Confusion and Chinese character learning

This study explores the relationship between the experience of confusion and the outcomes of Chinese character learning by learners of Chinese as a heritage language (CHL). Based on the claim that impasses triggering confusion can lead to deeper learning of conceptually difficult material, the study...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Language learning journal 2023-01, Vol.51 (1), p.1-17
Main Authors: Hong, Jon-Chao, Lin, Chien-hung, Tsai, Ya-hsun, Tai, Kai-Hsin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anxiety
Chinese
Chinese as a second language
Chinese characters
Chinese languages
Cognitive Ability
Cognitive Style
Computer Assisted Instruction
Confusion
Feedback
Feedback (Response)
Foreign Countries
Foreign Students
Heritage Education
Heritage language
Homographs
homophone
Homophones
impasse-driven learning
Language Proficiency
Learning Problems
Learning Processes
Native Language Instruction
near-homograph
Orthographic Symbols
Outcomes of Education
Second Language Instruction
Second Language Learning
Student Improvement
Task Analysis
Written Language
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Summary:This study explores the relationship between the experience of confusion and the outcomes of Chinese character learning by learners of Chinese as a heritage language (CHL). Based on the claim that impasses triggering confusion can lead to deeper learning of conceptually difficult material, the study employed three impasse-driven tasks. The tasks were designed to trigger a state of cognitive disequilibrium in the participants. After first encountering the tasks in Session 1, the 117 CHL learners were given 1 week to resolve their impasse-driven tasks in their own time for 30 min (limited by the computer system). Afterwards, we announced the correct answer for them to look at for 3 days, and then Session 2 was administered 1 week after the feedback. The results of this study showed considerable improvement in differentiating near-homographs and homophones presented in a sentence, and correcting wrong Chinese characters. The study's results suggest that incorporating well-designed confusing content into Chinese learning may help CHL learners deepen their learning of Chinese characters.
ISSN:0957-1736
1753-2167
DOI:10.1080/09571736.2021.1915365