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Relationships between achievement in Chinese as a second language and home background, motivation and peer influence
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Type
Thesis
Author
Ong, Kian Choon
Supervisor
Chang, Agnes Shook Cheong
Chew, Cheng Hai
Abstract
Bilingualism, an education policy with the objective of promoting nation-building and greater social homogeneity, has been an education policy since 1947. Despite its success, bilingualism has created great pressure on both parents and pupils. One of the most prevalent questions asked is why some people, with the same formal learning opportunities, learn a second language more quickly and fluently than others? This study, therefore, sets out to investigate the relationships between some of these factors and second language achievement with the hope of providing additional information to educationists and policy makers regarding the possible factors relating to students' learning of a second language. The factors considered were home background, motivation and peer influence.
The sample of the study consisted of 345 secondary three express course pupils selected from six representative sample schools. The Chinese language test paper and the pupils' questionnaire were the two instruments used. the former was designed to measure the language ability of pupils so that an indication of pupils' second language achievement could be obtained. The latter was to obtain information on exposure to Chinese language, help from siblings, tutors and patents, intensity of motivation and peer influence. Using the statistical procedure of item analysis, KR 21, Pearson product-moment and factor analysis, the two instruments were tested for reliability and validity.
The statistical analysis system (SAS) was used to analyse the data. The results showed that home background, in general, correlated significantly with pupils' Chinese language achievement, except for patents' occupation which did not significantly correlate with the pupils' Chinese language achievement. The analysis of the parents' help variable showed that the relationship between parents' support and pupils' Chinese language achievement was positive but not significant. Parents' expectation correlated positively and significantly with pupils' Chinese language achievement. In contrast, negative relationships were found between parents' supervision and parents' concern, and pupils' Chinese language achievement. motivation and peer influence were also found to be closely and positively correlated with Chinese language achievement.
The findings also showed close relationships between home background, motivation and peer influence. while the mothers' education medium, language most often used at home, Chinese language exposure, parents' help, sibling's help and peer influence were found to correlate positively and significantly with pupils' motivation, the parents' education level, parents' occupation, fathers' education medium and tutor's help did not show such a relationship.
The stepwise regression analysis showed that among the thirteen variables, the best predicator of pupils' Chinese language achievement is Chinese language exposure. Among the three major factors (home background, motivation and peer influence), home background is the most important factor affecting pupils' Chinese language achievement and motivation.
The sample of the study consisted of 345 secondary three express course pupils selected from six representative sample schools. The Chinese language test paper and the pupils' questionnaire were the two instruments used. the former was designed to measure the language ability of pupils so that an indication of pupils' second language achievement could be obtained. The latter was to obtain information on exposure to Chinese language, help from siblings, tutors and patents, intensity of motivation and peer influence. Using the statistical procedure of item analysis, KR 21, Pearson product-moment and factor analysis, the two instruments were tested for reliability and validity.
The statistical analysis system (SAS) was used to analyse the data. The results showed that home background, in general, correlated significantly with pupils' Chinese language achievement, except for patents' occupation which did not significantly correlate with the pupils' Chinese language achievement. The analysis of the parents' help variable showed that the relationship between parents' support and pupils' Chinese language achievement was positive but not significant. Parents' expectation correlated positively and significantly with pupils' Chinese language achievement. In contrast, negative relationships were found between parents' supervision and parents' concern, and pupils' Chinese language achievement. motivation and peer influence were also found to be closely and positively correlated with Chinese language achievement.
The findings also showed close relationships between home background, motivation and peer influence. while the mothers' education medium, language most often used at home, Chinese language exposure, parents' help, sibling's help and peer influence were found to correlate positively and significantly with pupils' motivation, the parents' education level, parents' occupation, fathers' education medium and tutor's help did not show such a relationship.
The stepwise regression analysis showed that among the thirteen variables, the best predicator of pupils' Chinese language achievement is Chinese language exposure. Among the three major factors (home background, motivation and peer influence), home background is the most important factor affecting pupils' Chinese language achievement and motivation.
Date Issued
1986
Call Number
PL1068.S5 Ong
Date Submitted
1986