Second Language Acquisition: A Social Psychological Approach. Research Bulletin No. 332.

324 Pages·2008·4.05 MB·English

DOCUMENT RESUME
4
FL 009 724
ED 163 754
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AUTHOR
Gardner, Robert C.: Smythe
Padric C.
TITLE
Second Language Acquisition: A Social Psychological
Approach. Research Bulletin No. 332.
University oftwestern Ontario, London. Dept. of
INSTITUTION
Psychology.
Ontario Curriculum Inst., Toronto..
SPONS AGENCY
Jul 75
'P\UB DATE
335p.: Appendix D, the correlation matrices for the,
NOTE
validation study, are not included because the type
size is too small to be filmed.
EDRS PRICE
NF -$O.83 HC-$18.07 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Academic Achievement; Aptitude: Attitude tests:
Cultural Awareness: Elementary Secondary Education;
*French: Intelligence: *Languagi Attitudes; Language
Instruction; Language Proficiency: *Language
Research; *Performance Factors *Second Language
Learning; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Test
ConstFuction
IDENTIFIERS
(London)
*Canada;
ABSTRACT
A two-year research project was conducted to
investigate factors that promote second language acquisition and to
monitor changes in these factors associated with increased training
and proficiency in the second language. Two French programs'in
London, Ontario second language Program beginning in grade'7 and the
secondary school French program in London, Ontario, were examined. A
battery of tests was developed to assess students' motivation to
learn a second language. Information is presented on the elements of
experimental design and analysis, the test constructio'n phase ofthe
attitude/motivational test battery,. relationships among the
attitude/motivational tests and several measures of French.
achievemeit, the soundness of.the measuring instruments, a formula
for predicting second langua'gs achievement, results of.tvo separate
studies on language dropouts, a different research orientation
focusing on stereotypes about French Canadians, English Canadians,
"French teacher," . "French course," and "English course." A. theory
that is being developed to integrate the findings on the relationship
betty en French achievement and the three areas of intelligence,
langtage aptitude, and motivation is outlined. Test materials used in
the initial study and the validation study. and correlation iatriceu
produced to generate factor analytic information are appended.
fee
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,SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION:
..0
At
.A SOCIAL PSYCHOLOG I CAL APPROACH*
AP
PADRIC C. SMYTHE
ROBERT C. GARDNER
and
LANGUAGE RESEARCH GROUP
V S OGRARTmENT of HEALTH.
THIS
rEfIMISSION TO IfIEPRODUCE
EDUCATION iweLfARE
RESEARCH BULLETIN NO.332
NefONALANSTaliTE OF
E'EN GRANTED SY
MATEHIAL HAS
epoCATKIN
JULY, 1975
THIS DOCU ENT HAS BEEN REPRO.
OuCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM
THE pFgSON OR ORGANIZATION OR1O.N
*TING IT BooN Ts OF VIEw OR OPINIONS
STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REBRE
RESOURCES
SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
TO THE EDUCATIONAL
AND
EOuLATioNPOsiTioN OR POLICY
iNFOHMATION CENTER low:A
,
or
THC ERIC s4Sitto
USERS
1
This bulletin is a somewhat abbreviated,version of an earlier report
Funis for this' second printing
to the Ontario Ministry of Education..
t
were supplied by the Language Administration Branch, Office of the
Secretary of State, Government qf Canada in the form of a grant entitled
"Attitudes and Motivation in'Learning French":
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
,
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO LONDOK.CANADA
.
ti
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ACQUISITION:
LANGUAGE1
SECOND
strin
APPROACH'
PSYCHOLOGICAU
A
7
Professor of Psychology
R. C. GARDNER,
Principal Investigator:
University of Western Ontario
&
C6-director
Language Research Group
6
Research Associate
P. C. SMYTHE,
Collaborators;
Educational Reseaich Services
London Board of.Education
Co-director
Language Research Group
Dodtoral Candidate
D. M. KIRBY,
Department of Psychology
University of Western Ontario
Research Assistant
'
Ottawa Board of Education
Measurement and
Chief o
J. )R. BRA1'MELL,
Evaluation, Services
London Board of Education
1.
Final kepoit, Ontario Ministry of Education, Grant-in-aid to Wha on.
Original proposal titled, An Extensive Analysis of the Role oeMo ivation
and Language Aptitude in Determining French Achievement of Studen
in
Grades VII to XI.
3
V
PREFACE
f
We take considerable pleasure in acknowledging the help, supp ort, and
general encouragement we received from many individuals and institutions during
th'e course of the project' described in this report.
In the first place we must emphasize that none of this research would have
been possible without a Grant-in-Aid of Educational Research provided us by the
Ontario Ministry of Education.
Furthermore, we gratefully acknowledge the
invaluable assistance of both the administration and the board of trustees of
At,
the Board of Education for the City of London.
.
We are also very pleased to express our appreciation to all of the
.
