info:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesis
Students’ attitude towards EFL acquisition in the learning climate of Amarilis Fuentes Alcivar Public High School.
Autor
Higuera Salvatierra, Celeste Josefina
Resumen
EFL learning is a challenge for students in public high schools in Ecuador.
One of the most negative aspects teachers face is learners’ attitudes towards
English Foreign Language learning. This study was conducted (1) to
characterize the students’ attitude towards EFL learning, (2) to describe the
learning environment of the EFL classroom, (3) to determine how the
students’ attitude is influenced by this learning environment at Amarilis Fuentes
Alcívar high school in Guayaquil. This thesis analyses the result of a survey on
118 undergraduate EFL students, a survey to 9 English teachers; and a class
observation. The survey to students focused on the learners’ attitude towards
English learning and causes that might influence on it. The survey to teachers
focused on EFL classes with students of different levels of competence to
collect demographic information ; and finally, the class observation focused on
corroborating information to understand the aspects that affect English
learning. For data collection, a 19 item questionnaire was administered to
students, a 7 questions survey was administrated to teachers and a class
observation with 9 aspects of learning. Result of the quantitative analysis
shows that students at the beginning of the course have had very high
expectation towards English language learning. However, the data also
revealed that they have had negative feelings regarding classroom instructions
and motivation in their learning experience. It also showed that students feel
unsatisfied with the curriculum and the teaching methodology teachers have
applied. Several suggestions have been made regarding to motivation,
curriculum, and teaching material.