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FACULTAD DE IDIOMAS
LICENCIATURA EN LENGUA INGLESA
“SECONDARY STUDENTS’ RESPONSES TO LEARNING
ENGLISH”
REPORTE DE INVESTIGACIÓN DE CAMPO
PARA OBTENER EL GRADO DE
LICENCIADO EN LENGUA INGLESA
PRESENTAN
FRANCISCO DAVID ALBERTO GARCIA GUZMAN
VICTOR MANUEL GARFIAS ALTAMIRANO
ASESORES:
DR. BARBARA SCHOLES GILLINGS
DR. CECILIO LUIS DE JESUS LOPEZ MARTINEZ
Xalapa, Ver Agosto 2012
Abstract
Everybody has the need to communicate with others. Learning English as a foreign
language allows us to communicate and exchange ideas with people who speak
English from around the world. The purpose of the present study is to identify
students’ perceptions concerning the learning of English as a foreign language at
Secondary School. In addition, the study aims to find out how relevant learning
English is for secondary students. Eighteen Secondary students participated in
answering an open questions interview based on our research questions. The
interviewees were selected from the three levels and the collected data was analyzed
to interpret the results. As a result, the data revealed that students are interested in
learning English and they are aware of the importance for their education. Based on
the findings, some recommendations are provided. Finally, we hope that the results of
the current study may be useful for those who want to learn English in the Mexican
context.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. ii
Chapter 1 ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Teaching English at Secondary School in Mexico ............................................................ 1
1.2 Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Research Questions .......................................................................................................... 4
Chapter 2 ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Defining Learners’ Perceptions or Beliefs ......................................................................... 5
2.2 General Research Context ................................................................................................ 9
2.2.1 Compulsory Learning .................................................................................................. 9
2.3 Specific Context ............................................................................................................... 11
Chapter 3 ................................................................................................................................... 13
Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 13
3.1 Instruments ...................................................................................................................... 13
3.2 Informants ........................................................................................................................ 14
3.3 Procedures ....................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 4 ................................................................................................................................... 17
Findings and Discussion ........................................................................................................... 17
4.1. Importance and Relevance of Learning English at Secondary School Level ............... 17
4.1.1English as a requirement for better job opportunities................................................ 18
4.1.2 English as an opportunity to travel abroad ............................................................... 19
4.1.3 English as a requirement for future education ......................................................... 20
4.1.4 English as a real desire to learn ............................................................................... 20
4.2 Previous Experiences with the Language ....................................................................... 22
4.2.1 Students with previous experiences with the language in a formal setting ............. 23
4.2.2 Students with previous experiences with the language in an informal setting ........ 25
4.2.3 First experience entering secondary school ............................................................. 26
4.3 Perception of Learning at Secondary School Classroom ............................................... 27
4.3.1 Reinforcement of knowledge and development of skills .......................................... 27
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4.3.2 Variety of methods and techniques applied ............................................................. 28
4.3.3 Inadequate teaching methods .................................................................................. 29
4.3.4 Higher level of the language ..................................................................................... 30
4.4 Progress with the learning process ................................................................................. 31
4.4.1 Real effort to learn .................................................................................................... 31
4.4.2 Teacher providing substantial lessons ..................................................................... 31
4.5 Motivating or undemanding lessons ................................................................................ 33
4.5.1 Variety of methods and techniques applied ............................................................. 33
4.5.2 Inadequate teaching methods .................................................................................. 34
4.6 Expectation from English Lessons .................................................................................. 35
4.6.1 Reinforcement of knowledge and development of skills .......................................... 35
4.6.2 Being able to communicate ...................................................................................... 35
4.7 Continuous Learning........................................................................................................ 36
4.7.1 Continue developing communicative skills ............................................................... 36
4.7.2 Travelling abroad ...................................................................................................... 37
Conclusion and Recommendations ......................................................................................... 38
References ................................................................................................................................ 41
Appendixes ................................................................................................................................ 43
1
SECONDARY STUDENTS´ RESPONSES TO LEARNING ENGLISH
Chapter 1
Introduction
Nowadays, more people than ever before are now learning English owing to the
fact that we are living in an increasingly interconnected and globalized world. In
particular, English has dominated the context of foreign language learning and
teaching over the years in Mexico. As a result, learning to communicate in English
is important in order to interact with others in an economic, political and socio-
cultural field. The North American Free Trade Agreement is a good example of
this.
The learning of a second language usually starts at an early stage and it continues
up to university levels. Therefore, some governments, such as the Mexican
government, have included the learning of a second language at secondary level
as a compulsory subject since 1982 (see Acuerdo 66, SEP). As a result, millions of
people have been involved in this activity for almost 30 years.
1.1 Teaching English at Secondary School in Mexico
As English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is regarded as an essential part of
education in Mexico, it is now a compulsory subject. However, in spite of studying
English for a long period of time in schools, the perceived outcome is not
satisfactory and students are not able to communicate in English in a real context
(Ghassemi & Shahsavari, 2011). What is more, little effort seems to have been
made to deal with problems associated with this language learning process.
Furthermore, anecdotal evidence and testimony suggest that learning compulsorily
may lead to unsatisfactory results. For example, in our own institution, which has
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introduced EFL as a compulsory subject in the first two semesters of the curricula
of all undergraduate programs, students seem not to be interested in learning as
they cannot perceive the relevance of learning a second language. In the same
way, this perception explains the fact why secondary students seem not to have
the expected performance. In fact, it appears to be accepted that students often fail
English at secondary school and there is a general belief that there is a number of
interrelated factors playing important roles in students’ success in learning English
such as text books, teachers, learning environment, and of course the learners
themselves. Learners’ beliefs and attitudes towards the learning of English as a
foreign language are among the factors which may influence their success.
What is more, in recent decades, research interest in second or foreign language
learning has shifted from teacher-directed instruction to student-centered learning.
Consequently, numerous studies have been conducted from the learners’
perspective, and these perspectives have come to inform the field of language
teaching pedagogy. Among these perspectives, are learners’ beliefs about
language learning, which are a result of a number of factors that shape one’s
thinking and belief formation (Bernat, 2006).
According to Harmer (1991, in Aydin, 2008), some of the reasons to learn English
as a foreign language are school curricula, need of advancement in professional
life, living in a target community permanently or temporarily, interest in different
cultures, and some other specific purposes. He assures that at the end of the
learning process, learners are usually expected to become proficient in several
areas of the target language, such as pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary,
discourse, and language skills. On the other hand, it is obvious that the learning of
English as a foreign language is closely and directly related to the awareness
about certain individual differences, such as the beliefs, attitudes, aptitudes,
motivations, as well as the affective states of learners. As mentioned by Breen
(2001, in Harati, 2011), in the classroom context, all the features that students
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bring with them to the learning situation have been recognized as a significant
contributory factor in the learning process and possible ultimate success.
Therefore, we consider it important to examine the different factors affecting the
students’ learning processes, and discover the students’ perceptions and beliefs
concerning language learning at secondary school. This research sought;
therefore, to explore students’ perceptions regarding the learning of English at
secondary level in order to understand whether or not they are interested in
learning a second language.
