Development of Mandarin Chinese as a Foreign Language Instructional Model Using Narrative Format Approach and Audio Lingual Method to Enhance Listening and Speaking Abilities for Kindergarteners

Abstract

           The purposes of this research were to (1) develop a Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language instructional model using narrative format approach and audio lingual method to enhance listening and speaking abilities of kindergartener; and (2) study the effects of using the developed instructional model on listening and speaking abilities of kindergarteners. The research sample consisted of 19 third year kindergarteners of a kindergarten under the Office of the Private Education Commission. The research instruments were a test on Chinese speaking and listening abilities, and an observation form on Chinese speaking and listening abilities.  Data were analyzed with the use of the percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test.  The research findings showed that (1) the developed Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language instructional model using narrative format approach and audio lingual method was composed of 6 components: principles; objectives; contents; steps of instruction; duration, and evaluation; there were three steps of the model, namely, the step of using fairy tales for exposing new experience, the step of practicing the telling and expanding experience, and the step of reviewing the understanding; and (2) as for the effects of using the developed instructional model, it was found that the post-experiment mean score on listening and speaking abilities of kindergarteners in the sample was significantly higher than their pre-experiment counterpart mean score at the .01 level of statistical significance.