Relationships between non-linguistic variables in second language acquisition and the attained English language proficiency of Taiwanese university students.

摘要

Second language acquisition (SLA) research, the study of how people learn to communicate in a language other than their native language, encompasses a broad range of questions from a wide variety of perspectives. One of the most widely recognized facts about SLA was that some individuals are more successful in learning a second language than are others (Gass & Selinker, 2001).; The main purpose of this research was to observe and research how much influence affective variables exert on student performance in second language acquisition.; There are two main objectives of this research: (1) to determine the relationship between the non-linguistic affective variables, (i.e., age, aptitude, and motivation), and the acquisition of a second language? (2) To determine how these affective variables could be better utilized to facilitate the acquisition of a second language by educational authorities and students in Taiwan?; The variables measured in this study were four independent non-linguistic variables: age, aptitude, motivation/attitude, and personality, and one dependent variable, the TOEFL test. These variables were measured by means of questionnaires and tests taken by selected foreign language students from a southern Taiwan university. Using the information gained from the statistical evaluation of these variables, the outcomes can be used by researchers and teachers to develop curricula that fully utilize the advantages of the effects of the researched non-linguistic variables in order to help students achieve better results in learning second languages.; The research used a convenience sample of more than 200 students in the foreign language study program at a university in southern Taiwan. The design of the research was based on quantitative, non-experimental inquiry into an identified problem, based on testing a theory, measured with numbers, and analyzed with statistical techniques. Methods for achieving the goals of the study had to do with the sampled students completing background questionnaires and taking a series of tests.; The results obtained from this research study indicated that motivation, aptitude and some aspects of personalities did have statistically significant effects on the outcome of a successful learning experience in second language acquisition. More importantly, age was an important factor in helping learners achieves better performances in second language acquisition. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)