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CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
This study was conducted to examine New Immigrant Children’s (NIC) English learning conditions in elementary school. A learning attitude scale was employed to explore NIC’s English learning attitudes. A semi-structured students’ group interview was applied to find out NIC’s English learning conditions and their own perspectives about their English learning. An English teachers’ interview was conducted to
discover English teachers’ perspectives about NIC’s English learning conditions. This chapter first presents the major findings of the study in order to answer the research questions proposed in Chapter One. Discussions about these findings are also presented in this section. In the second section, the implications of the findings are discussed. In the last section, the limitations of the study are presented, and
recommendations for further studies are provided as well.
Major Findings and Discussions
In this section, the results of the study are analyzed to answer the following research questions:
1. How well do NIC achieve in the English subject? Are they generally
high-achievers or low-achievers? Are there any differences between NIC’s English achievement and TC’s English achievement?
2. What are NIC’s attitudes toward learning English? Do NIC generally have a positive attitude or a negative attitude toward English learning at school? Are
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there any differences between NIC’s English learning attitudes and TC’s English learning attitudes?
3. Is there a correlation between NIC’s English achievement and learning attitudes?
4. From the perspectives of NIC, what kind of challenges these NIC face while they are learning English at school?
5. From the perspectives of English teachers, what are these NIC’s English learning conditions in class? What challenges do these NIC have to face to learn English?
Are there any feasible ways to help these NIC?
For each research question, the findings are presented first, and discussions of these findings will follow.
NIC’s English Achievement
By comparing NIC’s English scores and TC’s English scores, the conclusion that NIC are mostly low-achievers in the English subject is drawn. NIC generally score lower than TC and their scores are more dispersive than those of TC’s. t-test
comparison also confirms that NIC’s English scores are significantly lower than TC’s scores.
The finding that most NIC are English low-achievers is probably due to several reasons:
First, these NIC mostly come from low socio-economic-status families, with their parents having to work hard to make ends meet. Their parents perhaps do not have time or resources to help their children with their schoolwork, thus causing their children to fall behind on all school subjects, including English.
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Second, the responsibilities to cultivate these NIC mostly fall on their foreign mothers, who may not have a good command of Mandarin, the language most school subjects are taught with. They may have troubles helping their children with their schoolwork, including English.
Third, most of the NIC in this study already fall behind on other school subjects, which causes them to lack confidence and motivations in their learning as a whole, including learning English.
Fourth, because most NIC come from low socio-economic-status families, their parents cannot afford for them to go to English cram-schools after school to help them improve their English. Consequently, unless the student has a good grasp on how to study English at school and at home and work very hard during English classes, he/she may have difficulties in learning English.
NIC’s Attitudes toward Learning English
Based on the analysis of the English Learning Attitude Scale, NIC in general have a positive attitude toward learning English at school, which is a finding in accordance with Yang’s research (Yang, 2009). This indicates that although NIC do not perform well on the English subject, they do not give up on themselves. Their positive attitude shows that they are mostly very optimistic about their English learning. Their positive attitude also shows that they are mostly happy and optimistic students. Their poor performances on school subjects, including English, do not have a profound impact on their self-esteem and their optimistic demeanors. Perhaps because their families do not demand too much on their school performances, these NIC do not care too much
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about their academic performances. They experience low pressure toward their school learning and develop favorable attitude toward learning English.
NIC’s English Learning Attitude vs. TC’s English Learning Attitude According to the t-test comparison of these two groups of participants’ English learning attitudes, no significant difference is found. This signifies that although most NIC are low-achievers in English compared to their TC counterparts, their English learning attitudes are probably even better than their TC counterparts. They do not get frustrated too much because of their poor performances and do not just develop negative attitudes toward learning English. Compared to their TC peers, these NIC mostly do not have other English learning experiences besides the experiences school English course provides. TC get tired of learning English in school probably because a lot of learning materials have been repeated in English cram-schools. NIC still maintain a sense of freshness toward learning English, thus accounts for their more positive attitude toward learning English.
Correlation between NIC’s English Achievements and Learning Attitudes Pearson Product-moment Correlation analysis shows that there is no correlation between NIC’s English learning achievements and their learning attitudes. This denotes that while most NIC are low-achievers on the English subject and perform poorly in English tests, their English learning attitudes are not influenced by their poor performances. According to Jones (1949), the correlation of attitudes toward learning a language with achievement in that language increased with age. In the
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present study, perhaps because the NIC are young learners and just begin to learn English, the correlation between their English achievement and learning is not so obvious. Maybe when they grow in age and have more years learning English, the correlation between their English achievement and learning will become more obvious.
NIC’s Perspectives about Their English Learning Condition This section covers NIC’s own perception toward learning the English subject, NIC’s English learning environment at home, and challenges NIC face in learning English at the school setting.
