Attribution and learning English as a foreign language
Matthew Peacock
Abstract:
Learner attributions, perceived causes of success and failure, have received little attention in EFL research. Attributions are categorized as either internal (for example effort) or external (for example luck) and may affect how students learn about and impose order on their world. We investigated the attributions of 505 university students in Hong Kong and the connections between attribution and proficiency, gender, and academic discipline. Student interviews identified 26 common attributions, which were listed in a questionnaire: students were asked to what they attributed EFL success or failure. Follow-up interviews investigated the origins of attributions. Also, 40 EFL teachers were asked to what they attributed student success and failure. Many statistically significant differences were found between attribution and EFL proficiency, gender, and academic discipline and between student and teacher opinions. We conclude that attribution affects proficiency, effort, and persistence. Finally, suggestions are made for learner training and teacher action in the EFL classroom.
From the article:
"Dörnyei (2001a: 57, 134) suggests that attribution affects proficiency. He also theorizes that failure attributed to uncontrollable factors hinders achievement and that this important area has further scope for research."
"Graham (1994: 33) says research is needed here and we agree because this may help teachers better understand EFL students and learning and intervene to avoid undesirable attributions."
"We also propose that teacher attributions are important because they may affect teacher behaviour. Tollefson and Chen (1988: 264) theorize that when teachers attribute student failure to a low level of effort, they might withhold help from students, reinforcing student beliefs and behaviour."
"Students’ and teachers’ five most common attributions for success, in ranked order:
Students
1 My teacher was a good teacher.
2 Outside class, I looked up words I did not know in a dictionary/studied vocabulary.
3 I paid attention in class.
4 I read a lot (English newspapers/books) outside class.
5 I watched English television/listened to English songs outside class.
Teachers
1 They loved/were interested in English.
2 They revised a lot for tests/studied hard in class.
3 They paid attention in class.
4 They read a lot (English newspapers/books) outside class.
5 Their teacher praised/encouraged them.
Most of these attributions are internal to subject, unstable (i.e. open to change), and controllable (i.e. under subjects’ control). Two items are common to both students and teachers: (3) and (4)."
"Second, we found 15 statistically significant differences between teacher and student opinions about student attribution. Teachers strongly attributed student success to effort, while students did not. These efforts were outside class: reading a lot, focusing on English, watching television and listening to songs, and revising hard for tests; and inside: paying attention, competing hard with classmates, themselves, and previous results, and working hard in class. Teachers strongly attributed failure to anxiety plus a lack of confidence, while students did not. Teachers attributed both success and failure to student love/enjoyment of/interest in English, while students did not. Finally, students were significantly more likely to attribute both success and failure to luck than were teachers. Most of these attributions are internal, unstable, and controllable."
Teachers should be aware that:
References
Dörnyei Z. Teaching and Researching Motivation. Harlow, UK: Longman; 2001a.
Dörnyei Z. Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press; 2001b.
Dörnyei Z. Schmidt R, editors. Motivation and Second Language Acquisition.Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press; 2001.
Graham. Tollefson N, Chen JS. ‘Consequences of teachers’ attributions for student failure’.Teaching and Teacher Education 1988;4/3:259-65
© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved.
Matthew Peacock
Abstract:
Learner attributions, perceived causes of success and failure, have received little attention in EFL research. Attributions are categorized as either internal (for example effort) or external (for example luck) and may affect how students learn about and impose order on their world. We investigated the attributions of 505 university students in Hong Kong and the connections between attribution and proficiency, gender, and academic discipline. Student interviews identified 26 common attributions, which were listed in a questionnaire: students were asked to what they attributed EFL success or failure. Follow-up interviews investigated the origins of attributions. Also, 40 EFL teachers were asked to what they attributed student success and failure. Many statistically significant differences were found between attribution and EFL proficiency, gender, and academic discipline and between student and teacher opinions. We conclude that attribution affects proficiency, effort, and persistence. Finally, suggestions are made for learner training and teacher action in the EFL classroom.
From the article:
"Dörnyei (2001a: 57, 134) suggests that attribution affects proficiency. He also theorizes that failure attributed to uncontrollable factors hinders achievement and that this important area has further scope for research."
"Graham (1994: 33) says research is needed here and we agree because this may help teachers better understand EFL students and learning and intervene to avoid undesirable attributions."
"We also propose that teacher attributions are important because they may affect teacher behaviour. Tollefson and Chen (1988: 264) theorize that when teachers attribute student failure to a low level of effort, they might withhold help from students, reinforcing student beliefs and behaviour."
"Students’ and teachers’ five most common attributions for success, in ranked order:
Students
1 My teacher was a good teacher.
2 Outside class, I looked up words I did not know in a dictionary/studied vocabulary.
3 I paid attention in class.
4 I read a lot (English newspapers/books) outside class.
5 I watched English television/listened to English songs outside class.
Teachers
1 They loved/were interested in English.
2 They revised a lot for tests/studied hard in class.
3 They paid attention in class.
4 They read a lot (English newspapers/books) outside class.
5 Their teacher praised/encouraged them.
Most of these attributions are internal to subject, unstable (i.e. open to change), and controllable (i.e. under subjects’ control). Two items are common to both students and teachers: (3) and (4)."
"Second, we found 15 statistically significant differences between teacher and student opinions about student attribution. Teachers strongly attributed student success to effort, while students did not. These efforts were outside class: reading a lot, focusing on English, watching television and listening to songs, and revising hard for tests; and inside: paying attention, competing hard with classmates, themselves, and previous results, and working hard in class. Teachers strongly attributed failure to anxiety plus a lack of confidence, while students did not. Teachers attributed both success and failure to student love/enjoyment of/interest in English, while students did not. Finally, students were significantly more likely to attribute both success and failure to luck than were teachers. Most of these attributions are internal, unstable, and controllable."
Teachers should be aware that:
- 1 Student attribution is common and that it may affect effort, proficiency, and attitudes to English
2 Student attributions for success and failure might be different from their opinions - 3 Students may overestimate the effects of luck and test difficulty on their successes and failures and underestimate the effect of effort
- 4 Students’ attributions might differ by gender and by academic discipline
- 5 Their behavior conveys attributional information to students, and they should monitor the attributional messages they send. For example, are they emphasizing the role of effort in success?
- 6 Student attributions may form early and be long lasting
- 7 The origins of student attribution may be personal experiences such as failing, someone telling them something, and observations. Students might not realize that these influences can be overcome
- 8 It is necessary to ask what attributions they think their students have. Do they have helpful or unhelpful attributions? If the latter, do the students know they are unhelpful?"
References
Dörnyei Z. Teaching and Researching Motivation. Harlow, UK: Longman; 2001a.
Dörnyei Z. Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press; 2001b.
Dörnyei Z. Schmidt R, editors. Motivation and Second Language Acquisition.Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press; 2001.
Graham. Tollefson N, Chen JS. ‘Consequences of teachers’ attributions for student failure’.Teaching and Teacher Education 1988;4/3:259-65
© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved.