Research on the Phenomenon of Demotivation of Chinese Second Language Learners: A Case Study of Chinese Learners at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Scientific research has revealed that various factors influence the learning of a foreign language, and among them, ‘motivation’ is the most predominant one. “Why can some people learn a foreign language within a short period of time while others fail to achieve their language goals despite all opportunities.” Wallace Lambert and Robert Gardner have discussed this issue from the perspective of motivational differences in learning a foreign language. Among the various factors of individual differences, “motivation” is one of the most important factors. Linguist Jakobovits found that among many factors, “motivation” is one of the most important factors that can affect a student’s learning process. It is clear that the impact of motivation on learners cannot be ignored. The reasons for the demotivation of Chinese language learners at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, have been investigated in this research. The researcher randomly selected 100 students who are currently majoring in Chinese language, representing the first, second and third academic years at the University of Kelaniya. According to the findings, there are several factors for the demotivation of students, such as students’ lack of interest in learning, curiosity about learning the target language, negative emotions, issues regarding the teaching materials, the content, excessive academic workload, negative attitudes of teachers, and employability. As per the findings, increasing students’ interest in learning Chinese through the following methods is possible: focusing on new teaching methods and materials that are suitable for students’ current Chinese level, revising the syllabus, increasing the relationship between teachers and students, and changing teachers’ attitudes. The main objective of this study is to find solutions to motivate students to learn Chinese Language successfully.