Lateral Preference and L2 Proficiency

1994 ◽  
Vol 103-104 ◽  
pp. 39-56
Author(s):  
Cem Alptekin ◽  
Elif Çetin
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Hemispheric Specialization ◽  
School Setting ◽  
L2 Proficiency ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Lateral Preference ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Standardized Measure ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This study investigates the relationship between the L2 proficiency of advanced EFL learners and biological lateral preference. The former is thought of as the person's advanced ability in English, developed within a school setting and involving both reading comprehension and grammatical and lexical knowledge - as represented by the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency. The latter is conceptualized as a continuous and multifactorial construct that predicts the degree of the hemispheric specialization of cognitive functions in the human brain as well as the degree of hemisphericity as a personal trait. It is measured by the Lateral Preference Schedule, developed as an instrument to meet the research and clinical needs for a standardized measure of lateral preference. Sixty university students majoring in TEFL participated in the study. Overall, the findings suggest that, from the various lateral preference patterns, only those which involve footed-ness and handedness are related to L2 proficiency. The findings further suggest that the relationship between lateral preference and L2 proficiency is independent of differences in gender.

scholarly journals Learner autonomy and English proficiency of Indonesian undergraduate students

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 803-818
Author(s):  
M. Melvina ◽  
J. Julia
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Political Variables ◽  
Sociocultural Variable

This research aims at investigating the relationship between learner autonomy including technical, psychological, political, and sociocultural and language proficiency of Indonesian university EFL learners. Forty second-year undergraduate students majoring in English in a public university in Indonesia participated in this research. The data were collected through a learner autonomy questionnaire and English language skills scores. The outcome of the research showed that the variables in this research model had a very good relationship. In addition, the results of hypothesis testing indicated that the technical, psychological, and political variables had a positive and significant effect on English proficiency, while the sociocultural variable did not show either a positive or a significant influence on English proficiency. The finding suggested that both teachers and students should be aware of the important roles of learner autonomy to improve English proficiency. In addition, it mandatory to equip students with learner training to become learners that were more autonomous.   Keywords: Autonomous learner, English proficiency, learner autonomy, learner training, undergraduate students, SEM-PLS. 

scholarly journals On the effect of Language Proficiency on Learners’ Autonomy and Motivation

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-270
Author(s):  
Abbas Ali Zarei ◽  
Nasrin Zarei
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
English Major ◽  
The Relationship

The present study aimed at investigating the effect of Iranian EFL learners’ proficiency level on their motivation and autonomy.  To this end, 141 English major participants, both male and female, at Imam Khomeini International University and Kar non-profit university in Qazvin, Iran were asked to fill in two questionnaires on motivation and learner autonomy. Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) and an autonomy questionnaire developed by Zhang and Li (2004) were used to assess these variables. Also, the participants’ proficiency level was checked using their scores on the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency (MTELP). The collected data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis procedure, and the findings revealed that the students’ language proficiency did not influence their motivation and autonomy. In other words, language proficiency was not an influential factor in students’ motivation and autonomy. The results of the present study may be helpful for teachers, learners and syllabus designers. A clear understanding of the nature of the relationship between language proficiency and traits like motivation and autonomy can help those involved in language teaching and learning to make more informed decisions about the steps to take to improve the above-mentioned traits.

scholarly journals An Investigation of the Relationship between Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary Knowledge, and English Language Proficiency Level of Saudi EFL Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Huda Suleiman Al Qunayeer
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Word Knowledge ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
The Relationship

The present study is an attempt to explore the relationship between the breadth (the number of words known) and the depth of vocabulary knowledge (the richness of word knowledge) (the richness of word knowledge), and reading comprehension of EFL learners in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Furthermore, it tries to find the effect of language proficiency level of learners on the breadth and the depth of lexical vocabulary and reading comprehension of Saudi EFL learners. The participants of the study were seventy-five intermediate and advanced level majoring in English Translation at Qassim University in KSA. The level of language proficiency of participants had been checked through an OPT by the department in advance. To collect the relevant data, two tests measuring breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge were administered to all participants. They also received a reading comprehension test in which they were asked to read the passages and answer some multiple-choice questions. The findings obtained from the analysis of the data indicated that there is a significant relationship between breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge and Saudi advanced/intermediate EFL learner’s reading comprehension performance totally. The results further revealed that both dimensions of vocabulary knowledge are positively correlated, that is, those learners who had large vocabulary size had a deeper knowledge of the words, too. The results further showed that language proficiency level of learners have an effect on Saudi EFL learners’ reading performance and vocabulary knowledge. These results confirm the importance and the value of developing students‟ breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge in EFL classrooms.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Morphological Awareness and Vocabulary Knowledge of Thai EFL Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Sarunya Tarat
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Morphological Awareness ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Identification Test ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Unknown Words ◽  
The Relationship