This inquiry was carried out by conducting an exploratory qualitative case study so
that the findings resulting from this investigation may be translated into
recommendations and suggestions to the educational authorities. By exploring
students’ perceptions, we hoped to be able to discover if they had difficulties in
learning English as a foreign language.
1.2 Objectives
The absence of published studies focusing on students’ perceptions regarding their
EFL compulsory learning in secondary schools in Mexico is astonishing. The lack
of research results is striking for several reasons. For instance, the millions of
students taking EFL compulsory lessons in secondary schools, as stipulated by law
in most countries where English is not the official language, such as Mexico, will
inevitably involve several issues that may hinder EFL learning because of its
nature of being imposed. Therefore, this research is an attempt to pave the way for
future studies in order to bridge this existing gap in the Mexican context and in
general in the area of TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
Languages) since little change has occurred in the educational system in Mexico
over the years.
The objectives of this current study are, therefore, to identify students’ perceptions
concerning the learning of English as a second language, in order to discover how
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they perceive the learning of English at Secondary school. Then, to find out how
relevant learning English is for secondary students, for instance, if they consider
English as an effective tool or an appropriate language for communicating. Next, to
explore if a lack of interest is present in secondary students while learning English
at secondary school, in order to identify whether or not they are interested in
learning this foreign language and what are some of the reasons for this behavior.
1.3 Research Questions
How do secondary students perceive the learning of a foreign language?
SUB-QUESTIONS:
What is the relationship between students' perceptions and their learning process?
Do students show interest when learning EFL in secondary schools?
What do students expect from their English classes?
Do students consider it relevant to learn English? If so, why?
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Chapter 2
Conceptual Framework
In this chapter, the different concepts used throughout this work are discussed. A
review of the literature regarding the topic of learning a language at a secondary
level is also presented.
2.1 Defining Learners’ Perceptions or Beliefs
As mentioned in the introduction of this paper, this investigation sought to
recognize students’ perceptions regarding their EFL compulsory learning in
secondary schools in the Mexican context. In order to do so, it was necessary to
review relevant literature in the different interrelated areas of knowledge that throw
light on the phenomenon under study such as students’ perceptions or beliefs on
EFL instruction and compulsory learning. This set of concepts was used to define,
describe and suggest possible explanations that accounted for the different issues
interconnected in students’ perceptions concerning the compulsory learning of
English as a foreign language.
Learner beliefs, according to Richardson (1996, cited in Peacock, 1999:177), are
“understandings, premises, or propositions that students have about their world
and are felt to be true”. In the same way, Kuntz (1999) and Yuen (Yuen et al, 2002:
12) suggest that the term “beliefs” in this context can be simply defined as “any
preconceived notions, ideas, views and opinions about language learning that
learners have”. Basurto (2010) mentions that while there are different
understandings of learner beliefs, research studies do not really give a clear
definition of learner beliefs about language learning and, they generally seek to
identify learners’ preconceived notions about what is involved in learning a foreign
language in order to predict expectation conflicts that may contribute to students’
frustration, anxiety, lack of motivation, and in some cases ending language
instruction.
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Learners’ beliefs were speculated to be closely related to motivation (Graham,
2006 in Shen, 2012). Motivation involves self-estimates or beliefs of how good one
is at a given activity, which means that learners who endorse positive beliefs about
learning and communication in a communicative classroom tend to be more active
and motivated. All this suggests that a student who feels able and competent will
work on a task and persevere, even if it is difficult, but if he feels that they are
unable or lacking ability will be more likely to avoid the task. This association
suggests that students’ perceptions of their own ability may affect the level of
investment or effort they put into a task.
However, some authors have opted to use the terms perception and belief as
equals. Jeeves (2010), for example, assures that they both concern relevance,
which can be in the present, or with hindsight. It is here where relevance is
considered as a result of the perception process. He believes that by establishing
relevance as a factor in English-learning motivation may lead to high levels of
proficiency.
Young and Ruth (2009) provide a good of example in which students’ perceptions
may condition students’ development and proficiency. They argue that what
students consider as valued teaching and learning are those experiences with
Native English Teachers (NETs) who might be seen as experts by their students
influencing students’ beliefs (Horwitz, 1988), thus resulting in the belief that Local
English Teachers (LETs) are less capable of providing real-life teaching
experiences than those who have had a long-standing privileged “inside” position
in a community of practice (Young & Ruth, 2009).
Relevance is then concerned with contextualization as we try to make sense of the
world around us, using context to aid comprehension: “the search for relevance is
a basic feature of human cognition” (Sperber & Wilson, 2005, p. 608, in Jeeves,
2010, p. 2). Moreover, as suggested by Tella et al (2011) in the English teaching
and learning context, it is advisable to adopt appropriate measures to help students
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improve their perception of the secondary school curriculum as this will translate
into improved academic achievement in the subject.
In 1988, Horwitz suggested that people involved in language teaching and learning
appear to hold strong beliefs about how languages are learned. What is more,
definite viewpoints on the best techniques for learning a language, the “right” age
to begin language study, and the nature of the language learning process are the
subject of many academic articles, and advertisements. Many people apparently
believe, for example, that second language fluency can be obtained with relatively
little effort.
Moreover, in the course of a review of the time necessary to learn a foreign
language, Horwitz (1988) reports numerous instances of advertisements promising
second language fluency in as little as three months of spare-time study. Although,
at first glance, faith in these claims can be dismissed as naïve, such expectations
surely influence students when they enter conventional language classrooms and
their own progress lags behind their preconceived timetables. Language students
have probably been exposed to many common and sometimes contradictory
notions about language learning that, she assures, will clash with the atmosphere
within the conventional languages classrooms.
In a study of fifty Anglophone Canadian students of French, Champagne (1980, in
Horwitz, 1988) found that they shared with their instructors a belief in the
hopelessness of achieving phonetic accuracy in French. Not surprisingly, the
students failed to develop native-like accents. This finding seems to be consistent
with a commonly encountered belief among students that are somehow
psychologically unable to speak a second language without an accent.
One can envision many instances where pre-conceived notions about language
learning would likely influence a learner's effectiveness in the classroom. A student
who believes, for example, that learning a second language primarily involves
learning new vocabulary will spend most of his/her energy on vocabulary
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acquisition; while adults who believe in the superiority of younger learners probably
begin language learning with fairly negative expectations of their possible ultimate
success. Furthermore, an unsuccessful learning experience could easily lead a
student to the conclusion that special abilities are required to learn a foreign
language and that s/he does not possess these necessary abilities. As a result, all
these premises may jeopardize the learning process by creating a feeling of lack
regarding the necessary abilities to succeed in learning another language.
