THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GRADE 9 STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF ENGLISH CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND PREFERNCES FOR ENGLISH LEARNING STRATEGIES IN YINSHENG MIDDLE SCHOOL IN KUNMING, YUNNAN PROVINCE, CHINA
Keywords:
Students’ Perceptions of English Classroom Environment; Preferences for English Language Learning Strategies; Relationship Dimension; Personal Development Dimension; System Maintenance and Change Dimension of Classroom EnvironmentAbstract
The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the levels of perceptions of English classroom environment and preferences for English learning strategies and investigate if there were significant relationships between perceptions of English classroom environment in terms of relationship, personal development, and system maintenance and change dimensions and preferences for English learning strategies of Grade 9 students at Yinsheng Middle school in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The participants were Grade 9 92 students in the target school. The What is Happening in This Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire was used to measure the levels of perceptions of English classroom environment including three dimensions (relationship, personal development, and system maintenance and change dimensions) while The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) questionnaire was used to measure the level of students’ preferences for English learning strategies. Results indicated that the level of Grade 9 students’ overall perception of English classroom in terms of three dimensions were positive while the level of Grade 9 students’ preferences for English learning strategies was strong. Pearson’s product moment correlation suggested that there were positive and significant relationships between Grade 9 students’ perception of English classroom environment both in terms of relationship and personal development dimensions and preference for English learning strategies. However, there was no significant relationship between Grade 9 students’ perceptions of English classroom environment in terms of system maintenance and change dimension with preferences for English learning strategies.
References
Ames, C., and Archer, J. (1988). Achievement goals in the classroom: Students’ learning strategies and motivation processes. Journal of educational psychology, 80(3), 260. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-0663.80.3.260
Blumenfeld, P. C., and Meece, J. L. (1988). Task factors, teacher behavior, and students’ involvement and learning strategies in science. The Elementary School Journal, 88(3), 235-250.Burnett, P. C. (2002). Teacher praise and feedback and students’ perceptions of the classroom environment. Educational psychology, 22(1), 5-16. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410120101215
Blumenfeld, P. C., Pintrich, P. R., Meece, J., and Wessels, K. (1982). The formation and role of self-perceptions of ability in elementary classrooms. The Elementary School Journal, 82(5), 401-420. Retrieved from https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/461278?journalCode=esj
Chamot, A. U. (2004). Issues in language learning strategy research and teaching. Electronic journal of foreign language teaching, 1(1), 14-26. Retrieved from http://e-flt.nus.edu.sg/v1n12004/chamot.pdf
Daemi, M. N., Tahriri, A. and Zafarghandi, A. M. (2017). The relationship between classroom environment and EFL learners’ academic self-efficacy. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 5 (4), 16-23. Retrieved from http://journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJELS/article/view/3891
Dearden, J. (2014). English as a medium of instruction- a growing global phenomenon. British Council. Retrieved from https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:4f72cdf8-b2eb-4d41-a785-4a283bf6caaa
Fisher, D., and Rickards, T. (1998). Associations between teacher-student interpersonal behaviour and student attitude to mathematics. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 10 (1), 3-15. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03217119
Fraser, B. J., McRobbie, C., and Fisher, D. (1996). Development, validation, and use of personal and class forms of a new classroom environment questionnaire. In Proceedings Western Australian Institute for educational research forum. Retrieved from http://www.waier.org.au/forums/1996/fraser.html
Ghavamnia, M., Kassaian, Z., and Dabaghi, A. (2011). The Relationship between Language Learning Strategies, Language Learning Beliefs, Motivation, and Proficiency: A Study of EFL Learners in Iran. Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 2(5). Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download? Doi=10.1.1.348.3010&rep=rep1&type=pdf#page=210
Guo, F.F. and Li, G.F. (2015) Ketang Huan jing dui daxuesheng yingyu zizhu xuexi de yingxiang yanjiu [A study on the influence of classroom environment on college students’ English autonomous learning] (Doctoral dissertation). Available from Zhiwang kongjian. Foreign language and foreign language teaching.
Karabenick, S. A., and Sharma, R. (1994). Perceived teacher support of student questioning in the college classroom: Its relation to student characteristics and role in the classroom questioning process. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86(1), 90. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-0663.86.1.90
Lewin, K. (1936). A dynamic theory of personality: Selected papers. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 84(5), 612-613. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Citation/1936/11000/A_Dynamic_Theory_of_Personality__Selected_Papers.51.aspx
Liu, L.Y. (2015). Zhongguo jichu yingyu ketang jiaoxue huanjing yanjiu [A research on the classroom teaching environment of basic English in China]. Changchun: Dongbei shifan daxue chubanshe.
Lv, C.Y. (2017). Gaozhongsheng yingyu ketang huanjing ganzhi yu yingyu xuexi celv xiangguanxing yanjiu [A Study on the correlation between senior high school students’ perception of English classroom environment and their English learning strategies] (Master’s thesis). Minnan Normal University, Fujian, China.
Macaro, E. (2006). Strategies for Language Learning and Language Use: Revising the Theoretical Framework. The Modern Language Journal, 90(3), 320-337. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3876831
MOE. (2011). English curriculum standards for compulsory education. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10984-008-9052-5
Moos, R. H. (1974). The social climate scales. Consulting Psychologists Press.
Murray, H. A. (1938). Explorations in personality: a clinical and experimental study of fifty men of college-age. Oxford Univ. Press.
Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know.Boston: Heinle and Heinle Publishers.
Qu, X. X. (2012). Gaozhong yingyu ketang huanjing diaocha yanjiu [A survey of English classroom environment in a senior high school] (Doctoral dissertation) Yangzhou: Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, China. Retrieved from http://gb.oversea.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?filename=1015004260. nh&dbcode=CMFD&dbname=CMFDREF
Razak, N. Z. A., Ismail, F., Aziz, A. A., and Babikkoi, M. A. (2012). Assessing the use of English language learning strategies among secondary school students in Malaysia. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 66, 240-246. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.266
Taylor, B. A., and Fraser, B. J. (2013). Relationships between learning environment and mathematics anxiety. Learning Environments Research, 16(2), 297-313. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10984-013-9134-x
