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An exploration of factors that help or hinder the successful learning of the English language among secondary school students
Author
Syed Mohamed Abdul Gaffoor
Supervisor
Seet, Oliver B. H.
Abstract
This a qualitative study of some of the factors that may help or hinder the successful learning of the English Language among secondary school students in the express stream. It attempts to establish through the subjects' responses and perceptions whether these factors help or hinder the learning of English successfully.
The study necessitates the operational definition of the term 'successful learning of English' for purposes of analysis. A 37-item questionnaire was designed and pre-tested with 51 secondary three express stream students. After refinement, the questionnaire was used to collect data from 286 secondary three express stream students from five secondary schools. The subjects were from five secondary schools. The subjects were from the top-end and the tail-end classes in each school.
Based on the operational definition, the students were divided into 2 groups (group A and B) based on their English grades obtained in their 1997 End-of Year Examination. Group A students were the successful learners of English while Group B students were not. The data collected was analysed and comparisons made between the two groups to see if there were any significant differences between them.
The findings show that there are, in general, some differences between the two groups of subjects in the sample population in terms of their background, home environment, the community in which they live and their perceptions and attitudes towards the English Language.
It was found that a group of students performed better than group B in their PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination). Students in both the groups showed that they gad poor study habits. Group A students tend to use English more often when communicating with their friends as compared to Group B students.
Group A students claim to use English more often with their family members and in public places than Group B students. Generally, students in both the groups did not think well of their own standard of English. However, more Group A students felt that they could express themselves in English well. The majority of students in both the groups felt that their teachers' standard of English was average or above average. On the whole, students in both groups viewed English positively. The difference is that more Group A students thought of English as their first language and more of Group B students thought of it as their second language.
In general, students in both the groups appear to have a strong instrumental motivation for studying English. The difference is that Group A students tend to show greater integrative motivation. Group A students also tend to have high expectations of their performance in English examinations. The majority of students in both the groups said that they do not get help outside school, for example, in the form of tuition.
From the data obtained, a profile of a successful learner of English has been attempted but it is felt that in order to obtain a more complete and accurate profile, a more comprehensive study that would include students from the other courses of study would have to be done.
The study necessitates the operational definition of the term 'successful learning of English' for purposes of analysis. A 37-item questionnaire was designed and pre-tested with 51 secondary three express stream students. After refinement, the questionnaire was used to collect data from 286 secondary three express stream students from five secondary schools. The subjects were from five secondary schools. The subjects were from the top-end and the tail-end classes in each school.
Based on the operational definition, the students were divided into 2 groups (group A and B) based on their English grades obtained in their 1997 End-of Year Examination. Group A students were the successful learners of English while Group B students were not. The data collected was analysed and comparisons made between the two groups to see if there were any significant differences between them.
The findings show that there are, in general, some differences between the two groups of subjects in the sample population in terms of their background, home environment, the community in which they live and their perceptions and attitudes towards the English Language.
It was found that a group of students performed better than group B in their PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination). Students in both the groups showed that they gad poor study habits. Group A students tend to use English more often when communicating with their friends as compared to Group B students.
Group A students claim to use English more often with their family members and in public places than Group B students. Generally, students in both the groups did not think well of their own standard of English. However, more Group A students felt that they could express themselves in English well. The majority of students in both the groups felt that their teachers' standard of English was average or above average. On the whole, students in both groups viewed English positively. The difference is that more Group A students thought of English as their first language and more of Group B students thought of it as their second language.
In general, students in both the groups appear to have a strong instrumental motivation for studying English. The difference is that Group A students tend to show greater integrative motivation. Group A students also tend to have high expectations of their performance in English examinations. The majority of students in both the groups said that they do not get help outside school, for example, in the form of tuition.
From the data obtained, a profile of a successful learner of English has been attempted but it is felt that in order to obtain a more complete and accurate profile, a more comprehensive study that would include students from the other courses of study would have to be done.
Date Issued
1999
Call Number
PE1068.S5 Moh
Date Submitted
1999