An Analysis Of The Impact Of The Thematic Based Approach On The American College Students' Chinese Learning Anxieties In The Lever Of The Advanced & Advanced High

The supporters of Thematic Based Approach regard it as an effective teaching method to integrate learner's language knowledge and ianguage competence. They think the goal of Thematic Based Approach is to develop learner's ability of automatic language output through massive practices of meaningful communication in a highly motivated study environment.However, anxiety is inevitable problem for language learners in their learning process when they are trying to develop their language skills. But there is so far not enough study on anxiety in learning process conducted with a background of Thematic Based Approach, leaving the need of promoting the language teaching in China unsatisfied. With the development of Thematic Based Approach as a mainstream in Chinese language teaching in US, many US-invested/launched Chinese programs in China also become more interested in Thematic Based Approach. Therefore, the implement of Thematic Based Approach in Chinese programs in China also requires being studied and discussed. While teaching as in CIEE Shanghai Center (CIEE), author of this paper conducted a research on the implement of Thematic Based Approach, which is encouraged in the Center, and the learners' anxiety in learning process of Chinese language learning.This paper, with its object being American university students who are high-level-Chinese students in the Center and through a combination of a subjective analysis of an un-participatory observation of the class and a objective questionnaire, is trying to find the reason of anxiety in learning process in integrated Chinese class with a background of Thematic Based Approach, to compare their anxiety with that of students of other language levels, and to reveal students'own understanding of their anxiety. There pedagogical purpose of this paper is to help the teachers in CIEE Shanghai Center (CIEE) to better understand their students'anxiety so that they can improve their ability of teaching with the Thematic Based Approach. Hopefully, this paper with also provide suggestions to integrated Chinese class in other Chinese programs in China with American background e.g. Alliance, NYU and to inspire the better implement of Thematic Based Approach in China.