Learning to Teach Spoken Mandarin toward High-school Students through Technology-based Affective Learning Designs

Abstract

Technology provides occasions for language learners to engage in authentic communication with native speakers around the world. However, in order for such language learning to be successful, it must take into account learners’ affective or emotional needs. Traditional approaches to language learning have neglected the affective domain. This study reports on the creation and verification of the learning framework. This framework relies on a case study in which pre-service Chinese language teachers use and apply technology to learn how to develop their future Mandarin as a foreign language speaking skills using affective learning strategies. Participants were 30 pre-service Chinese language teachers high-school teachers of spoken Mandarin in a ten-week teaching with technology course. Results showed that the learning framework for affective language learning included six processes, including 1) Remembering, 2) Understanding, 3) Applying, 4) Analyzing, 5) Creating, and 6) Evaluating. In addition, results indicated that the pre-service teachers used the affective strategies in terms of low anxiety and high motivation to design the website the most. The current research suggests the need for applying technology to learn how to develop future students’ Mandarin as a foreign language speaking skill using affective learning strategies.