A Study on Chinese Learning Motivation of Underage Korean Second Language Learners in a Target Language Environment: Taking Korean Middle School Students in Qingdao as an Example

Learning motivation is a key determinant in second language acquisition. The learning motivation of underage second language learners differs from that of adults, reflecting characteristics unique to their developmental stage. In recent years, research on the learning motivation of adult international students studying Chinese as a second language in China has been relatively abundant, but studies focusing on middle school students who have been residing in China for an extended period are comparatively scarce. This study examines Korean middle school students in Qingdao, most of whom were either born in China or moved there at a very young age. As underage learners acquiring Chinese in a target environment, their learning experiences exhibit distinct features. Although the majority began learning Chinese during the critical period and have reached a relatively high proficiency, some still show a lack of initiative and the engagement in learning. Given these circumstances, investigating the Chinese learning motivation of this underage group is highly meaningful. We selected 63 Korean students from an international middle school in Qingdao as research subjects and conducted a survey on their Chinese learning motivation. The study reveals that their motivation types, in descending order of strength, are as follows: instrumental motivation ＞ achievement motivation ＞ affiliative motivation ＞ certification motivation ＞ integrative motivation ＞ social responsibility motivation ＞ passive motivation. Instrumental motivation is the strongest, followed by achievement motivation. Affiliative and certification motivations are relatively important, while integrative motivation is somewhat weaker. Students also exhibit a strong sense of independence, with social responsibility motivation being relatively low and passive motivation the weakest. Individual factors have a certain influence on learning motivation. While gender and age show no significant affect motivation types, factors such as duration of learning, Chinese proficiency level, and the starting age of learning Chinese have varying degrees of impact on different motivations, demonstrating significant differences.