The Teaching and Learning of Chinese as a Second or Foreign Language: The Current Situation and Future Directions

In this opening commentary, we highlight the development of the teaching and learning of Chinese as a second or foreign language (CSL/CFL), which has attracted much attention from researchers, language educators, and other stakeholders worldwide. To contribute to this ongoing examination and discussion, this special issue documents the collective efforts of scholars in different educational contexts to review six critical issues in teaching and learning CSL/CFL: learning and instruction of reading Chinese as an additional language, Chinese character teaching and learning, learner identity in CSL/CFL education, teaching and learning Chinese through immersion, technology assisted CSL/CFL teaching and learning, and mobile assisted learning CFL. We contend that all efforts to address these critical issues require constant examination to facilitate further development in CSL/CFL education around the world.     

Learner Identity in Chinese as a Foreign/Second Language Education: A Critical Review

This paper reports the results of a review of 33 journal articles chosen from 87 empirical studies on learner identity in Chinese as a foreign/second language (CFL/CSL) education, published during the years 2005–2019. By analyzing the co-occurrence of keywords in these Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) journal articles, this review identifies the theoretical perspectives and topical trends of CFL/CSL education research on learner identity. The review shows that while such post-structuralist theories and notions as capital, identity and investment model have continued to play a predominant role in CFL/CSL identity research, interdisciplinary perspectives seem to also demonstrate their theoretical value and interpretive power. Furthermore, the review found that researchers explored a wide array of topical issues in relation to learner identity involved in the complex linguistic and social ecology of Chinese language learning. The review concludes with suggestions for future projects to consider that expand the thematic and theoretical scope by exploring intersections between different social categories and learner identities in societal contexts.     

论对外汉语教师的职业道德和教学行为规范

对外汉语教师的道德修养和个体素质是直接关系到对外汉语教学事业发展水平和方向的重要因素。在对外汉语教学事业蓬勃发展的今天，面对教学过程出现的各种现象，加强教师职业道德修养，规范教师的教学行为，是每一个对外汉语教育工作者应积极探索和实践的课题。     

Teaching and Learning Chinese through Immersion: A Case Study from the North American Context

With the promise of achieving bilingualism, biliteracy, and cultural pluralism, Chinese immersion programs for students from kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12) in North America, especially the US, have been proliferating in the past two decades. Research on this rapidly growing population of non-native Chinese learners is also growing. This research synthesis focuses on 35 selected studies published in recent years on Chinese immersion in both Chinese and English language journals and books. The review found that researchers are exploring a wide range of issues with respect to language and literacy development in Chinese immersion programs, including academic achievement in English, language and literacy acquisition in Chinese, instructional strategies and classroom interaction, as well as learners’ language use and its sociolinguistic variations. These studies reflect a growing interest in and demand for learning more about the lesser-researched Chinese foreign language (CFL) learner population, and this review concludes with suggestions for future research on Chinese immersion based on its curricular features as well as specific considerations for conducting research with young, emergent bilingual and biliterate learners.     

Trends in the research design and application of mobile language learning: a review of 2007–2016 publications in selected SSCI journals

This study reviewed the mobile technology-assisted language learning studies published from 2007 to 2016 in selected journals. Several critical issues were investigated, such as research methods, research issues, language and learner types, and learning outcomes. It was found that English as a foreign/second language was the most common target language; few studies have been conducted on native language learning. Early studies mainly focused on fostering learners’ individual language skills, while in the recent 5 years, researchers started to consider the issue of delivering multiple language skills in authentic learning environments. In addition, an increasing number of studies have involved mixed methods and longer treatment periods. Moreover, the effectiveness of mobile learning in terms of speaking, writing, vocabulary, and pronunciation was generally identified by most of the studies. On the other hand, more evidence is needed to further confirm its impacts on listening, reading, grammar, and integrated/whole language learning. Finally, some suggestions are provided to researchers or practitioners to facilitate their future work.     