NIC’s Perception toward Learning English
According to the interview data, most NIC understand that learning English is important. They also know the reasons they should learn English well. They
nonetheless admit that they did not work hard enough to learn English. They believe that learning other school subjects takes most of their time, and learning English just seems secondary compared to learning other subjects. One plausible reason that students consider English secondary is the fact that English is not included in the formal mid-term and final exams. English teachers evaluate students’ English performances through various ways during the whole semester, not just through paper-and pencil exams. Students do not understand that they are evaluated during the whole semester, not just by their paper-and pencil exam results. They probably think that formal paper-and pencil exams are more important than the other kinds of
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evaluation. Since English is not included in the formal mid-term and final exams, English is not important. If English is included in school formal paper-and pencils exams, perhaps students will spend more time and make more efforts to study English.
NIC’s English Learning Environment at Home
Most of these NIC’s fathers or mothers have discussed with them the importance of learning English well. However, because the parents have to work hard to support the family, few of them have time to help these NIC with their schoolwork. Only few of these NIC study English at home. The five NIC who do study English at home all have some family member, most of all their mothers, to assist them in reviewing English,
Most of these NIC’s parents encourage them to read some English extra reading materials other than textbooks. Two of these NIC also watch English programs on television to learn English.
In general, these NIC’s families, although mostly poor, are very supportive of their English learning. They may not have enough time or resources to help their children with their learning. Nonetheless, they try to instill in their children the importance of learning English well. They do not demand that their children have to perform very well on the English subject, just as they do not demand their children to perform very well on other school subjects as well. Perhaps because these parents’
open and tolerant demeanors toward their children’s school performances, these NIC do not get too frustrated and discouraged even though they are mostly low-achievers
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in most school subjects. The parents’ openness and tolerance help NIC maintain a positive outlook on their school learning, which is a good phenomenon.
Challenges NIC Face in Learning English at School
Based on the interview results, NIC face several challenges in learning English at school:
First, different English teachers’ different teaching styles have a profound impact on NIC’s English learning. If an English teacher is too stern, too serious, lacks a sense of humor, and demands too much of their students, his/her students will develop a negative English learning attitude. On the other hand, if an English teacher is full of humorous ideas, lets students play a lot of games, gives his/her students
encouragements, his/her students will develop a positive attitude toward learning English. These students, however, will possibly get easily distracted with too many activities in a session. It is therefore very important for English teachers to strike a balance between being too austere and being too pleasant. English teachers should also set a reasonable criterion and not demand too much of his/her students.
Second, if an English teacher prefers to apply ‘No Chinese’ policy in his/her English classes, he/she should not talk too fast. Most of these NIC are already
low-achievers in other school subjects. Learning English as a foreign language puts a lot more pressure on them than learning other subjects taught in Mandarin. It is hence important for English teachers to talk slowly and clearly if ‘No Chinese’ policy must be applied. Personally, the researcher thinks that a little bit of Mandarin to get the ideas across is also imperative to help these NIC and other low-achievers understand
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what is taught and lower their learning pressure.
Third, because of their poor performances on the English subject, some NIC feel anxious and nervous during English classes. This finding is consistent with Yang’s research (Yang, 2009). NIC are afraid they will be mocked by their classmates if they speak English incorrectly, which causes them to be passive to take parts in English practice activities. It is, therefore, very important for English teachers to give verbal encouragements to these NIC to help them lessen their anxiety. It is also rather
important for English teachers to discourage students from laughing at other students’
mistakes. English teachers should try to establish a friendly atmosphere in English classes and encourage their students to help each other, especially to help those fell-behind students.
Fourth, perhaps owing to their lack of English learning experience before school formal English course which starts in third grade, some of these NIC do not get the knack to memorize English words or phrases. Some of them just give up on
memorizing those words or phrases. English teachers should probably take extra time to teach these NIC some ways to memorize words and phrases, give them more encouragement to build their confidence, and be more patient with them.
Fifth, some NIC need help doing English homework. Textbook English homework may be too difficult for some of them to finish by themselves. English teachers can probably help them by appointing some students whose English performances are good and are eager to help other students to assist these NIC with their homework.
Sixth, coming from low socio-economic-status families, most of these NIC
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cannot afford going to English cram-schools after school to help them improve their English. Some of them admit they would like to go to English cram-schools if they can afford it. English teachers and school administrations should probably work together to provide these NIC some pragmatic English remedial instructions.
English Teachers’ Perspectives about NIC’s English Learning Condition This section presents English teachers’ perception about NIC’s English learning attitudes, their learning achievement in the English subject, challenges they usually face and feasible ways to help them improve their English.
NIC’s English Learning Attitudes
According to teachers’ interview, NIC’s English learning attitudes are not as positive as TC’s in most English classes. Although they are mostly rule-abiding, they are very passive in English classes. They do not like to actively take parts in
classroom activities. They often show shyness, reticence, rule-abiding, passivity and lack of confidence during English classes. The English teachers deduce that this common manifestation is probably due to their not having a very good command of Mandarin, which causes them to lose confidence in learning all school subjects, including English. Consequently, they develop passive attitudes toward learning as a whole, including learning English.
