Musicking as Performed Culture: Creating Shared Experiences and Integrating Cognitive and Emotive Aspects in Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language

Music is a fundamental human capacity and a cognitive achievement shaped by evolution. Like language, it is universal across cultures and often regarded as “the language of emotion.” However, its pedagogical role in teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) remains underexplored. The Performed Culture Approach (PCA) is an interdisciplinary foreign language pedagogy rooted in 21st-century educational demands and Confucian philosophy. Integrating music into PCA through “musicking,” a term coined by New Zealand musicologist Christopher Small, broadens the pedagogical scope and enhances learner motivation. It aids in identifying key linguistic and cultural elements, including achievements, information, and behaviors. Additionally, it fosters shared experiences, builds communicative common ground, strengthens interpersonal connections, and fosters identity formation. This approach addresses the pressing need to integrate cognitive and affective factors in CFL.