The attitude of Saudi students in Brighton towards teaching English - Essay Example

Procedure Method This study used a survey to collect data needed. Brown and Rogers (2002) point out that surveys refer to procedures used to gatherand describe the features, attitudes, views, opinions and so on of students, teachers, administrators or any other people important to a study. Although it is an effective tool, it is time consuming and exhausting especially in the course of data analysis. Participants The questionnaire targeted Saudi students in the city of Brighton, United Kingdom. Due to allotment of limited time and since some students are back to the country because of the vacation, the study employed only a total sample of 19 students using the simple random sample. Instrument The study used survey questionnaires to measure the attitude of Saudi students in Brighton, United Kingdom towards teaching English as a foreign language in the elementary state schools. This tool is very common in conducting a survey since it can easily be administered and it can collect data efficiently. In this study, a Likert Scale questionnaire was used as a research instrument. In a Likert Scale questionnaire, participants are asked to express agreement or disagreement to a statement on a five-point scale. Each degree of agreement is given a numerical value ranging from one to five. Thus, a numerical value can be figured out from all responses. The questionnaire contained eight close-ended items and it was written in English. The questions tried to cover aspects that might be affected due to English teaching such as culture, identity and mother tongue. Data Analysis Method To analyze data, the rating took the form of Likert Scales wherein the rating scales were numerically coded as: 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. Neutral 4. Disagree 5. Strongly Disagree The statistical software, SPSS was used for data analysis. The data was subjected to analysis via descriptive statistics. The percentages, arithmetic means and the standard deviations of each item were computed. Table 1 Gender-wise cross-tabulation of responses to the questions measuring their attitude towards teaching English as a Foreign Language in the Saudi Elementary State Schools No. Criteria Gender Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Mean Std. deviation 1 English should be introduced into the elementary stage at Saudi elementary state schools Curriculum. Male 7 6 1 4.37 0.831 % 50.0% 42.9% 7.1% Female 3 1 1 % 60.0% 20.0% 20.0% Total 10 7% 1 1% % 52.6% 36.8% 5.3% 5.3% 2 Learning English will not have a negative outcome on Saudi elementary school students identity. Male 1 8 4 1 3.42 0.961 % 7.1% 57.1% 28.6% 7.1% Female 2 1 1 1 % 40% 20% 20% 20% Total 1 10 5 2 1 % 5.3% 52.6% 26.3% 10.5% 5.3% 3 English will not affect Saudi elementary students acquisition of their first language. Male 5 4 4 1 3.84 1.015 % 35.7% 28.6% 28.6% 7.1% Female 1 2 1 1 % 20% 40% 20% 20% Total 6 6 5 2 % 31.6% 31.6% 26.3% 10.5% 4 Learning English will not have a negative impact on Saudi elementary schools students own culture Male 2 2 6 3 1 2.95 1.026 % 14.3% 14.3% 42.9% 21.9% 7.1% Female 3 2 % 60% 40% Total 2 2 9 5 1 % 10.5% 10.5% 47.4% 26.3% 5.3% 5 Knowing the language will have its own negative implications on how they will behave in their own society Male 7 5 1 3.5 0.786 % 53.8% 38.5% 7.7% Female 1 2 1 1 % 20% 40% 20% 20% Total 1 9 6 2 % 5.6% 50.0% 33.3% 11.1% 6 Incorporating English into the elementary state schools curriculum will badly influence the students achievement in other subjects. Male 4 5 5 3.95 0.97 % 28.6% 35.7% 35.7% Female 1 2 2 % 20% 40% 40% Total 1 6 5 7 % 5.3% 31.6% 26.3% 36.8% No Criteria Gender Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Mean Std. deviation 7 Language efficiency improves when English is introduced at early stage Male 9 4 1 4.63 0.597 % 64.3% 28.6% 7.1% Female 4 1 % 80% 20% Total 13 5 1 68.4% 26.3% 5.3% 8 Once elementary schools students learn English, they will mix English words with Arabic words while speaking. Male 5 1 5 2 1 3.79 1.316 % 35.7% 7.1% 35.7% 14.3% 7.1% Female 4 1 % 80% 20% Total 9 1 6 2 1 % 47.4% 5.3% 31.6% 10.5% 5.3% Results and Analysis This section presents the results and analysis of the data gathered as well as their interpretations. A questionnaire made up of eight close-ended items was built and administered to Saudi students in Brighton, United Kingdom. The results were statistically treated to ascertain percentages, means and standard deviations and interpreted. Numerous studies showed that FLES does not have a negative effect on students’ academic achievements and their first language. Attitudinal studies that dealt with Arab students’ attitude towards learning EFL showed that Arab students are instrumentally motivated to learn English (Zughoul and Taminian, 1984; Alsayed 1988, cited in Abdan 1991). Similarly, an attitudinal study was conducted to measure Saudi secondary public schools students’ attitude towards EFL. The study revealed that the students desired to speak English for instrumental reasons and also wanted it to be included in the curriculum, (Surur, 1981). With respect to whether English should be introduced in the elementary state schools’ curriculum or not, the results indicate that an extremely high percentage of respondents support the statement. 