Interest-based learning: EdTech-assisted Chinese as a Second Language students to learn vocabulary and sentence patterns independently

Abstract

The important roles and great challenges of second language (L2) vocabulary learning have long been the concern of L2 teaching and learning. This invited workshop introduced a self-developed e-learning platform, “mLang”, a seamless language learning platform and pedagogy to empower the students to become active learners in expanding their CSL vocabulary. With thoughtful pedagogical designs, teachers can support students to use multilingual and multimodal means to contribute “mLang cards” as shared learning objects to become part of their curriculum content, which reflect the students’ own experiences and perspectives of the world and what they feel interested to learn and share. Through the learners’ interaction around the “mLang cards” and the re-use of them for further learning, the learners can have more opportunities of feeling themselves being competent, autonomous and socially related in their CSL learning, and develop their self-determined motivation (Deci & Ryan 1985). Research findings indicated that this method can multiply and energize L2 learners’ Chinese vocabulary learning, and help their quicker transition to reading and writing. It is believed that this method is not only relevant to CSL, but also to the learning of minority students in different L2 societies.