Psychometric Properties of the Foreign Language Attitudes and Perceptions Survey for College Students

The study undertakes a diachronic comparative analysis of college students’ Mandarin, dialect, English use status, language aptitude, and language attitudes between 2015 and 2020 using data from a questionnaire of Fujian Province college students. The findings show that: (1) Mandarin’s function and status are increasing, resulting in a situation in which Mandarin is the dominant language and multiple language codes, such as dialects and English, coexist; (2) Mandarin use is increasing, while dialect use is decreasing; (3) Mandarin and English listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills are improving, while dialect listening and speaking skills are deteriorating; (4) Although Fujianese college students have a higher overall opinion of Mandarin, dialects, and English, their views toward Mandarin, dialects, and other languages are deteriorating. Based on this, the paper proposes curriculum ideology and politics in foreign language classes, as well as a variety of strategies to preserve Fujian’s strong dialects and scientifically protect weak dialects and endangered minority languages.

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Weighing the benefits of studying a foreign language at a younger starting age in a minimal input situation

Second language Research ◽

10.1177/0267658307082981 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 35-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 79

Author(s):

Jenifer Larson-Hall

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Attitudes ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Age Effects ◽

Group Affiliation ◽

Language Aptitude ◽

Input Language ◽

Statistical Correlations ◽

Different Levels

This study examined whether a younger starting age is advantageous in a situation of minimal exposure to an instructed foreign language (≤ 4 hours classroom contact per week). Previous theoretical and empirical studies indicated there should be no advantage for an earlier start. Japanese college students who started studying English between ages three and twelve ( n = 61) were examined on a phonemic discrimination ( /l/w) and grammaticality judgement task (GJT). After controlling for language aptitude and amount of input, statistical correlations were found between starting age and scores on the GJT ( r = —.38) but not the phonemic task ( r = .03). These earlier starters were also compared to peers who began study in junior high at age twelve or thirteen ( n = 139) on the same measures. The earlier starters were found to score statistically higher on the phonemic but not morphosyntactic measure, and this remained true in an ANCOVA analysis where total amount of hours of study input were controlled for. A robust ANCOVA testing for differences at different levels of input found interesting interactions between group affiliation and amount of input. Language attitudes were also tested. The evidence shows there can be perceivable age effects for linguistic measures even in a situation of minimal exposure to a foreign language, but these may not emerge until a substantial amount of input has been gained.

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Psychometric characteristics of the Personality Belief Questionnaire – Short Form

Revista Brasileira de Terapia Comportamental e Cognitiva ◽

10.31505/rbtcc.v14i3.549 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Donizete Tadeu Leite ◽

Ederaldo José Lopes ◽

Renata Ferrarez Fernandes Lopes

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Factor Analysis ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Personality Disorders ◽

Short Form ◽

Factorial Validity ◽

Dysfunctional Beliefs ◽

Psychometric Characteristics ◽

Brazilian Version ◽

Practical Tool

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Personality Belief Questionnaire – Short Form (PBQ-SF). A sample of 700 college students answered to the Brazilian version of the PBQ-SF. The results showed good estimates of reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) of the PBQ-SF scales, indicating a significant association between the beliefs of each of the scales. The results of factor analysis of the PBQ-SF were similar to its original version. Overall, the findings provide support for the existence of factorial validity for the Brazilian version of the PBQ-SF, suggesting that it is a practical tool for the measurement of dysfunctional beliefs related to personality disorders

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The Implementation of CLIL and Attitudes Towards Trilingualism

ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics ◽

10.2143/itl.157.0.2042586 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 157 ◽

pp. 23-43 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

David Lasagabaster

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Secondary Students ◽

Language Attitudes ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Minority Language ◽

Educational Systems ◽

Autonomous Community ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Inherent Feature ◽

Official Languages

Abstract Linguistic and cultural diversity is becoming an inherent feature of most schools in Europe. This is specially so in contexts such as the Basque Autonomous Community in Spain, where the presence of two official languages (Basque and Spanish) is complemented by the early teaching of English, which sets out as early as the age of four in the majority of schools. Nevertheless, the low foreign language command of Spanish students in general and the Basque students in particular has led to the implementation of CLIL experiences, which have been mushrooming in the last decade. Some voices have been raised though against the ever increasing presence of English due to its probable negative impact on language attitudes, especially on attitudes towards Basque. Many efforts have been made to normalize the situation of Basque at school and some scholars consider that these achievements can be jeopardized if the minority language yields too much space to the two international languages (Spain and English). In this paper the effect of CLIL programmes on attitudes towards trilingualism is examined through a holistic questionnaire completed by 277 secondary students. The results obtained demonstrate that CLIL can help to boost positive attitudes towards trilingualism at school, a matter of the utmost importance due to the ever increasing number of multilingual educational systems in Europe.

