Language Learning as Investment or Consumption? A Case Study of Chinese University Students’ Beliefs about the Learning of Languages Other than English

Abstract

This study draws on the notions of investment and consumption to interpret beliefs about learning languages other than English (LOTEs) among learners in Chinese universities. By interviewing 23 Chinese university students learning French or Spanish in a master’s program, we found that most participants questioned the usefulness of LOTEs for their professional career and viewed learning LOTEs as part of leisure and consumption rather than investment. Only a small number of participants related their language skill development to career aspirations and were motivated to continue learning LOTEs after the end of their LOTE classes. To further explain the different language beliefs about LOTE learning, we examined the identities of these LOTE learners. The analysis identified four patterns of ‘imagined identity’, indicating that the difficulty experienced by individual learners in anticipating the usefulness of LOTEs in their ‘imagined identity’ in the future, especially in their professional career, led to their belief about LOTEs as consumption and leisure rather than investment. This paper concludes with some implications for language policy planners in sustaining multilingual learning in Chinese higher education.

Spanish language teachers’ pedagogical beliefs in Chinese universities

“…However, these studies mostly focus on English teachers, with limited attention given to the beliefs of LOTE teachers (Chen et al, 2020) such as ELE teachers. This neglect possibly results from the dominant position of English, which means that it accounts for most of the research on LOTEs (Dörnyei & Al -Hoorie, 2017;Chen et al, 2020).…”

“…However, these studies mostly focus on English teachers, with limited attention given to the beliefs of LOTE teachers (Chen et al, 2020) such as ELE teachers. This neglect possibly results from the dominant position of English, which means that it accounts for most of the research on LOTEs (Dörnyei & Al -Hoorie, 2017;Chen et al, 2020). In the case of the Spanish language, the majority of the studies of ELE teachers' beliefs have been carried out in English-speaking or European countries (Delicado Cantero & Steed, 2015;Rodríguez-Izquierdo et al, 2020), probably due to the popularity of Spanish in these regions.…”

LOTE (Languages Other than English) learners’ investment in learning languages

“…In view of the popularity of English among Chinese citizens, a special issue of Asian Pacific Communication in 2008 focused on the investment in English by Chinese students, including the 'English Club' joined by a group of mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong (Gao et al, 2008), the challenges concerning English speaking confronting Chinese students in EMI classrooms (also in Hong Kong) (Trent, 2008), the identity construction of three female university students in Mainland China (Gu, 2008), the imagined communities pertaining to a mathematical subject among Chinese international students in an Australian secondary school (Arkoudis & Love, 2008), and the negotiation of multiple identities of Chinese students enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary ESL program (Lee, 2008). There are also other studies investigating other types of Chinese learners of English, e.g., adolescent immigrant students and NNES (non-native English speaking) doctoral students (Chang, 2011;Chang, 2016;McKay & Wong, 1996), and a few studies focusing on Chinese learners of LOTEs at the tertiary level (Chen et al, 2020). These studies indicate that socio-cultural and linguistic factors within the contexts do play a role in shaping learners' motivation and practices, and reveal the dynamic, multiple nature of identity constructed in language learning.…”

“…These studies indicate that socio-cultural and linguistic factors within the contexts do play a role in shaping learners' motivation and practices, and reveal the dynamic, multiple nature of identity constructed in language learning. Given the disparity between global English and LOTEs in terms of their international statuses and learners' perceptions (Chen et al, 2020;Ushioda, 2017), as well as the heterogeneity of so-called 'LOTEs' in terms of linguistic and cultural discrepancies, it seems necessary to further explore why and how LOTE learners enhance their investment in the Chinese context.…”

“…Specifically, research has accentuated the imbalance between the supply and demand of LOTE personnel in China, despite the growth of LOTE programs in tertiary institutions (Wang & Xia, 2019), which motivates further exploration into the process of LOTE learning and teaching, especially of underexplored factors like learner motivation. Although language learning motivation studies have been flourishing, such studies, regardless of their theoretical bases, have mainly focused on the English learning contexts (Dörnyei & Al-Hoorie, 2017), with only a few investigating LOTE learners' motivation (Chen et al, 2020;Gao & Lv, 2018;Gao, 2013;Gu, 2008;Lu et al, 2019). It is worth probing into the language learning motivation of LOTE learners, since learners take receptive roles in language-in-education policy and thus can partly determine the effects of LOTE education policy (Zhao & Baldauf, 2012).…”