2.4. Attitude and Language Learning
2.4.4. The importance of language attitude
There are many reasons why students‟ attitude toward language learning is important. Generally, Garrett (2010) suggests that knowing learners‟ attitudes to a language is valuable in language education and language-related policymaking. It seems obvious that learners‟ attitudes should determine how language learners are educated. After all, “language variation carries social meanings and so can bring very different attitudinal reactions, or even social disadvantage or advantage”
(Garrett, 2010, p. 2). Malallaha (2000) states that students have positive or negative
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attitudes towards the language they want to learn or the people who speak it. Having positive attitude towards tests is also claimed to be one of the reasons which make students perform better on the tests. Additionally, Gardner (1985) believes that attitude and other affective variables are as important as aptitude for language achievement.
Focusing on the importance of conducting attitudinal research in the field of language learning, Baker (1992, p. 9) states that, “in the life of a language, attitudes to that language appear to be important in language restoration, preservation, decay or death.” If a learner does not have the interest and tendency in acquiring the target language to communicate with others, this learner will possess a negative attitude and will not be motivated and enthusiastic in language learning. Therefore, learners‟
attitudes incorporate in language learning because it may influence their performance in acquiring the target language.
According to Padwick (2010), besides the intellectual perspective, the nature of language learning has psychological and social aspects and depends primarily on the learners‟ motivation and attitude to learn the target language. They also advocate that attitude concept could enhance the process of language learning, influencing the nature of student‟s behaviors and beliefs towards the other language, its culture and community, and this will identify their tendency to acquire that language.
According to Brown (2000, p.181), “second language learners benefit from positive attitudes and that negative attitudes may lead to decreased motivation and, in all likelihood, because of decreased input and interaction, to unsuccessful attainment of proficiency.” Malallaha (2000) studies the attitudes of Arab learners towards English language and discovers that they have positive attitudes towards the English language and their proficiency in tests was positively related to their attitude towards English. Tella, Indoshi, and Othuon (2010) conclude that negative attitude toward English is the most affective and psychological factor that results in the students‟ poor performance in English.
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Many studies conducted to explore the nature of students‟ attitudes towards learning foreign language in general and EFL in particular, compared with the studies concerning the attitudes of ESL learners revealed a correlation between positive attitudes and successful language learning. Widdows & Voller (1991) explored Japanese college students' motives, needs, and attitudes toward studying English. The findings showed that students were the most interested in developing speaking and listening skills but that many college English classes neglected to teach to these needs.
Regarding the gender variable, Fakeye (2010) investigated the correlation between attitude and achievement in English among 400 senior secondary students selected randomly from five secondary schools. A significant relationship between attitude and achievement was the result found in that study. Additionally, it was explored that students‟ attitude is not gender-related. If a learner is not interested in acquiring the target language, he possesses a negative attitude and is not motivated and enthusiastic in language learning.
Al Samadani & Ibnian (2015) conducted a study with 112 English major students from Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia to discover their attitudes as well as study factors affecting towards learning English. It also investigated the relationship between their attitudes and grade points average . The findings of the study revealed that the learners have overall positive attitude towards English and that students with high grade points average have the highest positive attitude towards English, followed by the medium and low grade points average students.
Chan, Jung, Masaki and Park (2007) assert that students are subsequently introduced to TBL. Such students initially tend to have negative attitudes toward TBL. When using and experiencing tasks, they may overcome their original judgments and react more favorably towards TBL practices. They also claim that attitudes affect various aspects of TBL. Students commonly have positive attitudes towards TBL when they become familiar with how it works in the classroom. In addition, if teachers find it hard to be required to switch to new teaching
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approaches, they are inclined to have unenthusiastic responses toward TBL, particularly if they do not receive sufficient assistance. Therefore, teachers provided with TBL training and in-service help will positive attitudes towards TBL.
In the light of the research studies above in this paper, it was clear that attitude and perception play significant roles in helping learners to learn effectively.
Learners‟ motivation, the types of task, cultural background and previous experiences contribute to the way learners behave toward and perceive learning strategies and their ability in maintaining higher levels of learning. Therefore, it can be concluded that having positive or negative attitudes towards a certain language and the way learners perceive that language can have considerable influence upon their performance on the language itself.
In this chapter, background information on speaking skills as well as factors affecting learners‟ speaking skills, TBLT, TBL, its goals, tasks and features of tasks and components of designing task-based lessons were discussed. Attitude and language attitude together with its importance in learning languages were also mentioned. Speaking is a very important skill for communication. TBL stands out as effective in fostering students speaking as it is a learner-centered approach of teaching and it offers students opportunities to communicate and interact in the target language. Therefore, TBL can change students‟ attitudes toward leaning speaking skills positively.
The next chapter gives information on the participants, instruments, data collection, and data analysis procedures.
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