| Motivation has always been considered as a determining factor in the success of L2 learning,and motivation-related research is of great value in providing theoretical support for language practical teaching.Benefiting from the author’s one-year experience of teaching Chinese in New Zealand as a mandarin language assistant(MLA),this research aims to contribute to an under-researched area of Chinese as foreign language(CFL)education in New Zealand by investigating motivation orientation,intensity and its role in learning performance.The data were collected from a survey of 103 students at two secondary schools in Christchurch and a follow-up interview with ten students in the Chinese class.It was found from the results that students in New Zealand secondary schools are mostly instrumentally driven to learn Chinese,while least motivated by passivity towards requirement.Significant discrepancy was identified in motivation between students at different level.Students at the beginning are initially motivated in various aspects,while motivation of instrumentality drives students at intermediate level most in learning Chinese continuously.Besides,the stronger students are motivated,the more excellent outcomes they are likely to have.The beginner with motivation of instrumentality are more likely to perform the best,while the intermediate with motivation of need for achievement are more likely to perform the best.It is therefore suggested that setting certain goals and rewarding students’ performance can best motivate students so that they can persist in learning Chinese at the beginning stage of their learning.For the seniors,on the other hand,it is suggested to shift focus on the stimulation of their eagerness for excellence so that the best learning outcome can be guaranteed.Findings of this research will provide significant pedagogical implication for the CFL education in New Zealand secondary schools. |