A similar claim is made by Barcelos (2000), who argues that learners have positive
contributions to make to the language classroom. Understanding their
contributions, she assures, is essential for effective teaching and learning because
they are likely to influence the students’ learning process. It is argued that what
learners believe about language learning will influence what they do to learn
languages. It is also suggested that teachers exert strong influence on the
development of learners’ beliefs about language and language learning (Rubin,
1987, in Barcelos, 2000). For instance, when teachers exert a position of authority
in the classroom, they might be seen as experts by their students, and thus, may
influence students’ beliefs (Horwitz, 1988). Horwitz (1988) also suggests that a gap
between teacher and learner beliefs can lead to reduced learner confidence in, and
satisfaction with, the class and to unwillingness to participate in “communicative”
activities. Therefore, it is believed that effective teaching and learning develop from
the similarity between teachers’ and students’ beliefs. It is generally agreed that
individual language learners hold different beliefs about how language is learned.
Nevertheless, according to Barcelos (2000), students bring their own
interpretations to the process and these may not coincide with the teachers’, thus
resulting in a conflict or mismatch.
Bernat and Gvozdenko (2005) provide a clear example of this kind of divergence.
Second or foreign language students may hold strong beliefs about the nature of
the language under study, its difficulty, the process of its acquisition, the success of
certain learning strategies, the existence of aptitude, their own expectations about
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achievement and teaching methodologies. Then, identification of these beliefs and
reflection on their potential impact on language learning and teaching in general,
as well as in more specific areas such as the learners' expectations and strategies
used, can inform future syllabus design and teacher practice in the course (Frugé,
2007, in Mohebi & Khodadady, 2011).
Students hold strong beliefs and attitudes about learning a second language.
These features are the result of previous experiences with the English language,
promising advertisements, or simply shaped by their own cultural backgrounds.
Now, it has been taken into account that these features are a vital part of the
language learning process. That is why there has been a shift in focus in the field
of second language acquisition from teaching methods to learner characteristics.
However, although students’ beliefs about language learning would seem to have
obvious relevance to the understanding of student expectations of, commitment to,
success in, and satisfaction with their language classes, they have remained
relatively unexplored. As Cotteral (1999, in Mohebi & Khodadady, 2011) assures,
teachers who have access to their learners’ beliefs may choose to reinforce or to
challenge certain beliefs. In either case, they will be better equipped to engage in
meaningful dialogue about learning with their students.
2.2 General Research Context
2.2.1 Compulsory Learning
Compulsory attendance laws are statutes put into force by state governments that
require parents to have their children go to a public or state accredited, private or
parochial school for a designated period. Compulsory education is taken for
granted in modern societies. The principle of placing children in school for a
specified period of time has been adopted by several governments. The exact form
of compulsory education varies across countries, but despite differences in most
other areas there is a unanimous acceptance of this policy as an essential basic
public service (Eckstein & Zilcha, 1994).
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In these days, the issue of placing English as a compulsory subject at secondary
level has gained increasing importance in modern societies, especially among
international syllabuses. This is because non-native English speaking countries
want to learn the English language due to increased globalization and competition.
Since English as a language is being widely used in business communication
today, it is now also being used in everyday situations, and all this means it is now
becoming more necessary to learn it.
This is especially the case in Mexico, a socio-economically, culturally and
linguistically diverse nation. The diversity is the result of its past and its ongoing
changing situation. Mexico achieved its independence early in the 19th century
after three centuries of Spanish dominance. One of the results of this Spanish rule
is the status of the official language that Spanish has had for many years
throughout the country to the present time. However, many other regional
indigenous languages are still spoken.
Mexico is a federal republic which comprises 31 states and one Federal District.
Mexico is located in the North part of the American Continent together with two
English speaking countries, The United States of America and Canada. In 1994
Mexico signed a Free Trade Agreement with these two countries (NAFTA). Their
obvious coexistence is the main aspect that has weighed on the rapid widespread
perceived necessity of the learning and teaching of English. It is broadly believed
that Mexicans who have a high proficiency of the English language will have
access to better education and job opportunities.
The Mexican government included the learning of a second language at secondary
level as a compulsory subject in 1982, as they considered the syllabus required
some adjustments to make it suitable for the real world needs in regard to the
teaching of a foreign language, and millions of people have been involved in this
activity for almost 30 years (see "Acuerdo 66", SEP).
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Some Mexican states in which EFL has been included in the national curriculum
are: Quintana Roo, where tourism is the base of the local economy and English is
considered a vital tool for communication and business; and Michoacan, where the
government considers it necessary to expand its linguistic horizons in order to
encourage its popularity as a touristic centre. As a result, the objectives of teaching
English at secondary school in both states are to provide tools and communicative
skills to students (Polanco, 2007). Therefore, learning English at secondary school
may raise students’ awareness concerning the importance of having a level of
English in their education as this will bring benefits to students, as well as to the
local economy.
2.3 Specific Context
Secondary school instruction is considered as the basis for the learning of English
because at this level it is introduced to all pupils in Mexico. Therefore, the future
instruction of the language may be influenced or even jeopardized by the
perceptions and performance of the subject matter at this stage in the students'
learning processes. According to Aramayo (2006), secondary is the last level of
basic education, which should offer high quality education to students in order to
enhance skills and prepare students to satisfy their needs. Moreover, she claims
that some of the purposes for the implementation of English as a foreign language
at secondary schools are to facilitate communication between speakers of other
languages, to give the appropriate tools to face the challenges of today’s world and
to know other cultures.
In order to collect data using interviews in this current investigation, a secondary
school located in the heart of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico was chosen. It has a
certain popularity and prestige in the surroundings due to its workshops and other
qualities. For example, students from this secondary school have been involved in
national and international competitions with satisfactory results. Moreover, it has a
specific English classroom which contains a computer, an overhead projector and
appropriate materials for students studying language.
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Most of the people living around the school are low-middle class to upper- middle
class. The school is big, with lots of trees and gardens, classrooms are spacious
and most of them have computers with an overhead projector. Some teachers take
advantage of the equipment to facilitate the students’ learning process. Due to
these reasons and the fact this secondary school is considered by surrounding
people an exceptional school we decided to choose it for our qualitative research.
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Chapter 3
Methodology
Qualitative data consist of words and observations, not numbers. As with all data,
analysis and interpretation are required to bring order and understanding. Taking
this into account, we adopted a qualitative inquiry as it is based on data collection
methods without numerical intervention and it is flexible (Ortiz, 2005). This means
that the inquiry allowed discovering information about people´s beliefs, attitudes,
opinions, values or knowledge in a communicative process (Ruiz, 2006). In short,
we decided to examine students’ perceptions in order to identify how students
perceive the learning of English in secondary schools in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
3.1 Instruments
As mentioned in the introduction, this current research aims to discover secondary
students’ responses to learning English as a foreign language (EFL). When
designing the instruments to collect data it is very important to focus on the
features that best fit the problem under investigation. We decided then, to collect
data by means of interviews. According to Ruiz (2006), a non-structured interview
is flexible, which means it is open for the interviewees to express in a free way their
opinions and thoughts, so the information is not limited, but the analysis is deeper.
As well as Davies (2007) and Kvale’s (1996) articles suggest, qualitative interview
(or a semi-structured interview) is appropriate in order to collect data.