This study focuses on the relationship between morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge of English among Thai EFL university students. All participants are taking English language as their major field in the universities situated at the lower northern region of Thailand. The morphological awareness identification test was employed to identify the linkage between morphological awareness and vocabulary gain Thai EFL learners. The test was divided into 2 parts: self-checking and morpheme identification. Fifty English vocabularies in intermediate and upper-intermediate level were used in the test in which the participants were requested to check whether they have seen the vocabularies in the test and also asked to break those vocabularies into morphemic units. The results showed that the participants possessed an adequate level of morphological awareness to break words into morphemes correctly even though they were unknown words of the participants. Additionally, the findings also revealed that there is no significant difference between male and female in acquiring morphological awareness of English and gaining English vocabularies.

scholarly journals Yemeni EFL Learners’ Future Self-Images and Their Relationship to The English Language Proficiency: التصورات الذاتية المستقبلية لدى طلبة اللغة الانجليزية اليمنيين  وعلاقتها بالكفاءة في اللغة الإنجليزية

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrahim Ali Mohammad Al-Showthabi, Mohammad Abduh Ahmad A
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Proficiency Tests ◽  
Ideal Self ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Self Image ◽  
Future Self ◽  
Academic Year

This exploratory correlational study addresses the issue of Yemeni EFL Learners’ Future Self-images, Ideal Self-images and Ought-to Self-image and their relationship to the English language proficiency, mainly, speaking and writing --fourth level students, Department of English Sana’a University of the academic year of 2017-2018. It also aims at exploring which of the two Future Self-images addressed is more evident amongst Yemeni EFL learners. In addition, the study attempts to ascertain the role of gender on Future Self-images. Data gathering instruments were all set and validated for the purpose of the study; which were Future Self-images questionnaire (12 Ideal Self-image items & 12 Ought-to Self-image items), English proficiency (speaking & and writing) tests and two Scoring Scales. Fifty two Students (12 males and 40 females (the sample) took both the Future Self-images questionnaire and the English proficiency tests in the academic year 2017-2018. and two Data gathering instruments were all set and validated for the purpose of the study; which were Future Self-images questionnaire (12 Ideal Self-image items & 12 Ought-to Self-image items), English proficiency (speaking & and writing) tests and two Scoring Scales. Fifty two Students (12 males and 40 females (the sample) took both the Future Self-images questionnaire and the English proficiency tests in the academic year 2017-2018. Descriptive analyses— frequencies, and, t-test for independent groups, and Pearson-product moment correlation— were utilized to analyze the data. Results show that Yemeni EFL students have higher Ought-to Self-image mean scores (3.6) than Ideal Self-image mean scores (3.04) Further, each of the two Future Self-images, Ideal Self-image and Ought-to Self-image has a bipolar direction in regard to male and female students. While, female students have higher mean Ideal Self-image scores (2.6) toward learning English, their counterpart male students have higher mean Ought-to Self-image scores (3.15). Furthermore results revealed a significant and strong relationship between Yemeni EFL learners’ ---Ideal Self-images—Ought-to Self-image-- and speaking and writing proficiency respectively and uniquely. This article ends with some recommendations and suggestions for future research.

scholarly journals A Study on the Relationship between English Language Proficiency and Intercultural Communication Competence among Arab Students in Malaysia

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Abdul Qahar Sarwari ◽  
Muhammad Nubli Wahab
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communication Competence ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Intercultural Communication Competence ◽  
Arab Students ◽  
The Relationship

This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship between English language proficiency (ELP) and intercultural communication competence (ICCC) of Arab students in Malaysia. This study included both of the quantitative and the qualitative data sets to further the information. The participants of this study were 108 Arab students from nine different Asian and African nationalities. Based on the results of this study, English language was the main means of education for the participants, and the main means of their communication with students from other cultures. The results from this study found some significant correlations between the attributes of ELP and ICCC. The good levels of ELP encouraged and enabled individuals to be involved in daily interactions with their peers from different countries who speak different languages, and their interactions helped them to improve the levels of their ELP. Moreover, the participants who obtained higher scores in English language proficiency test got higher mean scores in ICCC as well. Based on the results, in some cases, their personal characteristics and the low levels of their ELP had negative effects on the process of interactions among Arab and other students. The results of this study may add some interesting information in the literature regarding the relationships between ELP and ICCC of Arab students in an Asian multicultural collegiate environment.

The Relationship Between Oral Language and Reading in English-Only, Proficient Bilingual, and Emergent Bilingual Adolescents

2019 ◽  
pp. 112-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Becky H. Huang
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Emergent Bilinguals ◽  
English Only ◽  
Adolescent Groups ◽  
Language Assessments ◽  
Reading Measures ◽  
The Relationship

The chapter examined the English language and reading outcomes and the relationship between language and reading for two bilingual adolescent groups (Proficient Bilinguals and Emergent Bilinguals) and their English-only peers (n = 78 total). Participants completed a variety of English language assessments, and their scores from a standardized accountability reading assessment were collected from their teachers. Results from the study showed that Proficient Bilinguals performed comparably to their English-only peers in all language and reading measures, suggesting that simply being bilingual does not detract from adolescents' English language proficiency. Furthermore, the relationships between oral language and reading differed as a function of participants' English language proficiency. Oral language skills correlated with reading for both bilinguals and English-only adolescents, but the relationships were more robust for bilinguals than for English-only adolescents. Finally, the relationship between speech production and reading was significantly only for Emergent Bilinguals and not for Proficient Bilinguals.

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