NIC’s Learning Achievement in English
Both English teachers observe that most NIC do not achieve well on the English
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subject. These NIC mostly fail to meet the goals set out in the English Curriculum Guidelines. The English teachers agree that without proper and timely assistance from the teachers or from the schools, these NIC’s English will probably get worse.
English Learning Challenges NIC Face
Based on the responses from the two English teachers interviewed in this study, NIC face several challenges in learning English:
First, most NIC do not understand why they should learn English, which is a foreign language to them. This causes them to lose motivations in learning English.
English teachers should try to infuse these NIC with the significance of learning English well and boost their English learning motivations in any possible ways.
Second, because most NIC are low-achievers in other school subjects, they develop passive and negative attitudes with learning as a whole, including learning English. Both English teachers believe that learning attitude has a profound impact on learning outcome. Brown (2007) also contends that language learners benefit from positive attitude. It is, therefore, important to help these NIC develop a more positive attitude toward learning English. Teachers should try to give these students more praises and encouragements. With more praises and encouragements, perhaps these NIC will develop a more positive attitude toward learning English.
Third, most NIC come from low socio-economic status families. The
responsibility to help them with their schoolwork mostly fall on their foreign mothers, who may not have a good command of Mandarin, the language most school subjects are taught with. These foreign mothers’ grasp on Mandarin may have a direct impact
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on their children’s Mandarin ability, thus influencing their learning all school subjects.
According to Bain et al. (2010), students who had performed poorly on native language learning displayed negative attitudes toward foreign language learning, learning Mandarin hence becomes NIC’s foremost challenge in learning English.
Schools should try to provide some programs to help these foreign mothers learn standard Mandarin, thus ensuring that these NIC can improve their Mandarin as well.
Fourth, two sessions a week, forty minutes per session is definitely not enough for NIC to learn English, a foreign language, well. These NIC mostly cannot afford to go to English cram-schools to learn English. Most of them can only depend on the schools to provide them with English courses. In most schools’ weekly schedule, only two sessions are allotted to English teaching. It is, therefore, necessary for schools to provide NIC with long-term English remedial instructions in order to extend their English learning time.
Feasible Ways to Help NIC Improve Their English
English teachers should give verbal praises and encouragements to these NIC in order to help them build their self-confidence and develop positive attitudes toward learning English. They should not demand too much of these NIC so as to lower their English learning pressure. English teachers can also train some enthusiastic English high-achievers to assist and share their good English learning experiences with these low-achievers. English teachers and schools administrations should also cooperate to provide English remedial instructions in order to help them improve their English.
Schools should offer NIC’s foreign mothers some Mandarin classes to help them
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improve their Mandarin ability. With their improved Mandarin ability, they can better help their children with their schoolwork. Schools should also provide these foreign mothers with some fundamental English classes, thus enable them to be able to help their children with their English learning. Some child-cultivation programs provided by the schools can also help these foreign mothers get a better grasp on how to nurture their children. Schools can also help to train some voluntary good-will Taiwanese mothers to help these minority NIC review their English. It is also advisable for schools to encourage Taiwanese mothers and New Immigrant mothers to share their child-rearing experiences. This would certainly be beneficial to both parties by establishing a communicative channel between Taiwanese mothers and New Immigrant mothers, thus giving new immigrant mothers some supports in child-rearing.
Schools should also try to establish an English-friendly environment to provide students with opportunities to immerse themselves in English. An English-theme classroom full of interesting English stuff may help students to be more eager to learn English actively. Daily or periodical broadcast of English short clips or English songs can also help students improve their listening ability and pique students’ interest in learning English.
Implications of the Findings
Based on the research, several findings are drawn. In this section, some implications of these findings are presented.
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NIC’s Perspectives vs. English Teachers’ Perspectives
In accordance with the research data, NIC’s perspectives about their English learning are quite different from English teachers’ perspectives. While NIC believe that they have a positive attitude toward English learning despite their poor
achievement compared to TC, English teachers nonetheless observe that NIC are mostly very passive and negative English learners compared to TC. This is actually quite an interesting phenomenon. Notwithstanding their poor performances in the English subject, NIC are mostly very optimistic and carefree children. They do not give up on themselves in spite of their poor English learning outcome. As long as they do not give up on themselves, there is hope for them to learn English better someday.
achievement compared to TC, English teachers nonetheless observe that NIC are mostly very passive and negative English learners compared to TC. This is actually quite an interesting phenomenon. Notwithstanding their poor performances in the English subject, NIC are mostly very optimistic and carefree children. They do not give up on themselves in spite of their poor English learning outcome. As long as they do not give up on themselves, there is hope for them to learn English better someday.