilingual School were randomly selected as participants, of whom the pronunciation samples were collected after finishing the optional course (fun reading) which lasted for 15 weeks. Focusing on segmental features (consonant substitutions), each audio was recorded by computer, followed by analyzing transcriptions, marking pronunciation errors, and categorizing error types. The result presented that the pronunciation of letters th, pronunciation of the initial consonant cluster and the final consonant cluster, pronunciation of the letter l, substitution of voiceless consonant for the corresponding voiced consonant, substitution of phonemes /w/ for /v/ and /r/ and confusion between phonemes /n/ and /m/ were the common types of errors in consonant substitution of learners in primary school on English learning. By analyzing the phenomena of consonant substitution in the English pronunciation of specific primary school students in Guangdong and exploring its developmental strategies, this paper attempts to provide predictable focus and teaching guidance for primary school English teachers, aiming at exploring and innovating English pronunciation teaching methods, stimulating students’ learning interest and promoting the development of primary school English language teaching (ELT).

Crafting a framework: a Delphi method approach to formulating a maker literacy assessment model for primary school students in China

The inclusion of Maker education is crucial in fostering innovative individuals. However, evaluating Maker activities in primary schools continues to be a difficult task. This study aimed to determine the fundamental components of Maker literacy among primary school students. The researchers constructed a thorough evaluation index system by doing a literature review, using coding techniques, determining the weights from YAAHP, and performing statistical analysis with SPSS. The Delphi technique enhanced the conceptual framework through consultation with sixteen experts. The emerging framework consists of three dimensions: Design Thinking, Technology Application and Materialized Practice, and Maker Spirit and Responsibility, each encompassing 12 subordinate aspects. These aspects subtly comprehend Maker literacy and act as indicators for comprehensive assessment systems in Chinese elementary schools. The study enhances our comprehension of children’s development in the field of Maker literacy by outlining its structure. This study provides vital insights into the assessment of Maker activities, which is a significant obstacle to the progress of Maker education. The findings of this study have practical consequences for those in the field of education, policymakers, and those involved in developing curricula. The aim is to promote the development of a generation of individuals capable of thinking innovatively and creating new ideas.

Academic grit scale for Chinese middle- and upper-grade primary school students: testing its factor structure and measurement invariance

The Academic Grit Scale (AGS) is a novel measure of academic-specific grit. However, its factor structure and measurement invariance have yet to be thoroughly supported. The present study tested the factor structure and measurement invariance of the AGS with a large sample of early adolescents (aged 9–14 years) from China (N = 1,894). The bifactor model showed that the AGS was predominately accounted for by the general factor rather than the domain-specific factors; the parallel model from the AGS’s one-factor model showed good fit indices; thus, the AGS should be described as a univocal solution and reported as the total score. Gender and grade measurement invariance were supported at a scalar level, warranting further mean difference comparisons. In addition, academic grit was significantly associated with positive academic emotions and academic achievement, yielding evidence of good criteria-related validity. The current study contributes additional evidence to the construct validity of the Chinese version of the AGS among middle- and upper-grade primary school students in China.

Predicting academic achievement from the collaborative influences of executive function, physical fitness, and demographic factors among primary school students in China: ensemble learning methods

BackgroundElevated levels of executive function and physical fitness play a pivotal role in shaping future quality of life. However, few studies have examined the collaborative influences of physical and mental health on academic achievement. This study aims to investigate the key factors that collaboratively influence primary school students' academic achievement from executive function, physical fitness, and demographic factors. Additionally, ensemble learning methods are employed to predict academic achievement, and their predictive performance is compared with individual learners.MethodsA cluster sampling method was utilized to select 353 primary school students from Huai'an, China, who underwent assessments for executive function, physical fitness, and academic achievement. The recursive feature elimination cross-validation method was employed to identify key factors that collaboratively influence academic achievement. Ensemble learning models, utilizing eXtreme Gradient Boosting and Random Forest algorithms, were constructed based on Bagging and Boosting methods. Individual learners were developed using Support Vector Machine, Decision Tree, Logistic Regression, and Linear Discriminant Analysis algorithms, followed by the establishment of a Stacking ensemble learning model.ResultsOur findings revealed that sex, body mass index, muscle strength, cardiorespiratory function, inhibition, working memory, and shifting were key factors influencing the academic achievement of primary school students. Moreover, ensemble learning models demonstrated superior predictive performance compared to individual learners in predicting academic achievement among primary school students.ConclusionsOur results suggest that recognizing sex differences and emphasizing the simultaneous development of cognition and physical well-being can positively impact the academic development of primary school students. Ensemble learning methods warrant further attention, as they enable the establishment of an accurate academic early warning system for primary school students.

