Success Expectancy and Chinese Language Learning Motivation: Case Study of Zimbabwean Students at Various Universities across China
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58197/prbl/GISS5854Keywords:
success expectancy, L2 acquisition, learning motivation, self-efficacy, expectancy-value theoryAbstract
Success expectancy—the belief in one’s ability to achieve desired outcomes—is critical to second language (L2) learning motivation. This article explores how learners’ expectancy for success in Chinese proficiency exams (HSK) shapes their learning motivation and persistence in acquiring Chinese as a second language. The main objective was to expose the reasons for the high dropout rate among Zimbabwean students who enroll at universities across China to further their studies in the Chinese language. To provide a basis for understanding the nature and structure of L2 learning motivation as well as the role that success expectancy plays, the study incorporates theoretical frameworks such as the L2MSS, the Socio-Educational Model of SLA, and the Expectancy-Value model. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey, complemented by qualitative data from random interviews and discussions. The research findings highlight that the high attrition rate is an indication of avoidance behavior, which has been found to be due to a weakened sense of efficacy, a result of negative affect associated with the sudden increase in task difficulty, and amplified by the evaluative nature of the proficiency exams. L2 instructors are therefore recommended to prioritize strategies that enhance learners’ success expectancy and subsequent learning motivation.
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