Analyzing the Correlation Between Attitudes Towards Classroom Language Uses and Individual Learner Variables of EFL learners

초록

The field has witnessed heated debate over the use of students’ first language (L1) in second language (L2) classrooms, which has spawned an increasing number of studies on classroom language uses. What is lacking in the literature are studies that examine L2 learners’ attitude towards classroom language choice, and learner-related variables which could be linked with this variable. This study examined the complex relationships among undergraduate EFL learners’ attitude towards classroom language choice and other significant learner-related variables such as L2 anxiety, L2 motivation, willingness to communicate in the L2, learners’ L2 use in classrooms, and L2 proficiency level. A participant questionnaire based on theoretical frameworks related to the target variables was administered to undergraduate EFL learners. Results revealed that learners’ attitude towards English-only instruction and learners’ attitude towards classroom codeswitching (to their L1) showed different patterns with other learner-related variables – with learners’ attitude towards English-only being significantly correlated with target variables which was not the case for attitude towards code-switching. Pedagogical implications on teachers’ decision-making relative to the use of the L1 and L2 in L2 teaching are discussed based on these findings.

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