“Change in L2 Motivation, Change in Worldview”: Being a Chinese International Student in Australia (70525)
Session Chair: Lok Fai Pun
Saturday, 20 May 2023 09:30
Session: Session 1
Room: Room 707
Presentation Type:Oral Presentation
In China, where English is taught as a foreign language, the learners’ exposure to English-speaking cultures is very limited. Moreover, they view English language learning as an instrument to attain their aspirational goals, whether it is to enhance their future social standing or improve their career prospects. This purpose-driven ambition would drive them to focus on either instrumental or required motivation to meet their L2 goals. However, when these Chinese students enter an English-speaking culture, such as Australia, the realities of language and cultural immersion are frequently more challenging than many students expect, hence the need for these students to experience shifts in motivation and adaptation strategies. This change in motivation would necessitate a move towards integrative motivation for effective L2 acquisition in their language learning, which could ultimately entail a shift in their worldview. This paper explores they types of language motivation orientation international Chinese students use during their study sojourn in Australia. A mixed methods analytical approach was applied in two parts; first, through an online survey of Chinese international students studying at an Australian university, then followed by a separate 3-month longitudinal study to determine participants’ L2 motivation response. Findings suggest that there was a complex interplay between both integrative and instrumental motivation, which may facilitate a change in their self-identity. Implications from this study presents challenges to Australian universities to incorporate an environment of effective intercultural communication competency for all students, including Chinese students, to have a stronger intercultural outlook.
Authors:
Dennis Lam, Western Sydney University, Australia
Ping Yang, Western Sydney University, Australia
Adrian Hale, Western Sydney University, Australia
About the Presenter(s)
Mr Dennis Lam is a University Doctoral Student at Western Sydney University in Australia
See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule
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