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Analyzing the Corelation of the EFL college students’ Beliefs about Foreign Language Learning and Academic Achievement

International Journal of Tourism Management and Sciences ◽

10.21719/ijtms.34.5.15 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 293-309

Author(s):

Chankyu Park

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Academic Achievement ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Foreign Language Learning ◽

Efl College Students

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The Effect of Perceptions: Instructor–Student Dynamics in the Spanish Heritage Classroom

Languages ◽

10.3390/languages6010046 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 46

Author(s):

Patricia González Darriba ◽

Benjamin Kinsella ◽

Crystal Marull ◽

Nathan Campbell

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Language Attitudes ◽

Learning Spaces ◽

Heritage Speakers ◽

Learning Space ◽

Classroom Dynamics ◽

Five Dimensions ◽

University Courses ◽

The Us ◽

Attitudes And Perceptions

The rising population of heritage speakers (HS) in university courses in the US has increased the need for instructors who understand the linguistic, social, and cultural profiles of their students. Recent research has discussed the need for specialized courses and their differentiation from second-language (L2) classes, as well as the intersection between HS and language attitudes. However, prior studies have not examined HS students’ language attitudes toward the sociolinguistic background of the instructors and their effect on classroom interactions. Therefore, this study explores HS students’ overall language attitudes and perceptions of their instructors’ sociolinguistic background. In a survey, HS university students (N = 92) across the US assessed four instructor profiles along five dimensions. Results showed that students rated more favorably instructors born and raised in Latin America, followed by those from Spain. Furthermore, HS favored these two profiles over HS or L2 profiles as their course instructors. However, preferences were less marked in the online context. These findings demonstrate that to design supportive learning spaces with—rather than for—HS students, programs must first acknowledge how classroom dynamics are shaped by the perspectives brought into the learning space and by the context of the learning space itself.

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An assessment of language attitudes as a mediator in the stereotypes–L2 motivation linkage

Linguistics Vanguard ◽

10.1515/lingvan-2020-0019 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Larisa Nikitina ◽

Fumitaka Furuoka

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Attitudes ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Applied Linguistics ◽

Statistical Procedure ◽

Motivational Factor ◽

Mediating Role ◽

L2 Motivation ◽

Context Of Learning

AbstractApplied linguists and language educators have long acknowledged the prominent role that language attitudes play in the process of selecting and learning an additional language. The current study examines a mediating role of language attitudes in the Stereotypes–L2 motivation linkage in the context of learning a foreign language, an area which remains comparatively underexplored. It provides a detailed description of – and rationale for – applying a statistical procedure based on the Baron–Kenny method, which is rarely used in applied linguistics research. The findings indicate that stereotypes and language attitudes had a positive impact on L2 motivation when the former two variables were examined separately in two different analyses. However, when all the three variables were analysed together, language attitudes were found to remain a motivational factor while the stereotypes ceased to be such. This suggests that stereotypes had an indirect effect on L2 motivation through language attitudes. Hence, language attitudes were a mediating variable in the Stereotypes–L2 motivation linkage assessed by the Baron–Kenny method. These findings have some pedagogical implications.

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Sprachnormbezogene Akkommodation in der Hochschullehre

Zeitschrift für Angewandte Linguistik ◽

10.1515/zfal-2020-2027 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 33-62

Author(s):

Philip C. Vergeiner

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Use ◽

Group Membership ◽

Language Attitudes ◽

Tertiary Education ◽

Sociocultural Context ◽

Standard Variety ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Rule Analysis ◽

The Relationship

AbstractThis paper examines the relationship between accommodation processes and social norms in varietal choice within tertiary education in Austria. The investigation consists of (a) a content analysis of metalinguistic statements in semi-structured interviews and (b) a variable rule analysis of actual language variation in university lectures.The findings show that there are norms prescribing that listeners must have at least be able to comprehend a particular variety, whereas accommodation to actual language use does not appear to be required to the same extent. However, the norms depend strongly on group membership: while there is a norm prescribing the use of the standard variety in the presence of speakers of German as a foreign language, there is no such norm for Austrians vis-à-vis people from Germany, although speakers from both groups may lack the ability to understand the respective nonstandard varieties. This difference can be explained by the sociocultural context and differing language attitudes.

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Addicted to cellphones: exploring the psychometric properties between the nomophobia questionnaire and obsessiveness in college students

Heliyon ◽

10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00895 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (11) ◽

pp. e00895 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Seungyeon Lee ◽

Minsung Kim ◽

Jessica S. Mendoza ◽

Ian M. McDonough

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Psychometric Properties

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Foreign Language Learners’ Attitudes and Perceptions of L1 Use in L2 Classroom

10.31235/osf.io/r6j2e ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Maram S. Almohaimeed ◽

Huda M. Almurshed

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Negative Attitude ◽

Foreign Language Learning ◽

Target Language ◽

Advanced Learners ◽

English Classes ◽

English Class ◽

Attitudes And Perceptions ◽

Preparatory Year

Whether to avoid learners’ first language (L1) or to make use of it in the second language (L2) classes is a controversial issue. Some studies have challenged the effectiveness of the monolingual approach to foreign language learning. This study investigates Saudi university learners’ attitudes and perceptions towards incorporating their L1(Arabic) in English class. This study also sheds light into the relationship between students’ perceptions and proficiency level in the target language. To this end, Gaebler's questionnaire (2014) was administered to 60 female learners studying in the preparatory year at a Saudi university. They were from three different English proficiency levels. The results showed that advanced learners hold a negative attitude towards the use of L1 in their English classes, whereas elementary and intermediate learners generally perceive the judicious use of their L1 positively.

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