The Impact of Music Education on the Academic Achievement of Chinese Primary School Students

Nowadays, it is widely acknowledged worldwide that music education is a beneficial activity for students’ cognitive, social, and emotional development (Ho, 2021). However, there is limited empirical evidence on how music education affects academic achievement in primary schools, especially in China. The aim of this literature review is to examine the existing research on the impact of music education on the academic achievement of primary school students in China, focusing on three aspects of music education: instrument-vocal training, music composition and music appreciation. The review synthesised the results of different research approaches and highlighted the importance of music education in enhancing Chinese primary school students’ motivation, creativity, and self-esteem, as well as in promoting cultural diversity and social harmony (Bao, 2020; Wang, 2021). Limitations of the current literature are then discussed and directions for future research are suggested, concluding that the main conclusion - that music education has a relatively positive impact on academic achievement in Chinese primary schools - requires more rigorous and comprehensive research to explore the underlying mechanisms and contextual factors that influence this relationship.

Home reading environment, sociometric and demographic factors associated with dyslexia in primary school students in China: A case-control study

BackgroundDevelopmental dyslexia (DD) has been generally recognized as a multifactorial psychological disorder in recent decades. However, studies on reading and learning environment, social and demographic factors affecting Chinese developmental dyslexia (DD) are still scarce in China. This study aims to explore multidimensional home influencing factors associated with DD before and after birth. MethodsA total of 60 dyslexic and 252 normal elementary school students graded 2–5 were recruited in Shantou, China. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression model was used for the social and demographic variables screening. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between DD and related factors were estimated by multivariate logistic regression models. ResultsThrough LASSO regression, we ultimately identified 13 key variables, including maternal education level and family monthly income, among others. The logistic regression analyses showed that the risk of DD was higher in children with lower maternal education levels. Divergent parenting styles may be a risk factor for developing DD as opposed to consistent parenting styles (OR = 4.93, 95%CI: 1.11–21.91). Children whose mothers suffered from malnutrition during pregnancy were more likely to develop DD (OR = 10.31, 95%CI: 1.84–37.86), as well as exposure to second-hand smoking at home every day (OR = 5.33, 95%CI: 1.52–18.66). Interestingly, children's active reading (OR = 0.26, 95%CI: 0.08–0.84; OR = 0.17, 95%CI: 0.04–0.76 for “sometimes” and “often” compared to none, respectively), children having extracurricular reading fairy tale books (OR = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.15–0.90), and children having extracurricular reading composition books (OR = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.09–0.69) were significant protective factors for DD. ConclusionsHome reading environment, several educational, sociometric and demographic factors may influence the development of dyslexia. We should pay attention to these factors on the development of dyslexia, so as to provide the well social and familial environment to ensure the healthy development of children.

Helping students to face academic failures: Evaluation of a growth mindset intervention among primary school students in China.

Students commonly struggle with academic failure. Innovative interventions aimed at improving the essential components of academic success are therefore needed. The aim of this study was to test whether teaching a growth mindset of intelligence (the belief that intelligence is malleable and can be developed) could improve students' attitudes towards failure and academic outcomes. In particular, we explored whether students' perceived parental beliefs about failure influenced the effect of a growth mindset intervention. We tested the 8-session growth mindset intervention in a sample of 1766 Chinese primary school students (age M = 10.61; SD = .99). Measures of mindset of intelligence, failure belief, positive strategies, and academic achievement were completed at baseline (T1) and 3-month follow-up (T2). In comparison to the control group, students in the intervention group reported a stronger growth mindset of intelligence at 3-month follow-up, which in turn indirectly increased their positive failure belief and inclinations of positive strategies when facing failures. Moreover, these beneficial effects of the growth mindset intervention were sustained only when students perceived relatively more supportive parental beliefs about failure. Additionally, the growth mindset intervention to some extent protected students' academic achievement from a downward trajectory at follow-up. Collectively, the findings highlight the promising effects of a growth mindset intervention on students' academic-related outcomes.

Metacognitive prompts and numerical ordinality in solving word problems: An eye-tracking study.

