5.1.6 Reflecting Real-World Experiences
According to Keller’s (2016) ARCS model of motivation, relevance is a crucial factor in stimulating learning motivation. Learning activities designed under the principled eclecticism framework should mirror real-world experiences, making Chinese language learning relevant to learners’ lives and ensuring tangible learning outcomes.
In the philosophical concept of ’The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. (工具善其是,必先利其器)’ from Analects, Book 15, principled eclecticism in Chinese language teaching serves as a powerful tool for enhancing teaching efficacy. To fully leverage this tool, cultivating teachers’ expertise in the professional knowledge of the Chinese language, embedding them in the rich cultural heritage and cross-cultural competencies, and fostering their ability to innovatively integrate teaching methods according to situational demands, emerges as a pivotal goal in Chinese language teacher education.