Chinese Students' Emotional Experiences in Learning English as a Foreign Language: A Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: 53.081 - Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: 53.081-20 - Contemporary Issues in Second Language Research

Abstract

With increasing globalization pressures, learning English has become one of the most important components of Chinese college students’ experiences. Whereas anxiety as an emotional experience associated with second language learning has received much attention, much less research exists on the role of shame, which is prevalent in Chinese Confucian cultures, in second language learning. The current study examined Chinese undergraduates’ (N=141) shame experiences in learning English as a foreign language across class-related, learning-related, and test-related settings through a mixed methods design. Results indicated that Chinese students scored higher for shame emotions in learning-related settings. Those interviewed reported a greater preponderance of shame experiences across settings. Reasons and suggestions are provided for some mismatch in findings across quantitative and qualitative data.

Authors

• Yidan Wang, The University of Texas - Austin

• Shengjie Lin, The University of Texas - Austin

• Diane L. Schallert, The University of Texas - Austin