The ability to translate concrete manipulatives into abstract mathematical formulas can aid in the solving of mathematical word problems among students, and metacognitive prompts play a significant role in enhancing this process. Based on the concept of semantic congruence, we explored the effects of metacognitive prompts and numerical ordinality on information searching and cognitive processing, throughout the process of solving mathematical word problems among primary school students in China. Participants included 73 primary school students (38 boys and 35 girls) with normal or corrected visual acuity. This study was based on a 2 (prompt information: no-prompt, metacognitive-prompt) × 2 (number attribute: cardinal number, ordinal number) mixed experimental design. We analysed multiple eye-movement indices, such as fixation duration, saccadic amplitude, and pupil size, since they pertained to the areas of interest. When solving both types of problems, pupil sizes were significantly smaller under the metacognitive-prompt condition compared with the no-prompt condition, and shorter dwell time for specific sentences, conditional on metacognitive prompts, indicated the optimization of the presented algorithm. Additionally, the levels of fixation durations and saccadic amplitudes were significantly higher when solving ordinal number word problems compared with solving ordinal number problems, indicating that primary school students were less efficient in reading and faced increased levels of difficulty when solving ordinal number problems. The results indicate that for Chinese upper-grade primary school students, cognitive load was lower in the metacognitive prompting condition and when solving cardinal problems, and higher when solving ordinal problems.

Chinese students' filial piety beliefs and procrastination in mathematics learning: The mediating role of academic emotions.

This study examined the relations between Chinese students' filial piety beliefs and mathematics procrastination and the mediating role of academic emotions in the relations. Analysis of data on 1,476 primary school students in China with structural equation modeling revealed that students' reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety beliefs were positively related to academic enjoyment and anxiety, respectively. Students' procrastination in mathematics learning was positively related to anxiety and authoritarian filial piety beliefs and had negative associations with enjoyment and reciprocal filial piety beliefs. The bootstrap analysis results confirmed the mediating role of anxiety in the relation between authoritarian filial piety beliefs and procrastination. Reciprocal filial piety beliefs had negative indirect relationship with procrastination via enjoyment. The results were explained from a socio-cultural perspective. The theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.

How online education affects Chinese primary school students under COVID-19?

In this article, the main content to discuss is how online education affect primary school students in China at the pandemic period. The article primarily introduce how online education are adapted under COVID-19 pandemic. The essay also illustrates the benefits and limitation of online education. There is no doubt that online education brings convenience on achieving ‘distant learning’. And online education also helps children to access more resource from the internet. Numbers of limitations mention as well. Younger generation may have lack of self-controlled abilities. They might be abstracted by the internet too. Also, the grades of online testing cannot be ensured because of opaqueness of networked examination. At last, the article analyzes the satisfaction to ‘online education’ among students in terms of experience, feedback and harnessing of online platforms. Most of students provide the optimistic side of ‘e-learning’. For this article, the purpose is to measure whether online education did the useful world on students’ schooling and curriculum.

A comparative study of the prevalence of myopia and behavioral changes in primary school students

