外籍助教對英語學習之影響：以台灣學童為例

Abstract

本研究旨在探討外籍助教對台灣學童的英語學習之影響，主要是為了研究：台灣學童在學年初及學年末的英語學習態度、外籍助教(ETA)在學年初及學年末對於學生的英語學習態度的看法、本國英文老師(LET)在學年初及學年末對於學生的英語學習態度的看法和外籍助教如何影響學生在教室內的學習動機。 參與本研究的受試者來自台灣六個地區：台北、宜蘭、台東、高雄、台中和金門。此研究參與的受試者包含4056位學生(10-13歲學生)、149位老師(56外籍助教和93本國英文老師)。受試者必須填寫一份態度與動機問卷來測量學生的英語學習態度。針對學生及老師所填寫的問卷進行交叉分析，可得知學生在學年初及學年末的英語學習態度的概況。最後，透過訪問和課室觀察來提供學生動機與態度更多的資訊，並且深入了解學習情境、教師的角色、特定的文化主題，以及對於學生動機與態度具影響力的教學策略。 本研究分析結果如下：第一，學生有正面的英語學習態度，且能看出學生的英語學習態度在學年末相較於學年初有明顯的進步。第二，老師相信學生有正面的英語學習態度。老師們都相信學生的學習動機與態度皆在學年末提升，而從態度與動機問卷來看，外籍助教在學年初給的分數比本國英文老師還要低，究其原因在於不同的老師對於學生的熟悉程度、看法、文化背景、學習經驗及對於台灣的教育體系的了解程度不同。第三，從訪問和課室觀察可見外籍助教對於以下面向的影響：課堂氣氛之改變、老師們以及學生的互動、文化交流以及視野拓寬(全球化)。 最後，根據本研究結果，祈使未來研究者及英文老師以此為基礎，更進一步探究學生的英語學習態度在外籍助教指導之下的具體變化，並深入探析外籍助教如何影響學生學習態度、動機之改變。

This study aimed to investigate the impact of English Teaching Assistants (ETA) on young Taiwanese learners’ English learning in Taiwan. Research questions were designed to examine: young Taiwanese learners’ perception of their motivation in the beginning and at the end of the school year, the English Teaching Assistants’ (ETAs’) perception of their learners’ motivation in the beginning and at the end of the school year, the Local English Teachers’ (LETs’) perception of their learners’ motivation in the beginning and at the end of the school year, and how the ETAs influence their learners’ motivation towards English learning in class. The participants were learners and teachers (ETAs and LETs) from six areas: Taipei, Yilan, Taitung, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Kinmen. 4056 young Taiwanese learners (ranging from 10-13 years old), 149 teachers (56 ETAs and 93 LETs) participated in this study. An attitude and motivation questionnaire was employed to assess the learners’ attitude and motivation towards English learning with the presence of the ETAs at the beginning and end of the school year. The teachers (both ETAs and LETs) were also asked to complete an attitude and motivation questionnaire based on their perception of their learners’ attitude and motivation towards English learning. Cross tabulation was utilized to analyze the learners’ and teachers’ questionnaires, examining the general idea of all the learners’ attitude and motivation, and the teachers’ perception of their learners’ attitude and motivation. Finally, interviews and classroom observations were conducted to explore a more in-depth understanding of learners’ attitude and motivation towards English learning, and the impact of ETAs on learners throughout the school year. The results can be summarized as follows. First, the cross tabulation showed that the learners’ attitude and motivation, in general, were positive, and that there was an increase in their attitude and motivation from the pretest to the posttest. Second, from the cross tabulation, the teachers (both ETAs and LETs), in general, perceived their learners’ to have a positive attitude and high motivation towards English learning with the presence of ETAs. Even though there was also an increased number of teachers’ (both ETAs’ and LETs’) who perceived their learners to have a positive attitude and high motivation in the posttest, the ETAs had given lower scores in the questionnaires at the beginning of the year compared to the LETs. This difference in perception between the ETAs and LETs may be explained by the teachers’ familiarity with learners, teachers’ different views, teachers’ different cultural contexts and educational experiences, and their knowledge of Taiwan’s educational system. Third, the interviews and classroom observations showed the impact of ETAs on the learners in the following areas: change of classroom atmosphere, interaction between teachers and learners, cultural exchanges, and broadening of perspectives (globalization). At last, based on the findings of this study, pedagogical implications are offered for future researchers and English teachers, hoping to shed light on the learners’ English learning attitude and motivation with the presence and the impact of English Teaching Assistants on young EFL learners in Taiwan.