This was the main reason why we decided to apply a semi-structured interview as
the main instrument in order to collect the necessary data to have a better
understanding of the problem itself. The interview comprised of nine open
questions in which the students had the opportunity to describe their beliefs,
feelings, levels of satisfaction in class, previous experiences with the English
language and how relevant they thought it is for their education. These series of
questions were answered orally and audio-recorded in order to collect the data that
would be further analyzed for the present investigation. As a result, this data
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helped us discover the beliefs and opinions of the students concerning English and
provided us with the general ideas to answer our research questions.
In order to have a better understanding of the data analysis process and due to
confidentiality issues, researchers coded participants according to the English level
they are attending and the sequence in which the interviews took place. For
example, the third interviewed participant from the second level of English will be
represented as "L2P3", where "L" means Level and "P" Participant number.
3.2 Informants
Students from the three levels of English in the school syllabus are the informants.
We considered interviewing at least six students from each level to compare their
perceptions and generate a general answer in order to analyze how secondary
students perceive English in their education.
3.3 Procedures
After we decided how to elaborate our interviews, we went to the Secondary
School to start our research. To begin with, we needed to gain access to the
school. This was achieved by writing a document to be signed by our authorities
asking for permission from the secondary school authorities to interview the
students within their context (see Appendix 2). The school principal accepted and
signed the paper, providing us with the opportunity to access the facilities.
Then, we met the person in charge of the scholar administration and she provided
us with the schedules of the two English teachers. Moreover, she later introduced
us to one of the English teachers who allowed us to enter his classroom. We
selected some of his students and the teacher supported us by creating an
atmosphere of confidence in his students. He also gave us the opportunity to
interview his students one by one.
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However, during this period we found certain problems in the school
administration, such as norms, prohibitions or disadvantages which did not allow
us to do what we expected. To begin with, the doorman did not allow us to access
the campus until the principal arrived. When the principal arrived, he did not
mention how we should have proceeded, but only signed the document. As a
result, we assumed we could interview in a relaxed and isolated area away from
the noise, so that students would feel more confident and comfortable and the
audio recording process would be carried out properly. Nevertheless, when the
interviews took place, a person who was responsible for the order and security
inside school told us we could not stay in that area with the students because of
security issues. She did not know the reason why we were there and asked us to
leave the school. Consequently, we lost time sorting out this misunderstanding, but
we eventually managed to continue the interviews outside the English classroom.
At the beginning of the interviews, the participants were informed of the purpose of
the instruments. According to Davies (2007), the interviewer must present himself
and project a dependable personality. The first participants to be interviewed were
students from the second level and appeared to be nervous, but the researchers
managed to establish rapport with them while receiving relevant data. The
interviewers made this rapport possible taking into account the age and gender of
the participants, and then speaking with them like friends that share common
interests. In addition, the interviewers smiled when they first saw the participants,
establishing and maintaining eye contact and finally offering them a sincere
greeting.
The interviews involved a dynamic process as we established a good rapport. The
interviewees answered what we asked in a precise and concise way and the
interviewers moved quickly. What is more, this kind of instrument saves time and is
more efficient than questionnaires (Ortiz, 2005) thanks to its communicative nature
between participants and researchers. Participants answered in a brief and concise
way providing the necessary information while interviewers collected it by audio
16
recording the process for their future analysis. Finally, the teacher in charge of the
group and the participants were equally thanked.
Then, the following day students from the third level were interviewed. These
interviews also had their advantages and drawbacks. On the one hand, we could
obtain the necessary information from the subjects. On the other hand, we were
interviewing in a noisy place and the recording was not clear enough. In addition,
we could not move to another place to interview because of the school norms.
The following day we interviewed students from the first level. In this class, there
was a different teacher, but we also asked for permission to interview her students.
We took advantage of this situation as the students consider this professor to be
completely different from the previous one mentioned. Moreover, students were
very cooperative in order to express their beliefs about the atmosphere. Finally, we
thanked our interviewees, which mentioned by Davies (2007) is an essential part of
the interviewing process.
Summarizing, we noticed that students wanted to participate by answering the
interviews. It seemed they liked being interviewed and felt free to express their
perceptions and beliefs. Therefore, this facilitated the procedure of interviewing
and data collection. It is also relevant to establish an appropriate social interaction
between us the researchers and the participants. We feel grateful for the support of
the school, principal, teachers and students alike.
17
Chapter 4
Findings and Discussion
In this chapter, we present a discussion of the main factors found in the analysis of
the data provided by the informants. In order to do so, an exhaustive analysis of
the instruments was performed. First of all, the transcription of the audio-recorded
interviews was performed in order to conduct a deeper analysis and have a better
understanding and interpretation of the students' answers. After having carried out
the transcriptions, researchers compared and contrasted the students' answers by
categorizing what participants said into several sections or categories in which
similarities and differences can be clearly observed.
As mentioned in the introduction of this paper, this investigation sought to
recognize students’ perceptions regarding their EFL compulsory learning in
secondary schools in the Mexican context given that it has been compulsorily since
1982 (see Acuerdo 66, SEP). At the end of the learning process, learners are
usually expected to become proficient in several areas of the target language
(Harmer, 1991, in Aydin, 2008). However, as claimed by Ghassemi and
Shahsavari (2011), the perceived outcome at this level does not seem satisfactory
and students seem not to be able to communicate in English in a real context. This
may be due to different factors.
4.1. Importance and Relevance of Learning English at Secondary
School Level
In the first two questions of the interview, students were asked about the
importance and relevance of learning the language at secondary school.
Interviewers wanted to understand how participants consider the learning of
English. Participants perceive the learning of English at secondary level in different
ways. Researchers found that according to participants’ beliefs, some of the main
reasons to learn EFL are the need for advancement in professional life (better job
and educational opportunities), living in a target community permanently or
18
temporarily (travelling abroad), interest in different cultures (attraction to the
language), school curricula (compulsory learning), and of course, some other
specific purposes as mentioned by Harmer (1991, in Aydin, 2008). However, we
also found other beliefs. Some important concepts have been written in bold and/or
underlined to highlight them.
4.1.1English as a requirement for better job opportunities
In this first category, informants seem to combine job opportunities with travelling
abroad. Maybe these job opportunities imply that they will have to move to another
country. In addition, this first informant sees learning English as a fundamental
prerequisite.
L1P1
"Well, I think it is important to learn English as a requirement to travel abroad and get better job opportunities and that's why English is so important for me. What is more, everywhere you go to ask for a job, English is a vital requirement".
The following participant considers that learning will provide her with better job
opportunities as she sees herself as becoming an important business woman. She
considers that learning the language is vital because it will be a useful tool to
establish communication with others.
L2P4
"I definitely consider it basic to learn English today. This is especially important for me as I see myself as an important business woman. That's why I think it is really important to master the language in order to communicate and establish working relationships with different people".
This next participant holds the idea that learning the language is basic for his/her
educational development. What is more, s/he believes that learning the language is
a useful tool for their professional development. However, s/he considers a more
important fact to learn the language to have access to better job opportunities.
