Engaging Students in the Online Classroom: A Case Study on Teachers of Chinese as a Foreign Language

Compared to traditional face-to-face classrooms, engaging students in online Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) classroom poses unique challenges. In light of the importance of fostering student engagement for academic achievement, this case study collected data through interviews and observations with three CFL teachers to investigate their challenges and strategies in terms of enhancing student engagement in the online classroom. The results suggest that while the teachers encountered challenges in enhancing students' emotional engagement in online CFL classrooms, they valued the direct and indirect impacts of emotional engagement on language learning. Consequently, they employed various strategies, such as using multilingual resources to scaffold understanding, providing technology-enhanced constructive feedback, and increasing "personal touch", to promote online student engagement. Drawing on these insights into teachers' experiences of online student engagement, this study provides recommendations for training and professional development initiatives aimed at preparing CFL teachers for the online classroom.