Learners' perceptions of their successes and failures in foreign language learning

Williams, Melanie; Burden, Robert; Poulet, Gerard; Maun, Ian

doi:10.1080/09571730485200191

Cited by 97 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…This prioritization is reflected clearly in Super's (1957) self-concept theory, which posits that people choose careers that enable them to actualize their interests as reflected in their self-concept. This is also consistent with recent studies suggesting that besides considering ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck, people tend to attribute their behaviors to intrinsic factors, such as personal preferences and needs (Chedzoy & Burden 2007;Williams, Burden, Poulet, & Maun, 2004). However, this finding is not consistent with the results of Maringe's study (2006) which indicates that occupational opportunities associated with higher education exert the greatest influence on the subjects that students in England choose to study at university.…”

Section: Attributions For Studying In Ptecontrasting

confidence: 56%

“…Attributions are classified based on three underlying causal dimensions in Weiner's model: locus of causality, stability, and controllability (Weiner, 1985). Moreover, adding to the four main reasons that people like to give for their task outcomes (i.e., ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck) (Weiner, 1985), recent research cites such factors as intrinsic motivation, interest, needs, and mood (Chedzoy & Burden, 2007;Williams et al, 2004). Thus, the analysis of attributions serves the function of bringing self-relevant behavior into focus (Cortés-Suáres & Sandiford, 2008).…”

Section: Attributions For Studying In Ptementioning

confidence: 99%

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Taiwanese Preschool Teacher Education Students’ Attributions for Studying, Occupational Knowledge, and Initial Teaching Commitment

2011

WJE

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This study examines Taiwanese preschool teacher education (PTE) students' attributions for studying in PTE, occupational knowledge, and initial teaching commitment, as well as the effects of the former two variables on the latter one. The study used mixed-methods which included questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews. The Taiwanese PTE students (N=1463) responded to questionnaires, and eight of them were selected as the interviewees. The findings indicate that PTE students tended to predominantly attribute their PTE studying to personal factors in the internal attributional style, had substantial but incomplete occupational knowledge, and demonstrated moderately strong initial teaching commitment. The PTE students' attributions for studying in PTE and occupational knowledge had significant influence on their initial teaching commitment, and PTE studying attributions to personal factors was the most powerful predictor. The PTE students with more studying attributions to personal factors and more professional knowledge about occupational competency and occupational qualifications tended to display stronger initial teaching commitment.

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Section: Attributions For Studying In Ptecontrasting

confidence: 56%

Section: Attributions For Studying In Ptementioning

confidence: 99%

Taiwanese Preschool Teacher Education Students’ Attributions for Studying, Occupational Knowledge, and Initial Teaching Commitment

2011

WJE

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“…Languages were not felt to be particularly useful or enjoyable. Williams et al (2004) used an open questionnaire to explore the attributions of perceived successes and failures in language learning by 285 students aged 11 to 16. The respondents identified effort as the major determining factor of success and failure, with interest less significant than ability, though there was variation by gender and age.…”

Section: Uk School Motivation Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivation of UK school pupils towards foreign languages: a large-scale survey at Key Stage 3

Coleman

Galaczi

Astruc

2007

Language Learning Journal

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How to cite:Coleman, James A.; Galaczi,Á. and Astruc, L. (2007 AbstractMotivation is one of the most significant predictors of success in foreign language learning. While individual and governmental commitment to the learning of foreign languages is growing throughout most of Europe and across the globe, it is stuttering in the United Kingdom. An entitlement to language learning in primary school is not yet fully in place, whilst the removal of language from the core curriculum at Key Stage 4 (ages 14 to 16) has led to a dramatic fall in numbers of language learners. Among national initiatives seeking to enhance learners' interest in languages among school pupils are Specialist Language Colleges and the Languages Ladder. The latter, by certifying achievement through its associated accreditation schemeAsset Languages, seeks to engender a sense of success and motivate continuation of language study. This article reports on a 2005-06 study of the language learning motivation of over ten thousand school pupils at Key Stage 3 -the only group currently obliged to study a foreign language. The study analyses the nature of learner motivation and its relationship with gender, level of study (Years 7, 8 and 9) and type of school, and thus provides evidence for possible measures to increase numbers of teenagers studying a foreign language, and a baseline against which the success of policy initiatives can be measured in the future.

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“…Another study by Williams, Burden, Poulet, and Maun (2004) sought to investigate attributions of two hundred and eighty five students studying French, German, and Spanish in five secondary schools in the United Kingdom. Their study revealed twenty-one attribution categories, in which effort, strategy, ability, and teacher become frequently cited attributions for doing well in their learning.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Students’ Attributions on Their English Speaking Enhancement

Mali

2015

Indonesian J. Appl. Linguist

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Attribution refers to explanations and reasons that people provide for progress, achievement, and even failure towards something they have experienced, particularly in their language learning. This study aimed to investigate the attributions that students had for their English-speaking enhancement. The participants of the study were eighteen students at Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata Ambarukmo Yogyakarta (STIPRAM). Open-ended questionnaire and interview were used as the instruments to collect the data. On the questionnaire, the participants were specifically asked to provide written responses to three statements, while in the interview process, the researcher involved three participants to provide further clarification toward their written responses on the questionnaire. The data analysis revealed that a clear purpose of doing particular English speaking activities, strategy, and the positive motivation/encouragement from friends as well as from the teacher became the major students' attributions on their English-speaking enhancement. Besides, this study would seem to indicate that a teacher took an essential role in the enhancement of the students' English speaking skill. Eventually, this study proposed some pedagogical implications for the development of teaching and learning in English speaking classes specifically in Indonesian context.

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Learners' perceptions of their successes and failures in foreign language learning

Cited by 97 publications

References 15 publications

Taiwanese Preschool Teacher Education Students’ Attributions for Studying, Occupational Knowledge, and Initial Teaching Commitment

Taiwanese Preschool Teacher Education Students’ Attributions for Studying, Occupational Knowledge, and Initial Teaching Commitment

Motivation of UK school pupils towards foreign languages: a large-scale survey at Key Stage 3

Students’ Attributions on Their English Speaking Enhancement

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