ObjectiveTo analyze the changes in the prevalence of myopia and its relation to ocular biological parameters, and behaviors among primary school students in China, and understand the prevention and control of myopia.MethodsCross-sectional surveys were performed on 7–9-year-old children in the yrs. 2012 and 2019. In addition, spherical equivalent refraction (SER), axial length (AL), and AL/corneal radius ratio (AL/CR ratio) were collected without cycloplegia. Participants completed detailed questionnaires on behavior related to myopia.ResultsData was collected on 623 children (8.02 ± 0.57 years old) in 2012 and 536 students in 2019 (8.09 ± 0.65 years old). The prevalence of myopia was 37.7% in 2012 and 39.9% in 2019. The SER was -0.25 (0.92) D in 2012 and -0.25 (1.25) in 2019. There was no statistical difference in the prevalence of myopia and SER over the 7 years (all P > 0.05). In 2019, the prevalence of myopia among girls demonstrated an increasing trend (33.8% vs. 37.8%), but there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05). The mean AL and AL/CR ratio of boys were decreasing (all P < 0.05). The proportion of children reading more than 2 h and using digital devices for more than 2 h per day after their classes in the 2019 group both decreased (all P < 0.05). However, the proportion of activities performed outdoors for more than 2 h./day decreased significantly (P = 0.001).ConclusionCompared with 2012, the prevalence of myopia in primary school students in 2019 was under control, which may be related to the improvement of children's near-work behavior, but there was the problem of insufficient outdoor activity time. In terms of ocular biological parameters, the risk of myopia for boys in 2019 was lower.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Physical Fitness of Primary School Students in China Based on the Bronfenbrenner Ecological Theory.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, nation lockdown became an effective way to isolate the spread of the virus. Schools were postponed, students had to stay at home and opportunities for physical activity amongst school children were severely affected. This research sought to determine the impact of the pandemic on the physical fitness of primary school students. In total, 1,235 students from grades one to five in a primary school in Beijing took part in this research. Using the Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard as a guide, the students were subjected to BMI, vital capacity, 50 m sprint, sit and reach, timed rope-skipping, timed sit-ups, and 50m × 8 shuttle run measurements. These tests were administered once before and once after the lockdown period. The results showed that the overall physical fitness of the participants was better after the lockdown [p = 0.000, r = −0.14, 95% CI (–0.219, –0.061)]. Specifically, vital capacity, sit and reach, timed rope-skipping and timed sit-ups had improved after the lockdown. Meanwhile, 50m × 8 shuttle run dropped slightly but not significantly whereas 50 m sprint dropped sharply after the lockdown. The proportion of overweight and obese students increased, but the difference before and after the lockdown was small. It appeared that during the pandemic, through the intervention of many comprehensive factors, home-based fitness was normalized and promoted the healthy development of students.

Beijing Pinggu Childhood Eye Study: The Baseline Refractive Characteristics in 6- to 12-Year-Old Chinese Primary School Students.

PurposeTo report the design and baseline data of a 3-year cohort study in Beijing Pinggu District primary school students in China after COVID-19.MethodsNoncycloplegic and cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) were measured, ocular biometry, including the axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and corneal power (CP), were collected before cycloplegia. Corneal radius (CR), AL-to-CR ratio, and lens power (LP) were calculated.ResultsAmong the 4,806 (89.1%) eligible students (51.5% male), the prevalence of emmetropia, myopia, mild hyperopia, and mild-to-high hyperopia was 12.8, 30.8, 53.0, and 3.3% after cycloplegia, respectively. Myopia increased from 2.5% in 6- to 71.6% in 12-year-old students, with 9- and 10-year-olds showing the most prominent increases. The median of cycloplegic SER was 0.50 (IQR = 1.63), and the noncycloplegic SER was −0.38 D (IQR = 1.50), which is more negative than the cycloplegic refraction. The mean AL increased with age, from 22.46 ± 0.70 mm to 24.26 ± 1.07 mm. The ACD increased from 3.38 ± 0.28 mm to 3.70 ± 0.30 mm, and the AL-to-CR ratio increased from 2.91 ± 0.08 to 3.12 ± 0.13 between 6- and 12-year-old students. AL, CR and LP explained the SER variance with R2 of 86.4% after adjusting the age and gender.Conclusions and RelevanceThe myopia prevalence since emergence of COVID-19 rapidly increased from 6- to 12-year primary school Chinese children, especially after 7 years of age. The non-cycloplegia SER overestimated the prevalence of myopia, and the cycloplegic SER is a more accurate and reliable method to assess the prevalence of refractive status.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ONLINE ENGLISH LEARNING AND TEACHING SUGGESTIONS DURING COVID-19 IN CHINA

In order to ensure the continuity of students’ learning after the outbreak of COVID-19, online teaching has been carried out on a large scale at all levels and types of schools under the initiative of the Ministry of Education in China. The findings of this study showed that for primary school students in China, smart phone is the most important learning tool; online live teaching is the main teaching method. The results also indicates that there is a significant correlation between overall effect of online English learning and learning status and related learning resources provided by teachers, and learning resources play an intermediary role between learning status and learning effect. The results of this study suggest to the teachers, parents and relevant education departments from two aspects of learning status and learning resources with the aim of providing reference for better adapting to the era of “Internet and Education” in the future in China.