Learning Chinese characters via mobile technology in a primary school classroom

This paper describes a project, including the design, development, and use of a mobile application (referred to as application hereafter) for learning Chinese as a second language in a bilingual primary school. The application was designed for iPod Touch Apple technology with the purpose to facilitate learning of a fundamental set of 200 Chinese characters. The project was a coordinated effort of experts, including an instructional designer, a software engineer, a Chinese language expert, and classroom teachers to develop an experimental Chinese character learning application for the primary school classroom. This paper reports how the project team explored experiences of teachers and learners in a particular context, developed understanding of teaching and learning needs for Chinese language learning, and how these inform design of the educational application. The final outcomes of the project include a Chinese character learning application and recommendations for design and use of educational applications in Chinese language teaching and other similar contexts.     

Review of Research on Learning and Instruction with Specific Reference to Reading Chinese as an Additional Language (1976-2018)

This review, which can be seen as a scoping review, highlights 92 empirical studies about the learning and instruction of reading Chinese as an additional language (CAL) published in English between 1976 and 2018. It first identifies and evaluates the trends of CAL reading research over the past four decades, including the developmental trajectory of the field, topics that are hot versus those not-so-hot, populations that are widely studied versus under studied, research methods adopted in the selected studies, and the most widely cited articles. Second, the review examines direct evidence that supports effective practices of CAL reading instruction and explores two tracks of studies: high-evidence versus low-evidence practices. This review concludes with thoughts on the future directions of CAL reading research inspired by trends in the areas of literacy, second language acquisition (SLA), and teaching Chinese as a second/foreign language (TSCL/TCFL). To be specific, there is a need for the field to pay equal attention to learning to read and reading to learn.     

在线语言学习的发展与前景

在线语言学习作为外语学习的一种趋势,扩大了学生对教师、对课程、对时空的选择范围,这种不同于传统授课模式的学习方式受到大家的广泛关注。对在线语言学习的发展进行了简要的介绍,并对时下流行的在线学习方式（包括在线语言学习教程、语言学习智能系统、语言学习游戏、移动语言学习和网络沟通五个方面）逐一进行了说明。     

移动学习下的外语远程教学探究

移动学习是随着信息技术和数字技术的发展而产生的一种新的远程教育形式,它在外语远程教学中占有重要地位。文章分析了外语远程教学的环境要求,研究并探讨了移动学习在外语教学中的优势及移动学习下的几种外语教学模式。     

利用播客技术构建大学英语听力教学新模式——一项基于移动语言学习理论的实证研究

文章基于移动学习理念,通过对比实验,对利用播客技术辅助听力教学的新模式进行了实证研究。实验结果表明,作为移动学习的方式之一,播客技术更能激发学生对听力学习的兴趣和动力,促进教师和学生之间教与学的互动,从而取得更好的教学效果。     

语言学习策略研究:回顾与展望

本文综述了国内外外语学习策略的研究。文章讨论了外语学习策略的定义、分类、影响外语学习策略使用的因素、外语学习策略的微观视角研究以及外语学习策略的训练研究。在此基础上，文章展望外语学习策略研究的前景。     

汉语作为第二语言的学习策略研究

学习策略研究是现代心理学发展的产物。随着现代心理学对人类自身研究的不断深入,第二语言的教学研究也从"教"转向了"学",从以往侧重研究教学方法转移到研究学习者的特征和学习策略,以及这些特征和策略在第二语言教学中可能产生的影响。语言学习策略是当前教育领域和应用语言学领域颇受关注的热点问题,同时也是汉语作为第二语言学习即对外汉语学习成败的关键因素。系统探讨语言学习策略,可以全面提高对外汉语的教学质量。     

Embodied learning and teaching approaches in language education: A mixed studies review

The notion of embodied learning has gained ground in educational sciences over the last decade and has made its way to language education with researchers acknowledging language learning as an embodied process. This mixed studies review aggregates and reviews empirical research, published from 1990 to 2020, using embodied learning approaches in language education. The review focuses on embodied approaches in learning and teaching first, second, and foreign languages at various educational levels. It encompasses 41 empirical studies with a majority published between 2019 and 2020, suggesting that the research area is growing rapidly. The results show that the studies align with two strands: (1) embodied learning through orchestrating embodied language learning and teaching, and (2) embodied learning in naturally occurring language learning interactions. The review identifies various embodied learning activities and presents how they contribute to language learning and teaching in different ways. The review proposes an understanding of embodied language learning that holds potentials to engage learners holistically, while simultaneously promoting language learning skills and adding emotional and motivational benefits to language learning.     

