A Study About The Motivation Of Students Learning Chinese Language In Ghana

Motivations for learning plays a major role in the life of foreign language students as such the stronger their motivations for learning is,the greater chance they will have in achieving their aim in learning a foreign language.In recent years,many Ghanaians have gained the interest to learn the Chinese language.However,there are very few studies done on Chinese language students in Ghana and very few people studied motivations of these studentsWith reference to Dornyei's three levels of motivations for learning,this study classified the motivations for learning of-Chinese language major students in University of Ghana into three levels:student level motivation,language level motivation and learning environment level motivation.This study mainly focuses on Ghana University students majoring in the Chinese language including undergraduates and graduates.During data collection and analyses,this study made use of Wenjuanxing,EXCEL and SPSS 20.0,after which it analyses and summarize the types of motivations for learning of the Chinese language major students in University of Ghana.This study also analyses the relationship between whether the Chinese language students knew or did not know the benefits attached to studying Chinese before applying to the University of Ghana and the number of students in the various levels;between whether Chinese language major students choose this major by themselves or not and the number of students in the various levels;and between whether Chinese language students knew or did not know the benefits attached to studying Chinese before applying to the University of Ghana and whether Chinese language major students choose this major by themselves or not.This study also analyzed the different factors that reduce the motivations for learning of the Chinese language major students in University of Ghana.Based on the results this study,it suggests some strategies and countermeasures for developing the motivations of the Ghanaian Chinese language studentsThis study mainly shows that the University of Ghana Chinese language major students' individual motivation is the strongest motivations for learning,followed by the motivation by the language itself,and then the weakest is motivation from their learning environment.Certainly,there is a relationship between the number of Chinese language students who knew the benefits attached to studying Chinese before applying to the University of Ghana,the number of University of Ghana Chinese language major students who chose this major and the number of students in the various levels.The study also shows that there are five main factors leading to the decline of motivations for learning of Chinese language major students in University of Ghana;examination results,attitudes of people around them,Chinese teachers,negative attitudes of some Chinese people and no sense of achievement.