Current situation of screen time among Chinese primary and middle school students from 2016 to 2017

To analyze and describe the status and characteristics of using electronic screens of primary and middle school students in China from 2016 to 2017. From 2016 to 2017, 275 monitoring points were selected from 31 provinces in China, and 280 primary and middle school students were selected from each monitoring point to complete the survey. Using the suggestion from "Healthy China Initiative(2019-2030)"of which the screen time of primary and middle school students should be less than one hour per day as the standard. A total of 74 314 primary and secondary school students(except grade 9 and grade 12) were included in this study. Among them, there were 37 147 boys(50.0%) and 37 167 girls(50.0%); 44 612 pupils(60.0%), 14 858 junior school students(20.0%), and 14 844 senior high school students(20.0%); 38 995(52.5%) rural students and 35 319(47.5%) urban students; 53 287 boarding students(71.7%) and 20 537 day students(27.6%). From 2016 to 2017, the average daily screen time of Chinese primary school students was 1.45 hours, M(P25, P75) was 1.14(0.57, 1.93) h. That of junior high school students was 1.92 hours, M(P25, P75) was 1.43(0.71, 2.48) h. That of senior high school students was 2.37 hours, M(P25, P75) was 1.71(0.90, 3.02) h. The average daily screen time qualified rates of primary school, junior high and senior high school students were 46.1%, 37.1% and 27.7%, respectively. From 2016 to 2017, the most used electronic screen products of primary school students in China were TV/videos(62%), followed by mobile phones(21%). Junior high school students spent 38% and 37% of the total time watching TV/videos and playing mobile phones, respectively. High school students spend the longest time using mobile phones(49%) of the total time, followed by watching TV/videos(26%). With the increasing of grade, screen time became longer, and screen time qualified rate dropped. Moreover, the most used electronic screens were mobile phones and TV/videos.

Prevalence of mental health problems among primary school students in Chinese mainland from 2010 to 2010:A meta-analysis

<p id="p00005">In recent years, the age of mental health problems shows a descending trend. Primary school students, as a special group in the critical stage of personal growth, are experiencing increased mental health problems that has caught wide attention from society. If the mental health problems of primary school students are not screened, prevented, and intervened in time, they may develop into lifelong mental diseases, which are difficult to redress and treat. Hence, as the basic premise of improving mental health, it is particularly important to find out the prevalence of pupils' mental health problems, so as to understand their real mental health status, and make targeted detection and intervention in the future. <br/>However, the prevalence of primary school students' mental health problems described in literature shows inconsistent results, and the prevalence varied greatly, which has brought confusion to mental health educators and workers. Although some researchers tried to use meta-analysis to quantitatively integrate the existing research findings, avoid the influence of biased samples, demographic characteristics, and other factors, and attempt to explore the detection rate of primary school students’ mental health problems objectively and accurately, there were still some deficiencies. Firstly, it only revealed the prevalence of some mental health problems, and did not cover more comprehensive mental health problems. Secondly, it did not specifically analyze the mental health problems in recent 10 years. Finally, the inclusion and discussion of regulatory variables were not specific enough. Therefore, based on the research results in recent 10 years, it is necessary to integrate the prevalence of primary school students' mental health problems and explore its influencing factors by using meta-analysis method. <br/>In order to clarify the debate on the different prevalence of primary school students' mental health problems, we analyzed and estimated the detection rate of primary school students' mental health problems in mainland China from 2010 to 2020 and investigated its moderation effects. The meta-analysis technology was used to retrieve the research on anxiety, depression, somatization, withdrawal, sleep problems, aggressive and discipline behaviors in Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database and Web of Science core collection database from 2010 to 2020. Finally, a total of 101 research and 289396 primary school students were obtained: 9 articles about anxiety, 34 articles about depression, 12 articles about somatization, 10 articles about withdrawal, 11 articles about sleep problems, 13 articles about aggressive behavior, and 12 articles about disciplinary behavior. The software Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 3.3 and the random effect model was selected for analysis.The results showed that (1) The prevalence of mental health problems in primary school students from high to low were sleep problems (25.2%, 95%CI = [0.16, 0.37]), depression (14.6%, 95%CI = [0.12, 0.18]), anxiety (12.3%, 95%CI = [0.06, 0.23]), aggressive behavior (4.1%, 95%CI = [0.02, 0.10]), withdrawal (3.8%, 95%CI = [0.02, 0.06]), disciplinary behavior (3.7%, 95%CI = [0.02, 0.07]) and somatization (3.6%, 95%CI = [0.02, 0.07]); (2) Measurement tools, measurement standards and detection period were the key factors causing the fluctuation of prevalence of mental health problems among primary school students in China. Generally speaking, the overall mental health status of primary school students in China is acceptable except that the prevalence of sleep problems, depression and anxiety are high. In the future, we should develop mental health assessment tools and detection standards suitable for Chinese primary school students to provide support for the prevention and accurate intervention of mental health problems.

