Investment in Learning Chinese by International Students Studying Chinese as a Second Language (CSL)

Abstract

This study, drawing on the theoretical model of investment, explores what motivates and encourages international students studying Chinese as a second language (CSL) to invest in their Chinese learning using Q sorting and interview data collected from 15 international undergraduate students studying in mainland China. The results reveal that: (1) CSL students’ incentives for investment are intra-personally and inter-personally diverse and can be divided into three categories (multilingual posture and cultural capital-oriented, economic capital-oriented, and cultural capital and experience-oriented); (2) CSL students’ Chinese learning investment is dynamic, as they aim to enrich their learning and life experiences after studying Chinese for a period of time; (3) CSL students’ investment is apparently driven by multiple perceived benefits, in that utilitarian objectives (e.g., scholarships, employment opportunities, and educational qualifications) are characteristic of CSL students’ investment, but are also interwoven with some non-utilitarian objectives (e.g., enriching one’s experience and making friends). The findings have some implications for CSL education and future studies.