Understanding EAP Learners' Beliefs about Language Learning from a Socio-cultural Perspective

A Longitudinal Study at an EMI Context in Mainland China
1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-981-16-0141-5
Verlag: Springer Nature Singapore

Buch, Englisch, 152 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 277 g

This book focuses on the dynamic nature of EAP (English for academic purposes) learners’ beliefs about language learning in their shift from an EFL (English as a foreign language) environment to an EMI (English as the medium of instruction) setting in mainland China. It adopts a mixed method paradigm, whose quantitative part aims to capture the general dynamic feature of the selected student population, while its qualitative part attempts to unveil the process of change in beliefs about language learning among the sample. It is hypothesized that the change in their beliefs about language learning is the result of the interplay between the learners’ agency and the mediation of the contextual realities at the institutional and social levels.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Li, Chili

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Fremdsprachenerwerb und -didaktik
• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Soziolinguistik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Overview 1.2 Statement of the Problem1.3 Contextual Background of the Study 1.3.1 College English Language Education in Mainland China 1.3.1.1 College English Curriculum 1.3.1.2 College English Test 1.3.1.3 College English Teachers and their Teaching Methods 1.3.1.4 Teaching Textbooks and Materials 1.3.2 Characteristics of Chinese Students in the English Classroom 1.3.3 English Language Education at the Selected EMI University 1.4 Research Questions 1.5 Significance of the Study 1.6 Delimitation of Beliefs about Language Learning (BLL)1.7 Organization of the Book Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Research on Beliefs about Language Learning in SLA 2.2.1 Research on Chinese EFL Learners’ BLL 2.2.1.1 Chinese EFL Learners’ Beliefs about Vocabulary and Grammar Learning2.2.1.2 Chinese EFL Learners’ Beliefs about Environment for Language Learning 2.2.1.3 Chinese EFL Learners’ Beliefs about the Difficulty of Language Learning 2.2.1.4 Chinese EFL Learners’ Beliefs about Autonomy in Language Learning 2.2.1.5 Dynamicity of BLL of Chinese EFL Learners2.2.1.6 Effects of Learning Contexts on Chinese EFL Learners’ BLL 2.2.2 Criticisms of BLL Research 2.3 Socio-cultural Theory in SLA Study2.3.1 Socio-cultural Perspectives in SLA Study 2.3.2 Mediation2.3.3 Socio-cultural Studies of beliefs about language learning 2.3.4 Problematising Socio-cultural Research in SLA 2.3.5 Towards a Dialectical Relationship between Agency and Context 2.3.5.1 Understanding Agency 2.3.5.2 Understanding Structure 2.3.5.3 Understanding Dialectical Relationship between Agency and Context 2.3.6 Establishing a Socio-cultural Framework for the Current Study 2.4 Summary Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Research Methodology 3.2.1 Methodological Philosophy of the Study 3.2.2 Quantitative Research 3.2.3 Qualitative Research3.2.4 Mixed-Method Research 3.3 Instrumentation 3.3.1 Questionnaires 3.3.1.1 Questionnaires Used in Research on BLL3.3.1.2 Construct of the Questionnaire for the Study 3.3.1.3 Piloting of the Questionnaire3.3.1.4 Final Version of the Questionnaire3.3.2 Instrument for the Interviews 3.3.2.1 Interview Protocols 3.3.2.2 Piloting of the Interview 3.4 Research Setting 3.4.1 Student Population and Teaching Faculty3.4.2 English Language Education Curriculum3.4.3 Formative Assessment3.4.4 Classroom Teaching 3.4.5 Tutorial System 3.4.6 Extra-curricular Activities 3.5 Data Collection Procedures 3.5.1 Research Questions 3.5.2 Research Stages 3.5.3 Participants for the Questionnaire Surveys 3.5.4 Participants for the Interviews 3.5.5 Quantitative Data Collection 3.5.6 Qualitative Data Collection3.6 Data Analysis Procedures 3.6.1 Quantitative Data Analysis3.6.1.1 Descriptive and Interferential Statistical Analyses 3.6.1.2 Reliability of the Questionnaire3.6.2 Qualitative Data Analysis 3.6.2.1 Transcription of the Interview Data 3.6.2.2 Coding of the Interview Data 3.6.2.3 Intra-coder Reliability 3.7 Trustworthiness in the Study 3.8 Summary Chapter 4 Results Regarding Beliefs about Language Learning 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Beliefs about Language Learning upon Arrival 4.2.1 Nature of Language Learning 4.2.2 Difficulty of Language Learning 4.2.3 Autonomy in Language Learning 4.3 Beliefs about Language Learning after an Academic Year4.3.1 Nature of Language Learning 4.3.2 Difficulty of Language Learning 4.3.3 Autonomy in Language Learning4.4 Changes in Beliefs after an Academic Year 4.4.1 Changes in Beliefs in Quantitative Data4.4.2 Changes in Beliefs Indicated in Qualitative Data4.4.3 Discussion of the Changes in BLL 4.4.3.1 Nature of Language Learning4.4.3.2 Difficulty of Language Learning4.4.3.3 Autonomy in language learning4.5 Discussion of the Key Findings Regarding BLL 4.5.1 Key Findings about BLL upon Arrival 4.5.2 Key Findings of BLL after an Academic Year 4.6 Summary Chapter 5 Socio-cultural Interpretation of the Results 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Understanding the Changes from a Socio-cultural Perspective5.2.1 Mediation of the Socio-cultural Factors upon Arrival 5.2.1.1 Mediation of Learning Discourse 5.2.1.2 Mediation of Cultural Artefacts 5.2.1.3 Mediation of Parents and other Family Members 5.2.1.4 Mediation of Teachers 5.2.2 Mediation of the Socio-cultural Factors after an Academic Year 5.2.2.1 Mediation of Learning Discourse at the EMI University 5.2.2.2 Mediation of the Study of Content Subjects in English 5.2.2.3 Mediation of Learning Tasks 5.2.2.4 Mediation of Cultural Artefacts 5.2.2.5 Mediation of Extracurricular Activities 5.2.2.6 Mediation of Teachers 5.2.2.7 Mediation of Peers 5.3 Incorporating the Findings into the Socio-cultural Framework5.3.1 Understanding the Participants upon their Arrival 5.3.1.1 Agency upon the Participants’ Arrival 5.3.1.2 Contextual Realities upon the Participants’ Arrival 5.3.1.3 A Critical Socio-cultural Understanding of the Participants’ BLL upon Arrival 5.3.2 Understanding the Participants after an Academic Year 5.3.2.1 Enhanced Agency at the EMI University 5.3.2.2 Contextual Realities at the EMI University 5.3.2.3 A Critical Socio-cultural Understanding of the Participants’ BLL after Arrival 5.4 Summary Chapter 6 Conclusions and Recommendations 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Contributions of the Study6.3 Pedagogical Implications of the Study6.3.1 Learner Training 6.3.2 EAP Curriculum Development 6.3.3 Formative Assessment 6.3.4 Extracurricular Activities 6.3.5 Continuing Language Support 6.4 Limitations of the Study 6.5 Recommendations for Further Research .6.6 Summary 


 

Über Autor(innen)

Chili Li is Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at the School of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Technology, China. He obtained his doctorate in Applied Linguistics from School of English, the University of Liverpool, UK. His research interests include Applied Linguistics and EAP teaching in the Chinese EFL context. His publications appear in both Chinese and international academic journals like System (SSCI), Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics (ESCI), Asian EFL Journal, Foreign Language Education & Research, Foreign Language and Literature Research.