A longitudinal study of the impact of parental discipline on wellbeing among primary school students in China: The roles of school attachment and growth mindset

BackgroundVarious parental disciplinary strategies may have different impacts on children's wellbeing. Protective factors, such as school attachment and a growth mindset, may mitigate the influence of harsh discipline on a child's wellbeing. ObjectiveBased on the strengths-based trauma-informed positive education model, the current study investigated the impacts of three types of parental discipline (corporal punishment, psychological aggression, and nonviolent discipline) on primary school students' wellbeing and examined the moderating roles of school attachment and a growth mindset (both disjunctive and conjunctive moderating effects) in the relationship between parental discipline and student wellbeing. MethodsA sample of 854 primary school students (M = 9.40) from eight schools in Hong Kong, China, completed the questionnaire survey at two time points (Time 1 and Time 2), one year apart. Hierarchical regression analysis was applied for data analysis. ResultsParental psychological aggression at Time 1 (T1) was significantly and negatively related to student wellbeing at Time 2 (T2). Parental nonviolent discipline students' school attachment and growth mindset at T1 were significantly and positively correlated with student wellbeing at T2, when controlling for the students' initial wellbeing and important confounding demographic variables. School attachment moderated the association between parental psychological aggression and student wellbeing. ConclusionsParental psychological aggression has negative impacts while nonviolent discipline has positive impacts on primary school students' wellbeing. Students who are more attached to school and have a growth mindset show higher levels of wellbeing. The study provides further evidence of the role of school attachment in moderating the effect of parental psychological aggression on children's wellbeing in the trauma-informed positive education model.

Research on Mobile-Assisted English Language Learning Among Primary School Students in China: Focusing on Students’ Feedback of Learning English with Mobile Devices

Guided by the conceptual framework of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) in informal settings, this study investigates how primary school students in China use mobile devices to learn English out of class, focusing on students’ feedback of learning English through an app named “We Speak”.The data was collected through quantitative data of completed responses to a desgined online survey questionnaire and qualitative data from follow-up email interviews with parents and face-to-face interviews with teachers. This study demonstrates students’ positive and effective learning feedback by using this app to practice English and suggests an approch for English as a foreign language (EFL) learning with mobile devices[1]. The findings bear significant pedagogical implications for teachers to intergarte MALL into their teaching curriculum objective to achieve specific teaching tasks of mobile pedagogy and provide parents with hints on how to better schedule and support their children’s learning outside class.

Towards the Sustainable Development of Digital Educational Games for Primary School Students in China

Despite considerable discussion on the benefits of digital educational games, empirical research on their effectiveness in primary schools in China is limited. This case study aimed to promote the sustainable development of digital educational games in primary schools in China by examining the effect of digital educational games on primary school students’ vocabulary acquisition and ascertaining their perceptions and attitudes toward this approach. Given the purposes of this study, an embedded mixed methods research design was employed. Two Grade 4 classes at a Chinese primary school were recruited in this study. During the quasi-experiment, the experimental class (n = 50) was provided with educational game software, Quizlet, while the control class (n = 50) was taught through a traditional teaching method. The results show that integrating educational games into language education in the primary schools was effective in improving students’ vocabulary acquisition. This study makes a case for further research of digital educational games in language classrooms at a primary level in China. Implications are made regarding the future sustainable implementation of digital educational games in primary schools in China.

The relationship between extracurricular music activity participation and music and Chinese language academic achievements of primary school students in China

In this study, we explored the relationship between extracurricular (formal and informal) music activity participation and music and Chinese language academic achievements of primary school students in China. Fourth graders ( N = 10,958) reported their demographic information and extracurricular music activity participation, and completed two standardized academic achievement tests, one on music and another on the Chinese language. Results showed that students’ music activity participation was related to higher music academic achievement after controlling for gender, school location, and family socioeconomic status. The effect of students’ informal music activity participation on their music academic achievements was greater than that of students’ formal music activity participation. Remarkably, students’ informal music activity participation was also positively related to their Chinese language academic achievement, while formal music activity participation showed a negative correlation with academic achievement in Chinese language. Findings contributed to an increased understanding of the influence of different kinds of extracurricular music activities on students’ academic developments.