Trends and Effectiveness of Mandarin Language Learning Methods in Elementary Schools: A Systematic Review of Empirical Literature

Erna Wiltoni

Authors

Erna Wiltoni Universitas PGRI Palembang Author

Keywords:

educational technology, empirical studies, learning motivation, pedagogical approaches, systematic literature review.

Abstract

This study aims to synthesize empirical findings on Mandarin language learning approaches at the elementary school level through the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method. Articles were analyzed from the Scopus and Google Scholar databases using the Publish or Perish tool, with publication dates limited to between 2014 and 2025. A total of 57 articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed thematically and descriptively. The study's results revealed the predominant use of five main approaches: gamification, digital technology, the communicative approach, collaborative learning, and cultural integration. The study revealed that gamification and digital technology approaches significantly boosted student motivation, engagement, and learning achievement. At the same time, communicative, collaborative, and culture-based methods helped students learn how to make meaning, interact with others, and understand other cultures. The analysis also indicated that the success of implementation depended on the suitability of the approach to student characteristics and teacher readiness. This study emphasizes the importance of developing adaptive, multimodal, and contextual Chinese teaching models at the elementary education level.

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