Understanding Chinese second language learners’ foreign language learning boredom in online classes: its conceptual structure and sources

ABSTRACT

Scholarly attention to foreign language learning boredom (FLLB) has surged in recent years. However, little is known about L2 learners’ online FLLB experience prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To fill this gap, the present mixed-methods study explores the conceptual structure and sources of FLLB in an online learning environment. A corpus of 348 Chinese as second language (CSL) learners participated in a questionnaire survey and 10 of them attended follow-up interviews. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure underlying CSL learners’ FLLB: classroom boredom, content boredom and teacher/learner boredom. Qualitative data enriched our understanding of the three-factor construct of FLLB and boredom sources in online classes. Results were discussed with reliance on the control-value theory of achievement emotions, previous findings, as well as their theoretical and practical implications for L2 teaching and learning. The newly found three-factor structure coincides with the long-lasting ‘3T’ difficulties [‘3T’ difficulties refer to three major concerns in teaching CSL. They are connected with how to implement effective teaching strategies, develop high-quality teaching materials and build qualified and capable teaching teams] in International Chinese education; therefore, it inspires CSL researchers and teachers to attach more importance to the negative emotion of FLLB in the future.

KEYWORDS:

• Foreign language learning boredom (FLLB)
• online classes
• Chinese as a second language (CSL)
• conceptual structure
• source
• control-value theory

Acknowledgements

Authors’ contributions: Wen Chen designed, wrote, and approved all contributions to the study. Peizhen Sun participated in designing the study and editing the manuscript. Zishuo Yang participated in running all analysis for the work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical statement

All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of Institutional Review Board of Jiangsu Normal University. Informed consent was obtained from all the participants.

Notes

1 HSK is an abbreviation of Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi. It is an international standardised test of Chinese language proficiency designed to test the proficiency of non-native speakers of Chinese.

2 According to the enrollment requirements of Chinese universities, international students’ English proficient level should reach IELTS5.5 (or TOEFL70) or above.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Center for Language Education and Corporation, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China [grant number 20YH30D], the Key Projects of the 13th Five-Year Plan for Education Science of Jiangsu Province [grant number B-a/2020/01/11], and the Project of Philosophy and Social Science Research in Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu Province [2021SJA1044].