The Importance of Students' Attitudes Towards English for Instruction in Heterogeneous Classes
Keywords:
heterogeneous classes, foreign language attitudes, foreign language motivation, valuable others, English as a foreign language
Abstract
The article investigates the impact factors which influence pupils' attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language, since these represent an important source of information for planning lessons in heterogeneous or mixed ability classes. The empirical part presents the results of a study among third graders (n=90), aimed at identifying the impact of the following factors on their attitudes: the age at which they started learning English, their gender, the exposure to English in their home environment and the valuable others (teachers, parents, and peers). The results suggest that in this age group, parents and teachers have a more salient influence on the learners' attitudes towards English than their peers.
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References
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Wallace, M. P., Leong, E. I. L. (2020). Exploring Language Learning Motivation among Primary EFL Learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 11(2), 221–230.
Wright, M. (1999). Influences on learner attitudes towards foreign language and culture. Educational
Research, 41(2), 197–208.
Wu, X. (2003). Intrinsic motivation and young language learners: The impact of the classroom
environment. System, 31(4), 501–517.
Žefran, M. (2015). Students’ Attitudes towards their EFL Lessons and Teachers. Journal of Elementary Education, 8(1/2), 167–180.
students studying English as a FL. Educational Psychology, 24(5), 711–721.
Al Rifai, N. (2010). Attitude, motivation, and difficulties involved in learning the English language and factors that affect motivation in learning it. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 5216–5227.
Asmali, M. (2017). Young Learners' Attitudes and Motivation to Learn English. Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 11(1), 53–68.
Blažič, M., Ivanuš-Grmek, M., Kramar, M., Strmčnik, F. (2003). Didaktika: visokošolski učbenik. Visokošolsko središče, Inštitut za raziskovalno in razvojno delo.
Bratož, S. (2018). Anketiranje tretješolcev s spletnim vprašalnikom. V: T Štemberger idr. (ur.), Oblikovanje inovativnih učnih okolij (str. 237–251). Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem.
Bratož, S., Pirih, A., Štemberger, T. (2019). Identifying children's attitudes towards languages: construction and validation of the LANGattMini Scale. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1–13.
Brumen, M. (2011). The perception of and motivation for foreign language learning in pre-school. Early child development and care, 181(6), 717–732.
Cowley, S. (2018). The Ultimate Guide to Differentiation: Achieving Excellence for All. London, New York:
Bloomsbury Publishing.
Djigunović, J. M. (2012). Attitudes and motivation in early foreign language learning. Ceps Journal, 2, 55–74.
Dörnyei, Z. (2009). The psychology of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Enever, J. (2011). ELLiE: Early Language Learning in Europe. London: British Council.
Gardner, R. C. (1985). Social psychology and second language learning: The role of attitudes and motivation. London: Arnold.
Hashwani, M. S. (2008). Students’ attitudes, motivation and anxiety towards English language learning. Journal of Research and Reflections in Education, 2(2), 121–144.
Heacox, D. (2009). Diferenciacija za uspeh vseh. Ljubljana: Rokus Klett.
Juriševič, M., Pižorn, K. (2013). Young foreign language learners’ motivation –A Slovenian experience. Porta Linguarum, 19, 179–198.
Kalin, J. (2006). Možnosti in meje notranje učne diferenciacije in individualizacije pri zagotavljanju enakih možnosti. Sodobna pedagogika, 57, 78–93.
Kim, J. T., Barrett, R. (2019). The Role of Learners' Attitudes toward Parental Involvement in L2 English Learning. English Language Teaching, 12(1), 18–29.
Liu, T. Y., Chu, Y. L. (2010). Using ubiquitous games in an English listening and speaking course: Impact on learning outcomes and motivation. Computers & Education, 55(2), 630–643.
Lightbown, P. M., Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Marentič Požarnik, B. (2000). Psihologija učenja in pouka. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije.
Masgoret, A. M., Gardner, R. C. (2003). Attitudes, motivation, and second language learning: A meta-analysis of studies conducted by Gardner and associates. Language learning, 53(S1), 167–210.
Mehrpour, S., Motlagh, F. A. (2015). Investigating the Effect of Motivation and Attitude towards Learning English, Learning Style Preferences and Gender on Iranian EFL Learners' Proficiency. Research Papers in Language Teaching & Learning, 6(1).
Nastran Ule, Mirjana. 2000. Sodobne identitete v vrtincu diskurzov. Ljubljana: Znanstveno in publicistično središče.
Nikolov, M. (1999). ‘Why do you learn English?’‘Because the teacher is short.’A study of Hungarian children’s
foreign language learning motivation. Language Teaching Research, 3(1), 33–56.
Oroujlou, N., Vahedi, M. (2011). Motivation, attitude, and language learning. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29, 994–1000.
Pinter, A. (2017). Teaching young language learners. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Pirih, A., Žefran, M., Bratož, S. (2020). Raising plurilingual children: parents` attitudes towards multilingualism and plurilingualism. Language and Culture in the Intercultural World, 287.
Pižorn, K., Vogrinc, J. (2010). Stališča staršev do uvajanja tujih jezikov v 1. VIO osnovne šole.[Parents’
Attitudes to Implementing Foreign Languages in the First Triad of the Primary School in Slovenia]. POT v večjezičnost–zgodnje učenje tujih jezikov, 1, 90–105.
Shoaib, A., Dörnyei, Z. (2005). Affect in lifelong learning: Exploring L2 motivation as a dynamic process. V P. Benson, D. Nunan (ur.), Learners’ stories: Difference and diversity in language learning. (str. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2017). How to differentiate instruction in academically diverse classrooms. Alexandria: ASCD.
Ur, P. (1996). Course in Language Teaching: Practice to Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Valentic, D. (2005). ELT in multi-level classes. Hupe Newsletter, 23 (December), 1–4.
Wallace, M. P., Leong, E. I. L. (2020). Exploring Language Learning Motivation among Primary EFL Learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 11(2), 221–230.
Wright, M. (1999). Influences on learner attitudes towards foreign language and culture. Educational
Research, 41(2), 197–208.
Wu, X. (2003). Intrinsic motivation and young language learners: The impact of the classroom
environment. System, 31(4), 501–517.
Žefran, M. (2015). Students’ Attitudes towards their EFL Lessons and Teachers. Journal of Elementary Education, 8(1/2), 167–180.
Published
2022-09-23
How to Cite
Klemen Blatnik N., & Bratož S. (2022). The Importance of Students’ Attitudes Towards English for Instruction in Heterogeneous Classes. Journal of Elementary Education, 15(3), 317-337. https://doi.org/10.18690/rei.15.3.317-337.2022
Issue
Section
Scientific Articles
Copyright (c) 2022 Nina Klemen Blatnik, Silva Bratož
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.