本研究旨在探討字源教學法對識讀和書寫的學習成效。研究方法除了使用現有漢字研究中的教學理論與策略外（黃沛榮，2009；江新，2007；柳燕梅，2001）主要運用趣味性的漢字字源故事教學法，呈現漢字結構，分析漢字造字原理，引起學習者學習動機。冀望學習者透過聯結後能歸納演繹，有效記憶漢字，從而為將來的閱讀奠下鞏固的基礎。此研究週期為十二週，共二十四小時。教學研究對象為六名非漢字背景的初級華語學習者，多來自泰國、印尼、印度，來台時間三到六個月不等。本研究的生字依據歐洲共同框架A1的漢字，從中挑選了常用的144個漢字作為本研究的字庫，分為A、B二組生字作為本實驗教學的實驗組與對照組。使用字源教學的策略，能讓學習者根據造字原則，透過圖形文字的對照，對於字形的記憶與字義的理解較能建立完整的概念。本研究學習內容包括各種漢字學習單、課堂活動單，實驗工具包括前測、後測，課後訪談，上課錄音、錄影等。運用觀察、訪談、問卷以及多元化的評量等方式蒐集數據，探討漢字字源融入初級華語漢字教學的成效。本研究結果指出，字源教學對學習者漢字的讀寫習得效果顯著，建議字源教學宜融入初級漢字教學，提升學習成效。
The main purpose of this study focused on the efficacy of Chinese etymology on reading comprehension and character recognition in adult learners. It was expected that adding such evolutionary linguistic component to the study of Chinese characters would foster greater appreciation, as well as the understanding, of Chinese characters, increase the learning motivation, and thereby strengthen adult learners’ ability to memorize characters and pictographic meaning so as to enhance their reading comprehension.The study was conducted in twenty-four hours of didactic classroom teaching over the course of twelve weeks, involving six novice learners from Thailand, Indonesia, and India, all with less than six months of Chinese language exposure. Total 144 commonly used Chinese characters were selected from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) A1 degree and were taught in two different curricula one introduced etymology while the other excluded it. Implementing a strategy based on pictograph comparison allowed our subjects to establish a clear concept of character construction and contextual definition that follow the basic principles of etymology. The learning materials consisted of various Chinese character lists, classroom activity sheets, and group conversations. The learning assessments included written pre-tests and post-tests, as well as classroom audio and video recordings. Additional data were also collected through classroom observations, interviews, and questionnaires to determine the efficacy of Chinese etymology in Chinese language learning. Results from our research indicate that the inclusion of Chinese etymology in traditional Chinese language teaching course has a significant, positive effect on our subjects’ ability to recognize and read Chinese characters.We strongly advocate the incorporation of Chinese etymology into Chinese language teaching to improve beginning adult learners’ Chinese reading comprehension and writing skills.
