CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
6) Attitudes to Learning English
2.8 RELATED RESEARCH
2.8.2 Related Research in Foreign Countries
In a study on the topic of Teacher Resources and Activities, Peacock (1997) in Korea conducted a research on ‘The effect of authentic materials on the motivation of EFL learners’ to investigate whether authentic materials increase the classroom motivation of learners. The sample was 2 beginner-level EFL classes, at a South Korean University EFL institute, of 16 and 15 learners with average age of 20 years old who used authentic and artificial materials alternately. The research instruments were observation sheets and a self-report questionnaire. The findings indicated that while on-task behavior and observed motivation increased significantly when authentic materials were used, self-reported motivation only increased over the last 12 of the 20 days of the study. Authentic materials significantly increased the overall class motivation.
In another related research on Teacher Resources and Activities, Yu (2005) in Taiwan studied ‘A Case Study in the Application of Authentic Material Texts: Findings after Using the New York Times Monday Weekly on the United Daily News’ to investigate the best way to motivate student interest in the language and relate English instruction to their real world. The sample consisted of 40 junior college (two-year-college) students from Chung Cheng Institution of Technology (CCIT) in Taiwan who used the New York Times Monday Weekly (NYTMW) in the United Daily News as authentic supplementary reading material during the 2005-2006 school year. The research instruments were homework, classroom discussions, tests and quizzes on listening comprehension, vocabulary and group reading. The findings indicated that retention is increased if the selected material is relevant to learners’ lives.
In a study on Attitude to Learning English by Qashoa (2006) in Dubai on ‘Motivation among Learners of English in the Secondary Schools in the Eastern coast of UAE’. The sample consisted of 100 national students (males in age group 16-18years old) from 4 state secondary schools in UAE, with 10 teachers and 3 supervisors of English. The research instruments consisted of questionnaires using Gardner’s 1985 AMTB to measure student integrative/instrumental motivation in learning English and interviews. The findings showed that the students learn English for instrumental motivation because they wanted to obtain a better job since the labor market offers more higher-paying job for those who are competent in English.
In another study of Attitude to Learning English from family influence, Bartram (2006) in Europe conducted a research on ‘An examination of perceptions of parental influence on attitudes to language learning’ to investigate the perceptions of ways parents influence children’s orientations towards foreign language learning. The sample of the study contained a total of 411
learners of French, German and English (as foreign languages) roughly in equal numbers at ages of 15-16 drawn from England, Germany and The Netherlands. The research instruments used were qualitative survey and involved three data collection instruments (written word association prompt questionnaire, self-written accounts of attitudes and influences, and focus group interviews). The findings indicated association between parental and pupil attitude. Parental influence appears to operate in a number of ways, ranging from the role model potential of positive/negative behaviors.
Kyriacou and Zhu (2008) conducted a research in Shanghai, China on Attitude to Learning English in ‘Shanghai pupils’ motivation towards learning English and the perceived influence of important others’. The sample consisted of 610 high school students and 64 parents, teachers and peers. The research instrument consisted of questionnaire and interviews. The findings indicated that these students’ English learning motivation is dominated by life and career- based reasons rather than integrative reasons. The influence of important others were perceived as being positive but small, with teachers being viewed as the most influential.
On the topic of Course Design, Wang (2008) who did a research study in China on
“Language policy implementation: A look at teachers’ perceptions” explored teachers’ perceptions of the language policy implementation in the Chinese tertiary context. The research sample consisted of 2 EFL teachers (1 senior veteran and 1 novice young teacher) teaching English to English Major and Non-English Major students. The teachers were expected to follow closely the structure of textbooks to plan their lessons, as the textbook represented the syllabus and dictated what to teach. Research instruments were 5 classroom observations over one month on
“Reading and Writing” and “Listening and Speaking” classes and 2 follow-up interviews. The findings revealed a wide gap between requirements of the syllabus and teachers executions.
Teachers expressed no change in their teaching even if there is a new syllabus. Although it is clearly stated that language teaching and learning in the classroom should center on students, should reduce teachers’ speaking time, and should encourage student participation, the teachers adopted the teacher-centered approach. The teachers feedback that large class size, students’ low language proficiency, heavy workloads each term (completing required teaching tasks), and Chinese students’ study habits (depending too much on teachers for instruction) as obstacles. In addition, the teachers used the mother tongue and the target language in all the classes although policymakers expected teachers to use English only. The classroom reality remains textbook- based, test-oriented, teacher-centeredness and extensive use of the first language in instruction.
