Enhancing Chinese language skills through flipped classroom: the influence of engagement and technological accessibility

The flipped classroom (FC) instructional approach is a teaching reform model that promotes learner-centered and active participation. Given this, the research utilised a mixed-method approach to examine how it affects foreign learners’ Chinese language proficiency, compromising technology accessibility as a moderating variable and student engagement as a mediating factor in language retention in the context of inclusive education. The study’s participants were a sample of 363 foreign students and Chinese language instructors from six institutions were selected through stratified random sampling, and 92 of them participated in semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were examined using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), while qualitative data were examined through NVivo-based thematic analysis. Results established that students’ Chinese language proficiency is greatly improved by the flipped classroom. While proper technological accessibility improves learning efficiency, student engagement strengthens language retention. Results also revealed that self-paced learning improves vocabulary acquisition, teacher-student interaction helps students become more proficient speakers and listeners, and cultural immersion enhances contextual understanding and reading comprehension. Overall, the study contributes to the existing research on innovative pedagogical models in language instruction, indicating that incorporating technology, interactive instruction, and student engagement into the flipped classroom framework can significantly enhance Chinese language learning outcomes for foreign students.