3. Sampling weight: The sampling weight is the number for restoring the original importance of each unit within the population segment. In each stage of sampling there is a different weight
3.4 Quantitative Results and Key Findings
3.4.2 Research Question Two: To what extent and in what ways does the PNET Scheme help to enhance the English-speaking environment of the school?
3.4.2 Research Question Two: To what extent and in what ways does the PNET
Figure 4. Stakeholder opinions on the effect of the PNET Scheme on the English-speaking environment of the school.
Table 4
Chi-square analyses of ways in which the PNET Scheme has enhanced the English-speaking environment of the school
Stakeholder
Weighted Count Percentage
Chi-square p valuea
Disagree Agree Disagree Agree
The NET’s presence contributes to the school’s English environment.
LET 19.36 379.46 4.85 95.15 0.0019
NET 2.30 64.23 3.46 96.54
SH 3.89 49.12 7.33 92.67
The NET organises co-curricular activities.
LET 44.76 351.25 11.30 88.70 0.823 0.6626
NET 5.44 56.96 8.72 91.28
SH 7.59 46.42 14.05 85.95
The NET’s presence contributes to the school’s English co-curricular activities.
LET 29.10 362.83 7.42 92.58 2.77 0.2498
NET 8.77 56.88 13.36 86.64
SH 5.26 46.43 10.18 89.82
The NET’s presence contributes to the use of English by other English teachers in the school.
LET 30.13 365.99 7.61 92.39 3.65 0.1617
NET 2.85 62.79 4.34 95.66
SH 7.35 46.65 13.62 86.38
The NET’s presence contributes to the use of English in the school by subject teachers.
LET 31.13 357.47 8.01 91.99 13.44 0.0012
NET 14.28 49.52 22.38 77.62
SH 7.72 41.42 15.70 84.30
Note. If 20% of cells have expected counts less than 5, then the Fisher’s exact test is used and no Chi-square is reported.
aIf Chi-square is missing, then the p value is yielded from the Fisher’s exact test. P values <0.05 are shown in bold.
SF5. More students in KS1 view the English environment in schools positively than their KS2 counterparts.
In responding to some of the statements related to the English environment, KS1 students tended to agree more strongly than students in KS2. KS1 students, for example, expressed stronger agreement to the statement that “The classroom displays help me learn English.” In responding to the statement that “My friends encourage me to use English,” a slight majority of KS1 students (65%) agreed, compared to only 45% of KS2 students. It is important to point
necessary to treat the data with some caution, as they are concerned with respondents’
perceptions of the environment, rather than objective facts. Nevertheless, the different KS1 and KS2 responses to statements may cast more light on differences between students at the two levels. As indicated in the previous section, responses to statements about NET-LET collaboration suggest that the motivational level of KS1 students is higher than that of students in KS2. The data related to the English environment also suggest that peer pressure may be becoming more influential at KS2, something that may be worth investigating further. Figure 5 and Table 5 illustrate student opinions on these environmental variables.
Figure 5. Student opinions on environmental variables affecting English learning (by key stage).
aThe p value is yielded from the Fisher’s exact test. P values <0.05 are shown in bold.
SF6. More students in KS1 view the English environment outside of schools positively than their KS2 counterparts.
As shown in Figure 6 and Table 6, similar patterns to those discussed in items related to English learning can be observed in the responses of KS1 and KS2 students to this group of items.
When the statement was phrased in a negative fashion, there was no significant difference in agreement between the two groups. However, when the statements were positively written, a wide gap between the two groups was observed, except in the statement “I take extra English classes outside of school.” Again, this could be explained by the common tendency for people to dislike agreeing with something negative; however, some of these discrepancies merit further attention. For example, in response to the statements “I speak English with my friends outside of class” and “I read English books at home”, surprisingly more KS1 students agreed than KS2. One may suppose that as learners gain more proficiency at the upper level, they should be more confident and more willing to use their language skill outside of class and/or at home. However, the observed results suggest the opposite.
Table 5
Chi-square analysis of student opinions on the effect of the PNET Scheme on the English environment Stakeholder
Weighted Count Percentage
p valuea
Disagree Agree Disagree Agree
The classroom displays help me learn English.
Key Stage 1 802.27 3869.44 17.17 82.83 <.0001
Key Stage 2 1637.12 2605.57 38.59 61.41
My teachers encourage me to use English.
Key Stage 1 567.74 3934.88 12.61 87.39 0.6771
Key Stage 2 551.25 3716.05 12.92 87.08
My family encourages me to use English.
Key Stage 1 860.56 3614.13 19.23 80.77 <.0001
Key Stage 2 989.60 3202.30 23.61 76.39
English is not useful for me.
Key Stage 1 3652.94 856.87 81.00 19.00 <.0001
Key Stage 2 3810.93 491.53 88.58 11.42
My friends encourage me to use English.
Key Stage 1 1485.46 2782.89 34.80 65.20 <.0001
Key Stage 2 2168.46 1842.35 54.07 45.93
Knowing how to speak English is useful.
Key Stage 1 393.53 4155.78 8.65 91.35 <.0167
Key Stage 2 446.38 3959.65 10.13 89.87
Figure 6. Student opinions on English learning outside of class (by key stage).
Table 6
Chi-square analysis of student opinions on the effect of the PNET Scheme on use of English outside of school
Stakeholder
Weighted Count Percentage p valuea
Disagree Agree Disagree Agree
I do NOT have enough opportunities to talk to the NET outside of English lessons.
Key Stage 1 2593.69 1999.42 56.47 43.53 <.0001
Key Stage 2 2693.93 1551.53 63.45 36.55
I wish to have more opportunities to talk to the NET outside of English lessons.
Key Stage 1 664.01 3935.18 14.44 85.56 <.0001
Key Stage 2 934.50 3325.29 21.94 78.06
I do NOT talk to the NET outside of English lessons.
Key Stage 1 2728.40 1769.60 60.66 39.34 0.0430
Key Stage 2 2672.30 1582.96 62.80 37.20
I enjoy English activities outside of English lessons (e.g., recess activities, co-curricular activities, etc.)
Key Stage 1 603.57 3962.64 13.22 86.78 <.0001
Key Stage 2 1106.42 3130.65 26.11 73.89
I speak English at home.
Key Stage 1 1437.28 3136.90 31.42 68.58 <.0001
Key Stage 2 1881.75 2529.52 42.66 57.34
I read English books at home.
Key Stage 1 761.33 3885.51 16.38 83.62 <.0001
Key Stage 2 1239.66 3218.82 27.80 72.20
I speak English with my friends outside of class.
Key Stage 1 1876.86 2682.42 41.17 58.83 <.0001
Key Stage 2 2135.26 2229.82 48.92 51.08
I take extra English classes outside of school.
Key Stage 1 1803.65 2711.10 39.95 60.05 0.0671
Key Stage 2 1841.57 2559.67 41.84 58.16
aThe p value is yielded from the Fisher’s exact test. P values <0.05 are shown in bold.
3.4.3 Research Question Three: To what extent and in what ways does the PNET