Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of multimedia materials on the teaching and learning of Chinese as a foreign language. Firstly, I will review the literature of multimedia learning with special emphasis on cognitive load theories. Secondly I will discuss the purpose and principles of using and designing multimedia materials in the Chinese as a foreign language classroom from the perspective of second language acquisition theory. Thirdly I will report on two empirical researches. In the first study, a quasi-experimental research has been conducted to assess the impact of multimedia materials on both the teacher’s teaching and the student’s learning of Chinese. In the second study, digital story-telling method was used in a Chinese classroom as an assessment tool. Data from both studies shows that multimedia materials can significantly enhance student’s learning motivation and outcomes, especially in oral expression. It also shows that the multimedia material is an effective teaching aid preferred by the teacher. Finally, conclusion and implications for future practice will be provided.

Keywords:

Multimedia materials, second language acquisition, Chinese.