We
principals, department heads, and French teachers, for their considerable aid.
cannot name them specifically because of a moral commitment on our part to
preserve anonymity with respct to the schools and the students tested. We
O
trust, however, that they will understand end that they will realize how much we
,
appreciate their cooperation in allowing us to disrupt their class Achedules.
Also, we owe a considerable debt of gratitude to the students themselves who
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'Special thanks can, however, be
cooperated most ge nerously with our requests.
given to the following individuals within the London school system%6ho assisted
us in all phases of the research: Mr. G. Dumas, Oral French Consultant; W.
G. C. Sutras, Moderns Consultant; Mr. G.,S. Kidd, formerly Moderns Consultant
and now Moderns Head of Oakridge Secondary School; and Mr. M. Zelman, former
Vice-principal, Oakridge Secondary echool.
Since, part\of the research contained
in this report was conducted in Chatham, Ontario we also acknowledge the assistance
of Mr.'R. Martin, Superintendent of Program and Personnel, Kent County Board of
EduCation.
FAnallyi we must mention the enormous contribution of our project staff,
both past and present:
Our origiral "team" consisted of Betsy CIVbons, Louis
4
0
k
- 2
$4'
Gliksman,. and Cindy Smythe as Research Assistants, and Gail Campbell as Secretary,
and their assistance and enthusiasm contributed greatly to the enjoyment A the
project.
Betsy, Louis and Gail have since raved on, and only Cindy, remains from
She has since been joined by Peggy Demicison as a Research Assistant,
the "old team "..
and Vonnie.Kirk as Secietary.
We are fortunate that this "new teals" is equally
enthusiastic and dedicated to their profession.
To them all we express our
heartfelt appreciation.
During the course of the research itself, R. C. Gardner was Protessor of.
Psychology, University of Western Ontario, P. C. Smythe was Research Associate,
Educalional Research Services, London Board of Education, D. M. Kirby was a
Doctoral Candidate in Psychology, University 0 Western Ontario and J. R. Bramwell
was Chief of Measurement and Evaluation Services, LondoBoard of Education.
Pref42`ation of this manuscript
was facilitated by a grant from the Language,
Administration Branch, rapartment of the Secretary of State, Ottawa to R. C.
Gardner and P. C. Smythe which provided partial salaries to them.
This support
has permitted them to continue investigating many of the hypothesis generatedin
this report, and, thiq has contributed significantly to the formulation of
many
of the ideas exprpfsed herein.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
.
.(
Introduction
'Chapter I
Principles of Design and Analysis Rilevant to the
Chapter
Present,Investigations
'Attitudes, Motivation,, and Achievement: .The Initial. stay
Chapter III
Aptitude, Attitudei, Motivation and Achievement:
Chapter IV,
.
"The Validation Study
\
Chapter V
The Dropout Problem
r.
Stereotypes and Second-Language Learning
Chapter VI
Toward a Theory: :The Studies in Perspective
Chapter VII.
References
I
.3
Appendices
Materials Used in the Initial Study
Additional Materials Used in'the Validation Study
Correlation Matrices for the Initial:Study
C -
Correlation Natriceq for the Validation Study
,D
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'CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
The existence of two recognized language groups in Canada, coupled with
a common desire for national unity, place,: a large responsibility on educational
In many countries throughout
institutions to promoep'second language achievement.
the world, seced. language training forms some part of thA educational curticulum,
A
'Ibut possibly only in Canada can it 13e said that biXingualissi is, or at least
N
..
should be, an educational goat truly relevant to the.needs of the country.
The
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t
need for bilingualism has been stressed at the Federal government level in'both
thein programs for se6qp4 language training, and 'thepremium placed on bilingual
There are indications that similar developments
skills of government employees.
,
Probably .the
ate taking place in the-private sec
r (c.f., Maltais, 1973).
......
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greatest challenge to national bilingualism resides in generally unilingual areas,
bilingual milieu
Students in such areas lack the
primarily the English ones.
0.
faced with the
which can,serve,to reinforce second-language skills, and,ire
the U.S.A., English
"realization" that, because of the overwhelming influence of
'
1
has a'dominant position in the North American cqntext.
The increased interest in second languagelearnifte, demonstrated by
,
.
Canadian governmental and educational officials, is 'aralleled by an active response
A small sample of some of
on the part of a large number of Canadian researchers.
.
the more ambitious of these prdmising projects includes: the St: Lambert Project
r
4
(e.g., Lambert and Tuaker, 1972), the Bilingual Education Project of the Ontario
Eddcation (e.g., Swain, :974),
the Ottawa-Carlton French
Institute for Studies in
Pioject (e.g., Halpern and Kirby,.1973)
, and the Ottawa .Roman Catholic Separate
Edwards andCasserlyt 1971, 1972, 1973).
