A Comparative Study on Chinese Reading, Affective Domain, and Academic Achievement in Theme-Based vs Textbook-Based Liberal Chinese Classes

Despite China and Korea’s close historical and geographical ties, university-level Chinese courses have struggled due to rising anti-China sentiment and post-COVID negative perceptions. Unlike English, level-based learning in Chinese is difficult, often limiting students to basic vocabulary and sentence structures. This study examines the effectiveness of a theme-based curriculum focused on Chinese culture in enhancing students’ interest, confidence, motivation, and academic performance. Following the midterm examination, the experimental group received theme-based instruction, while the control group followed a textbook-based approach. The study compared both groups in terms of Chinese reading proficiency, pronunciation, affective factors, and academic achievement. The findings indicate that the theme-based group demonstrated significant improvements in pronunciation, reading, motivation, attitude, and confidence. Although no statistically significant difference in academic achievement was observed, the theme-based group achieved slightly higher final exam scores. These results suggest that a theme-based approach in foreign language education can enhance student engagement, foster motivation, and facilitate more effective language acquisition within a cultural context.