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L1P3
"Yes, I think it is quite important to learn English for my development here in the school. What is more, I'm sure it will be a basic requirement for my professional formation and a great opportunity to gain access to better job opportunities". "I consider that everything that I could do in the future will require English. It is now everywhere! Also, I think it is more difficult to get a job if you don't master another language".
4.1.2 English as an opportunity to travel abroad
In the following section we observe that the learning of the language seems to be
considered as an important opportunity to travel abroad. These participants believe
that by mastering the language they will be able to travel to other countries and
know new places. What is more, they consider that English is a tool that can be
used to communicate with the people living in those foreign countries.
L3P1
"Well...I think it is important to learn English. I would like to learn it very well to communicate with people that speak the language, have the possibility to travel to other countries and meet new people and places". L3P6
"I want to learn English because it is interesting for me as I think it is necessary for everyday situations. English can now be found almost everywhere. Also, I would like to travel to other countries and meet new places. And of course, it is a basic requirement in our education and everyday life situations".
These participants consider English as a vital tool that can be used to
communicate with others. They consider that by mastering the language, they will
have the opportunity to travel to English speaking countries where they will find the
opportunity to practice the language in real contexts.
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4.1.3 English as a requirement for future education
In the next section it can be observed that the following participants consider the
learning of the language is relevant for their future education needs. They believe
that mastering the language will provide them with better opportunities. However,
they also highlight the conviction that the language will become a useful tool while
studying in higher levels of education. They consider that English can now be
found everywhere, for example, text books that will be required in their future
preparation.
L1P5
"I'm really interested in learning the language and all that it involves. I want to express myself in a clear way. I also want to master the language in order to communicate in the best possible way. I know that English will be used in the following years of my education. For example, I want to study Medicine, that means that I will need to know some English as most of the books used in the university studies are written in that language". L2P1
"I consider learning English relevant because now English can be found in almost everything. What is more, it can help us when we find ourselves studying at university where some books are written in English. Also, I heard that in some high schools, the student has the opportunity to gain credits if s/he has already taken previous courses of English".
As it can be observed, these two participants consider that learning the language is
vital for their future formation. They know that mastering the language is important
as English can be now found as a requirement everywhere such as in the books
that will be required in their careers. They may just want to fulfill future education
requirements.
4.1.4 English as a real desire to learn
In this section, we found participants whose motivation to learn comes from them.
Participants’ beliefs are speculated to be closely related to motivation (Graham,
2006 in Shen, 2012). This means that they really are aware of the benefits of
learning the language and thus, they are interested in learning the language.
21
Consequently, they face lots of advantages from this practice. The participants
found the learning of the language really attractive, this means that they are
interested. This will inevitably result in their discovering the benefits from learning
languages.
L2P1
"I’m really interested in learning the language because English is now everywhere and it can be found in almost anything. For example, TV programs, music, etc. and I feel really excited when I can understand and sing along the music I really like. However, although I like taking English lesson within the classroom, I feel a bit bored because of the teacher's methods".
Here, we can observe that this participant finds some advantages from learning the
language because s/hey really likes to do it. When the learning of the language
emerges from the students’ own desire, lots of advantages can be noticed by the
students themselves.
Next, we found a student that also considers that learning the language is of great
importance and usefulness. However, although being aware of the multiple
benefits the participant seems not to be really interested in learning the language.
L3P2
"Well... I think I have to learn the language because it is basic, and it is required to travel to other countries. But I'm not really interested in learning English. Well... I'd like to learn the language but not very much as I want to study something else". "I think it is important for life. If we manage to travel to other countries and have the opportunity to study in those countries where the language is spoken, we will need to communicate with the people".
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Different from the other participants, s/he knows that learning the language will
provide him/her with lots of opportunities such as a better job or travelling abroad.
However, s/he assures not to be interested in learning the language at all.
In sum, the first category showed that most of the students considered the learning
of the language as a basic requirement. Despite considering the language as a
basic requirement, there are different opinions on how exactly the language is
seen. The vast majority considered that learning the language will surely provide
them with lots of opportunities to find a better job and have access to a better life;
while there are others who considered that learning the language is a great
opportunity to travel to other countries where English is spoken, and as a result
they will be able to communicate and interact with the people living there.
There is another group who considered that learning the language will really help
them with their future development. Finally, we found a group who considered
English as an opportunity to learn and practice something they really like, thus
facing some advantages from the process. However, there are some students like
participant L3P2, that despite knowing that learning the language is of great
importance, they are not really interested in the advantages and are not really
interested in learning or developing their skills.
4.2 Previous Experiences with the Language
There are different factors that influence the way participants perceive the learning
of EFL. Learners’ beliefs and attitudes towards this practice are among these
factors, which are the result of one’s thinking and belief formation (Bernat, 2006).
Students bring with them to the learning situation different preconceived
understandings, premises, propositions, ideas, views, opinions, and notions about
language learning that are felt to be true (Richardson, 1996, Kuntz, 1999, Yuen,
2002, Basurto, 2010)
The beliefs mentioned previously are the result of the participants’ previous
experiences with the language, which can be found in most of the cases of the
23
participants of this paper in formal settings whether in public or private schools.
However, we can find some participants whose experience has occurred in
informal settings, with the help of a relative or on their own. There is also a minority
who has never experienced the language, but who has shaped a set of beliefs from
others’ testimony or reading articles and promising advertisements (Horwitz, 1988).
Such expectations surely influence students when they enter conventional
language classrooms at secondary level (Rubin, 1987 in Barcelos, 2000).
In the next two questions of the interview, students were asked about their
previous experiences with the language. Interviewers wanted to discover whether
participants had experienced the language in an informal or formal setting. As well
as to discover if there were some participants whose first experience occurred
when entering secondary school. From the participants who had experience with
the language, it seemed important whether the learning occurred because of a
personal decision or parental imposition.
4.2.1 Students with previous experiences with the language in a formal setting
In this section we can observe those students who have experienced the language
in formal settings. That is, they have taken previous courses of English whether in
public or private schools. Consequently, they have learned the language with well
prepared teachers and in adequate contexts.
L2P2
"I took English lessons for five years in a private institute. My mom is always telling me that it is vital for the future and it is a worldwide spoken language. She gives me a clear example in which I can have access to better job opportunities. If I apply for a job in the future, and I master more than one language, I will be better prepared than those who don't know another language". L2P6
"I've been taking English lessons since I was in Kindergarten. My mom always stresses the fact that learning another language is very important in order to have access to better job opportunities.
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Also, all mi relatives have come to this school, so it seemed interesting for me to do the same and meet new friends". L3P5
"I took some English courses when I was in Primary school. My family had taken the courses before for several years, so I decided to do it as well because it is a good way to accomplish what you want in the future".
Most of the participants experienced the language in private or public schools since
they were in lower levels of their development. This means that they have
experienced the language in formal settings with well prepared teachers. However,
it is important to highlight the motivation they had to do this. There are some
students whose motivation emerged intrinsically (personal decision), while there
are others whose motivation emerged extrinsically (parental imposition).
A) Personal Decision
In this section we can observe those participants whose experience with the
English language in formal settings occurred because of their own desire to do so.