School French Evaluation Project (e.g.,
These research programs have significant 3=plications not only because of their
The same we
theQyeteical relevance but also for their great practical potential.
1
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believe is true for the research program to be described in the follOwing chapters,
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=ad seriously and critically by
and we hope that the material presented 1411 be
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both teachers and researchers alike.iTt goes without saying that for true progress
.
this.area. the teacher and researcher must join forcesand approach the problem
in
a
.as a teem.
.
w
.
,
a
A General Overview of the Present Research
1
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%
his report summarizes thelresults
of a two-year research project designed
1
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,
.
both to investigate factors.which promote second language acquisition" and.also to
i
i
.
.
.
monitor changes_in
hese factors associated with increased training and proficiency
i
.44 particularly important aspect of this research involved.
,in the second language.
the careful construction of measuring instruments to permit the present investi-
At one level,the research repOrted here may
gations to be iigorovsly
conducted.
be viewed as an evalnation of in existing second language program, specifically
.
the French program beginning in Grade 7 which was initiated in the London Public
However, the research project also examined students in
School system in 1966.
London's secondary school-greach program Which has a considerably longer hiitory.
1.The aim of this evaluation was not to uncover specific successes or failures in
e
I
success ky examining
overa ll degree of
these programs, but rather to determine their
aspectsoftthe French Language competence of the'students, as well as their under-
.
Ina more general sense,
standing and appreciation of French culture in Canada.
and perhaps more significantly, the research represents an attempt tO_develop an
unJerstanding of factors which promote French language competence in a largely
EngaSh-speaking cultural milieu: We entertain the hopeful expectation that a
knowledge of such factors will encourage the development of techniques which will
promote an even greater level of French competence in all such milieus.
The aims of the Frtach program for grades 7 to II were enunciated by4 the
Ontario Ministry of Education and dcoopted by London 1966 (Curriculum Guide I -
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Those for grade 7 Are reproduced below becausethey reflect
15A (7)).
the general orientation,for the entire,program and are highly appliaable
Any evaluation of student performancemustbe
to the present research.
made in the light of the objectives of the educational:program in mtlih
Furthermore, these aims would appear to be
the students participate.
.applicable to French language programs not only in Ontario but through-
out much of the rest of Canada..
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AIMS OF THE FRENCH PROGRAM
GENERAL AIMS
,
1.- Attitude Development
In Canada, where a large proportion of the population is French-
al
speaking, and whefe the intermingling of the French and English-
ispeaking peoples will increase with time, it is important that
ze,for Phe'purpose
each should have knowledge of the other's 1-
of communication'and better understanding.
,.
A major aim of a French program, ttteiefore, should be to foster
goodwill toward, and underdtanding of, fellow Canadians who
speak French.
The effort required to communicate in French will help the student
b)
to appreciate the difficulties of children learning English as a '
second language.
It
The teaching of.the respective language skills when the child is
c)
psychologically and physiologically receptive should result in
rewarding experiences in the 1pnguage learning process and thereby
?romote favourable attitudes toward second language learning at
higher levels.
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Linghistic Objectives
2.,
".
It should be the aim ;f a French program to develop compee-encefin hearing
(auditory discrimination), understanding, speaking, reading and writing French
within the limits of the course, for the purpose of direct communication with
native speakers.
Cultural Obj?ctives
.
he pupii's aware-
-It should.be the aim of a French program to increase
k and express
nesik of the way other people live, and of the way they th
thAlatpAlvesthrough the medium of their language.
.SPECIFIC'AINS
to, develop the pupil's ability to understand spoken French at a normal rate
a)
.
of speed within the limfts of the course a study.
.
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to'enable the pupil to expriss himself flninily with an acceptable accent
b)
and intonation within the limits of the structures and vocabulary contained
.
in the course of study.
to e's'tablish, through hearing, .understanding and speaking French, a'solid
c)
..basis of language patterns upon which the pupil may, construct and expand
both formally, through further study at the secondary level, and informally,
through private study or contact with French-speaking people.
to effect the transition from oral skills to those of reading and writing,
d)
so that there be maximum transfer of the oral speech habits to the written
forms and,mioimum interferenc'e of the written with the oral:
The preceding list
f curricular aims and objectives served as a starting
point for the present research.project and gave it an initial point of focus.
Next it was necessary to attempt to determine what student characteristics might
either facilitate or hinder the attainment of these goals.'
Fortunately there
exists a formidable body of previous
to which
Pesearckaud teachers.' experience
,..,
'It must be emphasized in passing that we specifically chose to ignore such
important potential sources of variation in the successes or faipres of second
language programs as teaching methods, curricular Amphasis, and ieacher experience
In doing so we did not mean to rfmply that.these are not valid
or competentcy.
and significant issues, rather it wa:. simply necessary Co limit the scope of our
project.to a mangeable size Moreover,a substantfal koject.(see Halpern and
Kirby, 2.973) is currently addressing itself specifically to these matters.