基于移动学习终端的外语教学模式研究

相比一般非语言学科而言,基于移动学习终端环境下的移动学习更适合外语教学。文章探讨了移动学习的应用模式和外语学习资源的选择与设计原则,提出了一种基于移动学习终端的外语教学新模式,并在教学实践中进行了初步尝试,取得了一定成效。     

对外汉语移动学习平台设计原则与实例研究

随着“汉语热”席卷全球,世界各国对汉语学习需求越来越大,汉语移动学习软件如雨后春笋般涌现,然而质量却良莠不齐。基于梅耶的多媒体教学设计原则、二语习得理论及语言教学软件评估标准,分析了目前安卓商店Android应用市场与苹果商店Apple Store中对外汉语APP设计开发现状及存在问题,提出对外汉语移动学习平台可操作性设计原则框架,以期为今后同类产品开发设计提供参考。作为实例,设计开发了一款对外汉语学习APP——《乐学汉语》,为汉语学习者提供一个实用、专业且便利的移动学习平台。     

从日本的“中国语鉴定”看HSK的问题

文章拟从日本的＂中国语鉴定＂考试的特色,探讨中国的HSK考试存在的问题。目前的HSK听力考试部分的提问顺序不利于学生答题;HSK考题的词汇范围脱离大纲;考题中的口语词汇地域性太强;有些考题内容脱离现代中国社会;HSK考题与对外汉语教学脱节,所考的是非学的,所学的是非考的;HSK的证书等级设置缺少鼓励学生的机制。     

移动技术环境下的外语远程教学研究

移动技术越来越成为人们生活的一部分,它对我们的学习、工作和生活产生了重要影响。移动学习设备的多样性及其应用为现代远程教育提供了新的学习手段和环境。在外语远程教育中,移动设备功能和外语教学的特点具有天然的联系和良好的整合效果,学习者不受时间和空间的限制,可随时随地进行学习。便携式设备更能使学习者充分利用零碎、片段的时间,在移动中加强对外语学习的实践性和重复性,使外语学习效果事半功倍。     

COMALAT: mobile and adaptive language learning / COMALAT: aprendizaje de idiomas adaptativo y móvil

COMALAT is a language training system that offers learning materials that can be adapted to students’ needs and objectives as an Open Educational Resource (OER). Each student is supervised individually by the system to develop language competences oriented towards the labour market in English, Spanish and German at levels A1 and A2. This project could contribute to language learning given that the contents are adapted to the user, it is flexible to use thanks to its mobile application, and it is motivational, since it highlights achievements and progress made by students.     

学习外语越早越好吗？——年龄与外语学习

虽然人们普遍认为儿童学习外语要比成年人更具优势，但最佳学习年龄问题仍是语言教学理论中最有争议的问题之一。根据有关年龄对二语习得的影响的研究，结合中国英语教育的实际情况。笔认为学习外语并非越早越好，在中国的多数地区，从12岁左右，即初中阶段，开始学校英语教学应该是最经济的做法。     

移动学习在外语教学中的应用探讨

为适应移动技术的进步,手机等便携式小型电子设备日益普及,移动学习的教学模式快速发展。基于移动学习理论,阐述了移动学习在外语教学实践中的应用原则,提出外语教学的多种移动学习方式,构想支撑移动学习模式的外语移动教学资源平台。移动学习模式对传统外语教学带来了挑战,这些挑战对改进传统外语教学提供了参考和借鉴。