The first participant decided to take English lessons because s/he is aware of the
importance of learning languages.
L1P1
"It was for sure my decision... Well, my parents also had weight on my decision of taking the lessons. However it was mainly my own decision because I know it is important to learn another language". L3P5
"I took some English courses when I was in Primary school. My family had taken the courses before for several years, so I decided to do it as well because it is a good way to accomplish what you want in the future".
These students decided to enter the English courses on their own because they
are really aware of the benefits of learning another language. They consider that
learning the language will be an important tool that will help them accomplish what
25
they want in the future. Some participants are found who besides knowing that
learning languages offers lots of benefits as a great opportunity to accomplish what
they want in the future, they do it also because they consider it a fulfilling practice.
B) Parental Imposition
It can be observed here that the students who entered a formal setting when
learning English did so because of their parents’ awareness of the benefits of
learning languages. In short, these students started learning the language owing to
their parents’ imposition and not because of their own desire.
L2P2
"I took English lessons for five years in a private institute. My mom is always telling me that is vital for the future and it is a worldwide spoken language. She gives me a clear example in which I can have access to better job opportunities. If I apply for a job in the future, and I master more than one language, I will be better prepared than those who don't know another language". L2P6
"I've been taking English lessons since I was in Kindergarten. My mom always stresses the fact that learning another language is very important in order to have access to better job opportunities. Also, all mi relatives have come to this school, so it seemed interesting for me to do the same and meet new friends".
4.2.2 Students with previous experiences with the language in an informal setting
In this section we can observe those students who have experienced the language
in informal settings. They have not taken previous courses of English whether in
public or private schools but perhaps on their own or with the help of someone who
has a certain level of English. Consequently, they have learned the language in a
completely different context than those who attended formal settings.
L1P6
"I haven't taken English lessons before, I started to learn it on my own by reading my father's English books and then, a couple of
26
years later, my parents decided it was time to go to a private school to learn in a more formal way".
The previous student started learning the language on his/her own because s/he
had the opportunity to do it in his/her house with his/her own resources.
L2P1
"I started learning English on my own since I was four years old. Then my mother took me to my aunt's house because she is an English teacher. At first she taught me the basics of English and I didn't really like it. However, as time went by, I started to understand the language and I liked it".
This participant started learning the language in an informal setting with the help of
a relative who has a certain level of English. With the help of their family, they
started to know the language and then continued learning it in a more formal way a
couple of years later. It needs to be clear that everything occurred because of
parental influence.
4.2.3 First experience entering secondary school
On the contrary, there are also some students whose first experience with the
language occurred when entering secondary school. In the same way, this
occurred because of personal decision or imposition.
L2P4
"No, this is my first time. My father told me about the advantages this school had, including the English workshop. That's why I decided to enter this school in the first place". L3P2
"Not really, I took an English course in Primary school as an extra activity but I wasn't interested at all. When you're in Primary school you don't realize how important is to learn another language and now that we're on Secondary school taking English, it is a subject that everyone has to take".
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As it can be observed, these two students started learning English when they
entered secondary school. The first one (L2P4), decided to enter the school
because her/his father told him/her it was a good one. However, it was finally
his/her decision to enter the school. On the other hand, the second student (L3P2)
started learning the language only because s/he wants to fulfill an imposed school
requirement.
4.3 Perception of Learning at Secondary School Classroom
Participants considered that the learning of the language is of great relevance
(Jeeves, 2010), which may lead to high levels of proficiency. However, when they
were asked about the perception they have about their lessons within their
classrooms, different opinions emerged. According to their professors’ abilities and
teaching atmosphere, most of the students considered learning to be very
interesting and demanding because of the methods and techniques employed.
This particularity occurs because students’ beliefs coincide with the teachers’
(Barcelos, 2000). On the other hand, we found a few students who are not
satisfied with the unchallenging methods and techniques. Here, a mismatch
between students’ and teachers’ beliefs about language learning can be clearly
noticed (Barcelos, 2000).
The next question of the interview reflected how students perceive the learning of
the language within the secondary school classroom context. They had the chance
to express what their lessons are like, whether they consider their teachers
appropriate or inadequate for their learning needs, and of course, what are some of
the reasons for these opinions.
4.3.1 Reinforcement of knowledge and development of skills
One of the attitudes the students have about learning the language within their
classrooms is to reinforce the knowledge they already have and continue
developing their communicative skills. The first student desires to strengthen the
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abilities s/he acquired when s/he took previous lessons while reviewing what they
know and gathering new knowledge.
L1P2
“I like to take English classes here because I can reinforce what I already know, and remember some things that I forgot because I don’t practice the language”. L3P3
“I really like to learn the language here. That way I can reinforce what I already know and not forget certain things that need to be developed”.
The second student also wants to strengthen their skills. However, they consider
learning the language at this level is a great opportunity to face more challenging
tasks and activities than those contained in their previous courses.
4.3.2 Variety of methods and techniques applied
There is another important section in which participants considered that learning
the language within their classroom was interesting due to the variety of methods
and techniques employed by their teachers when presenting, developing and using
the language. According to the following students, the tasks and activities used by
the teacher are appropriate for them.
L2P2
“I like the lessons because my professor teaches us with lots of different dynamics, songs, etc. and all that is related to the topics we are about to see. Also, that makes assessment easier”. L3P1
“It is very funny because of the teacher. He wants us to learn by playing games and doing lots of different activities. I always talk to the teacher in English so that I can practice it. Also, I practice with my brother who has a high level of the language because he recently graduated”.
29
In the same way, participant L2P3 considers that the teaching methods are
adequate for him/her as s/he has the opportunity to express his/her opinion during
the class.
L2P3
“I like the class because the teacher is great, he is very cool. He is not like the rest of the teachers who only give orders and leave the students on their own. The teacher allows you to express yourself and I think he does his job quite well”.
It is worth mentioning that the professor who instructs levels 2 and 3 is considered
by most of the students to be a great teacher. The professor they mentioned is not
Mexican and has spent most of his time studying, preparing and travelling abroad.
As a result, there seems to be a general belief among students that the professor
is a well prepared one. However, the professor who instructs level 1 has only
obtained a BA degree, as a result, the students think that his/her instruction has
not been enough to satisfy their education needs.
In contrast, some students can be found who consider that their learning is not the
expected because of the teacher´s methods, or simply because the participant has
a higher language level.
4.3.3 Inadequate teaching methods
As it can be observed in this subcategory, these two students are not really
satisfied with their lessons in the classroom.
L1P1
“I'm not really sure. On one hand I like taking English lessons, but on the other hand, the classroom atmosphere is not interesting at all! The teacher just asks us to do the students' book exercises, she doesn't explain any of the instructions or grammar contained in the lessons”. L1P4
30
“I think it would be better for us if the teacher would explain in a better way because there are some students that don’t have too much experience, so they don’t really understand what the teacher wants us to do”.
They consider that the teaching methods and techniques are not working. Some of
them spend most of their time following orders and completing tasks. While
students from levels 2 and 3 consider they do more in their lessons. They confirm
that the teacher employs a variety of activities, tasks, games and projects in which
they use the language in real contexts that are more demanding and interesting.
