A study on grammatical structure learning bias of primary Chinese learners in Uganda: a case study of the Confucius Institute, Makerere University (乌干达初级汉语学习者语法结构习得偏误研究 ——以麦克雷雷大学孔子学院为例)

Abstract

This study focuses on beginner Chinese learners at the Confucius Institute of Makerere University in Uganda. It explores the common grammatical errors they make when learning Chinese and analyzes the reasons for these errors. The research uses questionnaires, classroom observation, and analysis of students’ assignments to collect data. The findings show that learners often make errors in word order, misuse of function words, missing sentence parts, and influence from their first language. These problems are mainly caused by differences between English and Chinese, limited teaching methods, and lack of practice. Based on the results, this study suggests improving teaching methods, increasing practice opportunities, and using comparison between languages to help learners better understand Chinese grammar. This study can help improve Chinese grammar teaching for beginner learners in Uganda.