Faith or path? Profiling the motivations of multilingual Chinese as a foreign language teachers using Q methodology

Abstract

As a topic of rising interest, language teacher motivation has been studied through various lenses and across different contexts over recent years. Yet, relatively scant attention has been paid to Chinese language teachers teaching overseas. Using Q methodology and supplementary interview data, this study investigated the motivational profiles of multilingual Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) teachers who teach abroad. An analysis informed by the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) model identified four types of career choice motivation: ‘self-devotion and social contribution’, ‘personal utility’, ‘personal interest+’, and ‘personal pursuit and immigration path’. The results show that teachers with a strong sense of national pride and social responsibility chose the career mainly for social contribution. They shared with teachers driven by personal interest, a positive attitude and a strong commitment to the career. Teachers driven by personal utility and teachers pursuing diverse life experiences or permanent residence were more likely to choose to teach Chinese as a last resort, which potentially inhibited their determination and commitment to the job. The study further explores the complexity of teachers’ career choice motivation by investigating the interaction between the identified types. The discussion of these findings contributes to a better understanding of the subjectivity of multilingual CFL teachers and provides insights into Chinese teachers’ professional development and the sustainability of international Chinese education.