As a result, students make a great effort to complete the tasks while developing
their abilities to master the language.
Improved academic achievement in the subject, effective teaching and learning
and of course, awareness on their potential impact on language learning and
teaching in general are likely to influence the students’ learning process (Barcelos,
2000, Bernat & Gvozdenko, 2005, Tella et al, 2011).
4.3.4 Higher level of the language
L2P1
“Not really, I feel really bored because I already have some knowledge of the language and the topics seen in the classroom I already know them”.
In this final subcategory we can find a participant who is not satisfied with the
lessons. This occurs because of his/her higher level of the language. S/he feels
that the lessons are inadequate for his/her needs. The participant desires to
complete more demanding tasks in a more advanced level.
31
4.4 Progress with the learning process
The following questions of the interview show how students perceive their progress
within their classes. Here, we can compare the students’ perceptions of the
learning process with their real progress and development.
4.4.1 Real effort to learn
In this subcategory, those participants whose progress and development has
occurred because of their devotion and hard work in the classroom can be found.
Despite having appropriate or even inadequate teaching methods, participants
obtained good results only because they show commitment to the learning
process.
L1P2
“I’m doing quite well but of course there are some things that are more difficult to me because I have a low level of English. So I need to put more effort into the class”. L3P2
“Well, at the beginning of the course I applied myself. That really helped me develop my skills, now that I’ve obtained good results I’d like to continue that way”.
4.4.2 Teacher providing substantial lessons
These students seem to learn the language because of their teachers. They
consider that their teachers provide substantial lessons. This means that they
consider their teachers provide lessons in which orders are clearly given, topics are
well presented, different tasks and activities are offered, and all this makes lessons
dynamic and attractive for students, thus resulting in a true learning process.
L3P4
32
“I’m doing it well. I understand everything the teacher says because he is very clear when giving orders and makes the learning look very easy”. L3P5
“I’ve had good marks because I think we have a great teacher. He is always explaining well and giving us lots of dynamic activities which are easier to understand and complete”.
As we could observe, participants considered that a real learning process is taking
place because of the teaching methods and techniques employed during the
lessons. All this helps participants to develop their skills and continue learning the
language.
In the following extracts we can observe two groups in which students have a
certain level of English which means that the lessons in the classroom seem easy
to them. However, we can see that participant L2P1 is not really interested in
continuing learning the language or reviewing and developing skills as they spend
his/her time in the classroom chatting and getting distracted instead of completing
the tasks.
L2P1
“I think I could do it very well because I already know the topics, but because I feel very bored in here, I’m always chatting and I get distracted so I don’t complete the tasks”.
On the other hand, we have participant L3P3 whose learning has occurred easily
because they already know the topics. What is more, his/her development and
review of the topics has not only been focused on completing the tasks, but on
helping others whose learning has been more difficult.
L3P3
“I’m doing it well. If I am asked something in English by the teacher, I know I can answer correctly and there are sometimes that I help the teacher with my other classmates”.
33
4.5 Motivating or undemanding lessons
In the next two questions of the interview, researchers wanted to show how
motivating and interesting the participants consider their English lessons in the
secondary school setting. Also, to name some of the reasons that support their
opinions.
4.5.1 Variety of methods and techniques applied
The first subcategory shows that participants consider their English lessons
demanding and complete enough for their needs because of the variety of methods
and techniques employed by the teacher in class.
These participants believe that the dynamics used by the teacher fits each of the
introducing, developing or assessing sections contained in the lessons. We can
observe some of the participants’ answers to consider whether their lessons are
motivating and demanding. First, L1P3 believes that using the technology
contained in the English classroom creates a more interesting atmosphere when
learning and practicing the language.
L1P3
“I think they are motivating because we often use the technology within the classroom. For example, when checking homework or introducing a new topic, the teacher uses the overhead projector which I think is very interesting and more attractive to us”.
Then, L2P4 considers that the lessons are motivating because the professor uses
interesting techniques such as singing songs or translating them into Spanish,
which seem to appeal to each participant’s kind of learning.
L2P4
“I think they are interesting because the teacher uses lots of examples and tasks. For example, the previous class he asks us
34
to translate a song we all like and I was really excited because that’s one of my favorite songs”.
Finally, some students were found who consider that the learning process is very
interesting since the teacher uses the target language to introduce and develop the
lessons.
L3P5
“As I said, the material provided by the teacher is very dynamic, I think it is something new. He doesn’t want us to be writing all the time. He wants us to talk, practice the language and listen to it”.
Surprisingly, it can be seen that the vast majority of the students consider their
lessons very interesting and important for their future development. Some of the
reasons for their opinions are that their teachers use lots of different activities and
tasks to introduce, develop and assess the topics. They consider that learning the
language is in fact happening.
4.5.2 Inadequate teaching methods
Even more astonishing is the fact that only one participant considered his/her
lessons inadequate because of the teaching methods used. S/he considers that a
true learning process is not happening because of the teacher’s old fashioned
techniques.
L1P1
“There is a lot of noise and disorder within the classroom so we are never clear about what to do. This is why we always do the exercises in the book on our own without really learning something”.
35
4.6 Expectation from English Lessons
The following answers to the interview questions reflect what participants expect
from their lessons. It also reflects what students want to obtain from attending
lessons in the secondary school setting.
4.6.1 Reinforcement of knowledge and development of skills
The following participant believes that what s/he can obtain from their English
lessons is a continuous reinforcement of knowledge and development of skills.
L1P1
“I really would like to reinforce what I already know about the language because I have taken classes for five years. Now that I have to take English classes here I can develop my skills”.
Since most of the students had already attended English lessons before, what they
want to obtain from the course is to reinforce and review what they already know,
as well as to develop their communicative language skills. What is more, once
again some of them believe that mastering the language will provide them with
better job opportunities.
4.6.2 Being able to communicate
These participants, however, hold the belief that by learning the language they will
be able to communicate with the people who speak the language. They highlight
the importance of communicating with the people who live in foreign countries.
L2P5
“I want to learn to communicate in English in the world, even with my neighbors if it is necessary, they might be foreigners and of course there are a great variety of people who speak the language”. L3P4
36
“I hope we can learn a lot more than we already know from our previous courses of the language. I hope that we have the certainty that we can speak the language fluently”.
4.7 Continuous Learning
In the final question of the interview, researchers wanted to discover whether
participants would continue learning the language so that they master it. This
would reflect how important it is for them to learn the language. The answers will
reflect how important the learning of the language is for the students.
4.7.1 Continue developing communicative skills
One of the main objectives for the participants to continue learning the language in
the future is that they consider it of great importance to continue developing their
communicative skills in order to master the language.
L3P5
“Yes, I’d take more courses when I’m in High School and University studies. I want to continue learning the language the necessary time”.
What is more, the following participant considers it even more important to
continue learning the language since they want to be able to communicate with the
people who speak the language.
L2P6
“I want to complete the courses and be able to communicate with the people who speak the language. I know there is a lot to do so that I can have a high level of English”.