In a study on Classroom Interactions, Seo and Kim (2011) in Korea did a research on
‘Collaborative dialogues and L2 learning: Korean junior high school students' pair-work in English composition’ in a regular English class at a public junior high school in a major city in Korea, investigated on the relationship between collaborative dialogues and L2 development working in pairs on a collaborative writing task. The research sample consisted of 6 male students in Grade 9 who worked on the writing tasks in self-selected pairs and were divided into 3 pairs in terms of their English proficiency. Over a six-week period, three pairs of students with differing levels of L2 proficiency engaged in a two-stage task: pair writing and individual writing. The research instruments were pair-talk videotape and individual interviews. The findings were that students’ pair talks exerted a positive influence on their L2 development. Pair interactions lead to ungrammatical written texts, EFL learners co-construct, extend their L2 knowledge, and provide mutual scaffolding each other in their pairs throughout the variety of communicative strategies.
Also, all participants in this study expressed positive attitudes toward their pair interaction with their partners.
Chung (www.research.gold.ac.uk, December 2014) in China also conducted a research on Attitude to Learning English in the research topic ‘Schools at Home: Parental Support for Learning Mandarin as a Second or Foreign Language’ to investigate how parents of various background support their children learning in second or foreign language. The sample was six families chosen from three categories: families in which both parents had Chinese heritage; one parent had Chinese heritage and those in which neither parent had a Chinese background. The research instruments were participant observation and interviews. The findings revealed that all parents were determined to assist their children’s learning and employed different method: both direct (teaching) and indirect (providing access to resources, cultural activities and events). Their social, cultural and educational background influenced the support to the children. All families had enhanced their children’s motivation and learning achievement.
In a study on Teacher and Student Roles, Zohrabi, Torabi and Baybourdiani (2012) in
Iran did a research topic “Teacher-centered and/or Student-centered Learning: English Language in Iran” investigating on learner-centered approach compared to teacher-centered approach in teaching English grammar as a foreign language in an Iranian high school. The sample consisted of 60 male students aged 16 from a junior high school in Iran who were assigned to the control (teacher-centered) and experimental group (student centered). The experimental group received a treatment in passive-active voice, followed by a grammar pre- and post-test. The research instruments used were classroom observations, teacher interview, and tests (multiple-choice,
cloze, and fill-in-blanks), which were administered to study student grammar knowledge over one month, and the results were compared. The findings found that teacher-centered process is more suitable for developing grammar knowledge of Iranian EFL learners. English grammar classes cannot fulfill the learners’ needs on communication, suggesting the need for not only explicit teaching of grammar rules but also their use through communicative tasks.
Another research on Teacher Resources and Activities was conducted by Mousavi and Iravani (2012) in Iran on ‘The Effect of Authentic Versus Non-authentic Aural Materials on EFL Learners’ Listening Comprehension’. The participants were 80 ten-semester upper-intermediate students from among all language institutes in Khoramshahr and Abadan cities, in Khuzestan province, Iran, who took part in control and experimental groups in one semester listening to non- authentic radio-tapes and authentic listening materials taken from the assorted sources, and the performances were compared pre-and post-tests. The research instrument was questionnaire feedback from the participants. The findings indicated that participants who were instructed on the basis of authentic radio-tapes had gained a higher degree of listening comprehension and proficiency than non-authentic groups. Authentic listening materials in EFL classrooms improve learners’ listening comprehension, and have positive effects on EFL learners.
Another study on Classroom Interactions is by Taqi and Al-Nouh (2014) in Kuwait on
‘Effect of Group Work on EFL Students’ Attitudes and Learning in Higher Education’ found that students from group work are more motivated, reported better learning and improved level of understanding. Group work is said to save time especially with long tasks, develops communicative skills, improves grades and helps practise cooperation. Their research sample consisted of 40 all-female EFL undergraduate students in two classes of “The Introduction of Phonetics and Phonology”, ages 24-29 years old, in the 3rd and 4th year in the English department in the College of Basic Education in Kuwait. The research instruments used were student questionnaires, observation and tests.
Kahrari and Chalak (2014) in Iran did another research on Teacher and Student Roles on the topic of ‘The effect of empowering Iranian EFL learners on their grammar knowledge: the case of present continuous and possessive adjective’. The sample in the research consisted of 2 classes of 34 Iranian EFL learners at ages 14 to 20 were selected from Nosrat Foreign Language Institute in Kermanshah, Iran, 2013. The control group followed traditional methods of teaching grammar, while the experimental group was taught based on participatory teaching like Collaborative Learning and Task-Based Instruction. In contrast to control group, the experimental group was empowered through structured grammar-focused task and collaborative output task,
and took active and responsible role in the classroom. The research instruments have pre-test and post-test (multiple choice) and observation. The findings of the study showed that empowering learners improved grammar competence and subject motivation and interaction.