Effects of Pictures and Gestures on Self-Efficacy, Anxiety, and Fluency in Online Chinese Language Learning

This study explores the impact of multimodal instruction—specifically visual aids and teacher gestures—on self-efficacy, speaking anxiety, and oral proficiency among adult learners of Chinese as a second language (L2) in an online learning environment. While multimodal strategies have been widely examined in English L2 contexts, their application in Chinese L2 instruction remains under-researched. Adopting a quasi-experimental design, 54 learners were assigned to experimental and control groups over a 12-week intervention. The experimental group received instruction supplemented with images and teacher gestures, while the control group followed conventional online instruction. Pre- and post-intervention data were analyzed using ANCOVA and Chi-square Goodness-of-Fit tests. Results revealed that the experimental group reported significantly higher self-efficacy (F = 20.62, p < .001), lower speaking anxiety (F = 25.87, p < .001), and greater oral proficiency gains, as measured by HSK speaking scores (F = 9.75, p = .003), compared to the control group. These findings underscore the efficacy of multimodal input in mitigating affective barriers and enhancing performance in digital Chinese language classrooms, with implications for L2 pedagogy and online instructional design.