Most of the participants in this section considered that they want to continue
learning the language. They considered that it is necessary and important to
master the language. They also considered that in order to achieve a higher level
of the language it is advisable to practice the language for a longer period of time.
37
4.7.2 Travelling abroad
Another objective that can be observed in participants’ answers is the opportunity
to travel abroad where English is spoken. Since they consider that this opportunity
can only be achieved by mastering the language, they will continue learning the
language for the time necessary.
L2P5
“I think it is really important to learn the language. My dream is to travel abroad; I really would like to visit Italy so that I can learn Italian. However, I know it is important to master the English language first”. L3P2
“I’d like to communicate with my family who lives in the US and some day travel abroad or work in a foreign country. That’s why I need to continue developing the language”.
As it can be observed in these extracts, the two students are aware of the benefits
of learning the language. They also are aware of the necessary effort to master a
language. However, they consider that their main benefit from learning the
language will be the opportunity to travel abroad so they may continue practicing
the language in real contexts and get access to better living conditions.
L2P2
“In fact I’m going to continue attending my English lessons in my private school. There are so many levels in that school so I need to continue; my mom is always pushing me with that. What is more, I really would like to get a job in a foreign country”.
The previous participant is also aware of the benefits of learning the
language.Then, s/he will continue developing his/her communicative skills.
However, unlike the rest of the participants, s/he is the only one who mentioned
that getting a job in a foreign country is his/her main reason to do so.
38
Finally, we found participant L2P3 who is not certain about continuing developing
his/her language skills. S/he might not be completely aware of the benefits of
learning another language.
L2P3
“Well, I think that will depend on my level of the language. If I feel my skills are not good enough, then I will return to the classroom”.
Chapter 5
Conclusion and Recommendations
This work was an attempt to survey secondary students’ responses, in order to
identify what perceptions and beliefs they bear concerning learning English as a
foreign language at Secondary school. Secondary instruction is considered as the
basis of future development, this means that significant learning must occur at this
level. This is especially important because the learning of the English language in
the Mexican context has taken place compulsorily and millions of people have
been involved in the process over the years due to the economic, political and
sociocultural interaction students face every day.
All this implies that educational authorities and professors alike should focus on
students’ perceptions of a suitable atmosphere to learn languages. It is also
advisable to meet students’ beliefs as this will certainly influence students’
development and commitment to learning. Consequently, authorities who are
aware of students’ beliefs will be better equipped to engage in meaningful dialogue
about learning with the students (Cotteral, 1999 in Mohebi & Khodadady, 2011).
Similarly, professors who focus their attention on more specific areas of the
learning process can inform future syllabus design and teacher practice in the
course (Frugé, 2007 in Mohebi & Khodadady, 2011), thus resulting in a continuous
innovation of the educational system in Mexico.
39
Family seems to play an important role in students’ awareness also. This is why
they should pay special attention to these findings in order to raise students’
awareness of the importance of learning a second language. As Jeeves (2010)
assures, relevance is considered as a result of the perception process. He believes
that if a student is conscious about the relevance, high levels of proficiency can
easily be acquired.
The evidence obtained in this research showed that students seem to be aware
about the importance of learning English at Secondary school as a tool for
communication and as a key to better job opportunities in spite of its tragic nature
of being imposed within the Mexican context. Furthermore, some of the
participants presented in this research are highly motivated to continue developing
their language skills for their education despite the difficulties they face and in
some cases, the lack of previous experiences with the language.
In addition, it can be observed that the vast majority of the students in this study
are especially motivated when they are presented with different kinds of methods
and approaches to the language learning process. What is more, according to
some students’ beliefs, it seems that they are highly attracted by the English
culture, which is a vital motivating factor. Also, the family seems to play an
important role. Despite parental imposition and compulsory learning, students who
are immersed in the language learning process will definitely discover the benefits
of this practice sooner or later.
As previously mentioned, the purpose of the study was to explore students’
perceptions at secondary level. However, the implementation of this inquiry with
only one tool to gain insight might have been restrictive. A deeper analysis of the
setbacks of learning English at Secondary school with the use of different research
instruments may have been included. However, this was due to a lack of time and
it could be sorted out in another research. So, it can be considered that this study
40
is not limited to the points here discussed, it is open for free discussion and further
research.
41
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Appendixes
Appendix 1
UNIVERSIDAD VERACRUZANA
SECONDARY STUDENTS’ RESPONSES TO LEARNING
ENGLISH
¿En verdad te interesa aprender inglés? ¿Por qué si o por qué no?
¿Consideras importante aprender inglés? ¿Por qué si o por qué no?
¿Has tomado algún curso previo de inglés?
¿Fue tu elección o alguien te persuadió a tomarlo?
¿Te gusta tomar clases de inglés en tu secundaria? ¿Por qué si o por qué no?
¿Qué tan bien te va en tus clases de inglés? ¿A qué crees que se deba eso?
¿Consideras que tus clases de inglés son motivantes e interesantes? ¿Por qué crees que
son así?
¿Qué es lo que esperas de tus clases de inglés?
¿Tomarías más cursos de inglés? ¿Por qué si o por qué no?
44
Appendix 2
XALAPA ENRÍQUEZ, VERACRUZ A 10 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2011
ASUNTO: Se solicita apoyo didáctico y pedagógico.
C. DIRECTOR DE LA ESCUELA SECUNDARIA
P R E S E N T E:
Los que suscriben C. Francisco David Alberto García Guzmán y Víctor
Manuel Garfias Altamirano, alumnos del SÉPTIMO SEMESTRE de la LICENCIATURA EN
LENGUA INGLESA de la Facultad de Humanidades de la Universidad Veracruzana del
estado; se dirigen a usted de la manera más atenta y cordial solicitando su valioso apoyo,
para autorizar nuestra presencia en el plantel que usted dirige, durante el mes de octubre,
periodo que comprendería el presente ciclo escolar a fin de realizar observaciones y
entrevistas a los alumnos, para conocer las percepciones que el educando adquiere,
durante la enseñanza didáctica de sus clases de inglés en los tres grados.
Estos trabajos tienen por objetivo recaudar datos y detalles relevantes sobre
el aprendizaje de la Lengua Inglesa en nuestro país, a fin de plantear el campo de nuestro
estudio que establece la fuente de experiencias con las que integraremos nuestro
TRABAJO de TESIS.
Estos análisis tienen únicamente el objetivo de investigar las características
didácticas de la enseñanza del idioma y por supuesto su manejo es confiable por su
criterio de CONFIDENCIALIDAD, omitiendo en todo momento nombres y grupos con el
propósito de establecer un ambiente de confianza y seguridad para la institución y por
supuesto la personalidad de nuestro trabajo.
En espera de vernos favorecidos en nuestra solicitud, agradecemos de
antemano la atención que usted preste a la presente y le reiteramos nuestros cumplidos
respetos.
ATENTAMENTE:
Vo. Bo.
Mtra. Celia Cristina Contreras Asturias
Directora
C. Francisco David A. García Guzmán C. Victor Manuel Garfias Altamirano