52.6% strongly agree and 63.8% agree while one participant is neutral (5.3%) and one disagrees (5.3%). The mean score is 4.37 and the standard deviation is 0.831. Therefore, it can be said that the majority of the participants encourage introducing English as a foreign language in the elementary state schools. (See Table1) Participants also support the statement that learning English will not have a negative outcome on students’ identity. Two of the participants strongly agree (5.3%), ten agree (52.6%), whereas five participants are neutral (26.3%), two disagree (10.5%) and two strongly disagree (5.3%). The mean score of this statement reaches 3.42 at a standard deviation of 0.961. (See Table1) In relation to the debate of whether English will not affect the students acquisition of their first language or not, six participants strongly agree (31.6%) and the same number agrees while five are neutral (26.3%) and two disagree (10.5%). This emphasizes that the majority are in favor of the statement. The mean is 3.84 and the standard deviation is 1.015. (See Table1) Almost half of the participants neither agree nor disagree with the statement wherein English will not have a negative impact on students’ culture. Nine out of 19 are neutral (47.4%), two strongly agree (10.15%) and the same number agree, whilst five participants disagree (26.3%) and one strongly disagrees (5.3%). The mean for this statement is 2.95 and the standard deviation is 1.026. (See Table1) More than half of the participants think that if English is introduced in the elementary state schools, it will influence students’ behavior. Two of the participants strongly agree (5.6%), nine agree with the statement (50.0%), (33.3%) are neutral and only two disagree (11.1%). The mean is 3.5 and the standard deviation is 0.786 (See Table1) Only one participant (5.3%) agrees with the statement that incorporating English into the elementary schools’ curriculum will badly influence students achievement in other subjects, six participants are neutral (31.6%) while five (26.3%) disagree and seven (36.8%) disagree strongly. The mean score of this item is 3.95 and the standard deviation is 0.97. (See Table1) The seventh statement shows a complete consensus among all participants that language efficiency improves when English is introduced at an early stage except for one participant. Thirteen participants strongly agree (68.4%) and five agree (26.3%). However no one disagrees. The mean is 4.63 and the standard deviation is 0.597. (See Table1) Finally, nine participants (47.4%) strongly agree that elementary students will mix English with Arabic once they are exposed to English; one participant agrees (5.3%); six participants are neutral (31.6%) while two disagree (10.5%) and one strongly disagrees (5.3%). The mean is 3.79 and the standard deviation is 1.316. (See Table1) As noted above, most of the participants tend to have positive attitudes towards teaching English as a foreign language in the Saudi elementary state schools. While a majority thinks that, once English is introduced in the elementary schools, it might cause negative influence on the students’ behavior and conversational skill due to mixing of English words with Arabic. Nevertheless, the rest of the statements show that the participants have positive attitude towards EFL. Results of Per-Item Analysis In this section, the results answer the questions asked in the questionnaire. The total means and standard deviations of each question were figured out and displayed in table 2: Table 2 Descriptive statistics measuring the mean and standard deviation of the ratings given for each questionnaire item Question Gender N Mean Std. Deviation School Curriculum Male 14 4.43 .646 Female 5 4.20 1.304 negative impact on Students identity Male 14 3.64 .745 Female 5 2.80 1.304 not affect acquisition of First Language Male 14 3.93 .997 Female 5 3.60 1.140 Negative impact on students own culture Male 14 3.07 1.141 Female 5 2.60 .548 Negative impact on social behavior Male 13 3.46 .660 Female 5 3.60 1.140 Bad influence on achievement in other subjects Male 14 4.07 .829 Female 5 3.60 1.342 Impact of Introducing English at early stage Male 14 4.57 .646 Female 5 4.80 .447 Mix English words with Arabic words Male 14 3.50 1.345 Female 5 4.60 .894 Table 2 shows that the general tendency of the participant’s perceptions was towards teaching English as a foreign language in the Saudi elementary state schools. For six out of the eight items, the means scored was 3 or more. The two means which were less than 3 were scored by females and these were about the negative impact that English might have on students’ identity and the negative impact it might have on their culture. Table 2 also shows that the statement on the impact of introducing English at an early stage has the greatest means by both male and female students and the statement on the negative impact that English language might have on students’ culture scored the least means by male and female students. Equality of the Means of the Two Populations (Males and Females) An Independent samples t-test was conducted to test the equality of the means of male and female students in relation to the eight questionnaire items of the study. Table 3 Independent Samples T-Test to test the equality of the mean rating given by male and female students in relation to the eight questionnaire items Question Condition t-test for Equality of Means T Df Sig. (2-tailed) School Curriculum Equal variances assumed .517 17 .612 Equal variances not assumed .376 4.721 .723 negative impact on Students Identity Equal variances assumed 1.782 17 .093 Equal variances not assumed 1.368 4.966 .230 not affect acquisition of First Language Equal variances assumed .611 17 .549 Equal variances not assumed .571 6.339 .588 Negative impact on students own culture Equal variances assumed .876 17 .393 Equal variances not assumed 1.205 14.956 .247 Negative impact on social behavior Equal variances assumed -.326 16 .749 Equal variances not assumed -.256 5.070 .808 Bad influence on achievement in other subjects Equal variances assumed .929 17 .366 Equal variances not assumed .737 5.135 .493 Impact of Introducing English at early stage Equal variances assumed -.725 17 .478 Equal variances not assumed -.865 10.409 .407 Mix English words with Arabic words Equal variances assumed -1.685 17 .110 Equal variances not assumed -2.046 10.881 .066 Table 3 shows the significant difference in the mean score of the attitude of Saudi male and female students in Brighton, United Kingdom, towards teaching English as a foreign language in the Saudi elementary state schools. The results show that there is no statistically significant difference in the attitude of both students. The statement on the potential negative impact of English on students’ identity scored the highest t-value for equal variances assumed and equal variances not assumed corresponding to 1.782 and 1.368. The statement on the potential negative impact on students’ culture scored the highest difference for both equal variances assumed and equal variances not assumed measuring as 0.876 and 1.205 respectively. Discussion In this section, the resolution of teaching English as a foreign language in the Saudi elementary state schools or not would be made in the light of the study made. The results show that a majority of the participants are in favor of EFL in the Saudi Elementary state schools. Although some participants are concerned about the undesired effects the English language might have on the culture, behavior and first language oral communication of the students, they recommend introducing the language into the elementary state schools’ curriculum. The current study also shows that both male and female students share the same attitude. When the mean scores of both males and females were compared, no statistically significant difference was found. This is an indication of the consensus in attitude between male and female students. This consensus, from a personal point of view, is due to the similarity in the educational level between male and female students. Both of them are university students, either undergraduates or postgraduates. While the study shows positive attitude of the students towards EFL in the Saudi elementary state schools, it expresses two concerns. These are about the potential negative implications English might have on the students’ behavior and their oral communication of the first language since they might mix English words with Arabic while speaking. Although these two concerns need significant attention, they should not be an obstruction to introduce English. If the stakeholders insure that the content of the textbook would adhere to the local culture, we can expect the negative effects to be significantly minimized. The second concern, from a personal viewpoint, can be considered as normal as children tend to practice what they have learned. However, this issue is worth considering. . Read More