An antiquated language, reimagined Kingdom of Characters: The Language Revolution That Made China Modern Jing Tsu Riverhead Books, 2022. 336 pp.

A new tome traces efforts to unify, reform, and modernize the Chinese language

A Positive Psychology Perspective on Positive Emotion and Foreign Language Enjoyment Among Chinese as a Second Language Learners Attending Virtual Online Classes in the Emergency Remote Teaching Context Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study adopted a positive psychology perspective to investigate positive emotion and foreign language enjoyment among Chinese as a second language (CSL) learners in an emergency remote teaching (ERT) context amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A set of 90 preparatory Chinese language students (40 males and 50 females) was assessed for their level of foreign language enjoyment using the Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale (FLES). Participles' scores on self-perceived language achievement and actual test scores were adopted as the measurement of their Chinese language proficiency. The results revealed that: (1) CSL learners experienced high level of FL enjoyment in an online learning context, (2) no significant correlation was found between FLE and leaners' actual language achievement nor between FLE and their self-perceived achievement, (3) female learners showed higher FLE than male learners and gender was found to have a significant effect on FLE-Private, (4) participants' geological location, i.e., whether in China or at home countries, significantly influenced their FLE, (5) participants' regional group was not a significant predictor of FLE, and (6) teacher-related variables and learner self-perceptions of achievement were strong predictors of FLE among CSL learners. The findings highlight the importance of teacher's role in an online learning environment and suggest that FLE may not boost performance in the short term for language beginners but is still conducive in the long run. Implications for both teachers and learners, and suggestions for future researches are provided.

Measuring Mobile Experience in Chinese Language Learning

After mapping dimensions and directions of experience in applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning, another key task is to measure different levels of experience in terms of its dimensions and directions of learners' experience in leveraging mobile technologies, mobile learning apps in particular. Equipped with the proposed 6E-r framework of mobile experience, this chapter provides indicators and criteria in measuring mobile learning experience in applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning around the world. This chapter also developed an online questionnaire for future research reference in order to successfully gauge the different levels of experience in applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning. Ultimately, this chapter attempted to resolve the research question, that is, how mobile learning experience is enhanced by narrowing the gap between the normative experience and the empirical experience.

Mapping Mobile Learning Experience in Chinese Language Learning

Advances in mobile technologies have greatly enhanced Chinese language learning. In applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning, on top of evaluating their impact, one of the key areas is to map where different components of mobile learning experience lie in leveraging mobile technologies for enhancing Chinese language learning. Equipped with the framework of mobile experience, this chapter provides a unique approach to serve as a stepping stone that would lead to more discoveries of innovative and effective ways for mapping mobile learning experience in applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning around the world.

Dictionary Apps in Chinese Language Learning

After evaluating available Chinese-as-a-foreign-language (CFL) dictionaries on the market, this chapter identifies CFL learners' difficulties with learning Chinese and their needs for CFL dictionaries through an exploratory mixed-methods study involving interviews with 30 German CFL learners and a survey with 379 participants. This chapter also proposes a dictionary app for learning Chinese for German CFL learners with a focus on microstructural classes, access and network structures, and additional supporting functions.

Modelling Mobile Experience in Chinese Language Learning

To model mobile experience is one of the three-step 3M approach proposed by Xu for mobile experience research. Equipped with the three-step 3M approach and based the factor-stage-dimension framework, this chapter proposes an innovative model to locate predictors of mobile experience in applying mobile technologies to Chinese language learning. By refining the factor-stage-dimension frame and the proposed innovative model, this chapter invites further global efforts to compare mobile learning experience in Chinese language learning for securing further discoveries of more effective and powerful ways to describe, explain, and predict mobile learning experience.

Mobile Technologies in Learning the Chinese Language for Students of Non-Linguistic Courses

The methodological potential of mobile technologies in teaching Chinese language to students of non-linguistic areas of training is considered. The author defines the term “mobile learning,” offers a list of mobile technologies that can be used in teaching Chinese language, and develops a nomenclature of speech and language skills formed by students of non-linguistic training areas based on mobile technologies. The author demonstrated the advantages of using mobile phones in learning Chinese language as a second language. The areas of mobile language-based learning discussed in this research are vocabulary, listening, grammar, phonetics, and reading comprehension.

Chinese Language Learning and Mobile Technologies

China's global influence has increased with its spectacular economic development. With the growing trade and cultural exchange between China and other countries, there is a rapid rising need for Chinese language learning. Although Chinese language is challenging to learn due to its different intonations, complicated shapes, and considerable significance, it still attracts more individuals, organizations, and companies. Advances in mobile technologies provide new opportunities for language learning anytime and anywhere. To meet the diverse demands of students of language learning, many scholars have studied Chinese mobile language learning and developed many mobile applications to improve language learners' skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing by leveraging the emerging mobile technologies. This chapter reviews earlier studies on mobile technologies employed in Chinese language learning and provides recommendations for future research.