A Study of Motivation Affecting Chinese Language Learning of Students at the Thammasat University Demonstration School

Abstract

The objective of this research article was to explore the motivations for learning Chinese among students at the Thammasat University Demonstration School. This was a mixed-methods research with a sample of 210 Mathayom Suksa 1-6 students enrolled in the Chinese language course in the second semester of the 2023 academic year. The instruments used were a motivation questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The IOC for each item was between 0.67 and 1.00, with a reliability coefficient of 0.89. Statistical analyses included percentages, means, and standard deviations. The research results, based on the classification of factors influencing motivation to learn Chinese language into 7 areas, revealed that the areas of high importance, ranked from highest mean score, were: educational institution (mean () = 4.04, S.D. = 0.97), followed by personal reasons (mean ) = 3.80, S.D. = 1.03), social factors (mean () = 3.74, S.D. = 1.11), and the lowest being needs (mean () = 3.65, S.D. = 1.17). The aspects of moderate importance, ranked from the highest mean score, were: Interest (mean () = 3.43, S.D. = 1.20), followed by family (mean () = 3.05, S.D. = 1.31). The lowest level was the aspect involving related individuals, with an average () = 2.58 and a standard deviation (S.D.) = 1.41. When considering the school-related factor in detail, which had the highest average score, it was found that the friendliness between teachers and students, teaching methods, and the personality of the teachers, not only had the highest average scores in the top three positions = 4.37, S.D. = 0.84,   = 4.32, S.D. = 0.89, and = 4.30, S.D. = 0.86, respectively), but were also factors directly related to the teachers.