Posted: July 1st, 2015

Factors affecting acquisition of English grammar among Saudi students who are studying abroad

Abstract

As students from Saudi Arabia travel abroad to study, their acquisition of English grammar varies accordingly between the males and females. Different factors contribute to this variation, which this study seeks to identify. Using a questionnaire, the study will employ a qualitative study using a stratified random sampling on 40 students.

 

 

Statement of Purpose

There has been an increasing number of Saudi Arabian students pursuing education in abroad. In the field of education, education is tailored along discriminatory gender roles, where the male gives permission for the female enrollment (Manea, 2013). Female students also, get anxious than male students when studying English in class (Ozturk and Gurbuz, 2012). So, it would be reasonable to conclude that the acquisition of English grammar will vary between the male and female Saudi Arabian Students.

 

Objective

            The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the acquisition of English grammar among Saudi students in English schools in Ireland, and the ways those factors vary across gender.

Research questions will be as follow:

• What are the main factors affecting the acquisition of English grammar for Saudi students?
• Do males and females share the same factors?

 

Rationale for Study

Scholars have contended that motivation towards foreign language cannot be treated as a single orientation (Javid, Al-Asmari, and Farooq, 2012). Variables such as gender, language proficiency, geographical location, major subject of study, adoption of new cultural behavior, and others, play a critical role. This study shades the lights on the main factors that influence the acquisition of the grammar of English languages for both genders. It acknowledges factors such as motivation, among others, which vary between males and females. The role of motivation has been emphasized in teaching and/or learning any subject at all levels. It is critical in learning English because it is related to the learner’s social nature (Kobayashi and Viswat, 2007).

 

 

Literature review

Factors that affect English acquisition:

Motivation

How motivated a student feels towards wanting to acquire of a certain language largely affect the progress that student is likely to make. If the student generally has interest in the field of languages and especially in acquiring the English language then he or she is likely to make quite progress in learning the language fast enough and within a short period of time.

 

Experiences

A student who has experience in other languages and cultures is likely to learn the English language at a faster rate than one who has not. This factor includes aspect like if the student wanting to acquire the language has in the past lived or travelled to an English speaking country. It is easier for a student who had past experiences to learn the language than one who has no such exposure.

 

Native language

The type of ones native language also does affect the acquisition of English Language. In a case where ones native language is in a similar language family as the English language then it becomes easy for the student to acquire and speak English language.

 

The research will also discuss the aspect of gender and its impact on the acquisition of English grammar in English schools abroad. In addition, the literature will provide a contextual understanding of the intersection of how culture and gender underpin social and psychological motivation towards learning English language (Hao, Liu, and Hao, 2004).

 

 

Methodology.

The Sample:

The survey targets 40 participants (20 males and 20 females) of the Saudi origin. Data will be taken twice one at the beginning of the term and the other will be taken six months later. The participants will be sourced from an abroad English school. Notably, the well-structured questionnaire will be used to gather data from the participants. Prior to the survey, the questionnaire will be tested on 5 participants and a pilot will be done in order to determine the results, time it will take for the survey, and various mistakes such as omission/inclusion of unnecessary questions

 

 

 

 

 

Data to be collected.

Various data to be collected include.

1. Social data such as nationality, age, sex and academic level
2. Level of English grammar acquisition
3. Factors that influence the acquisition of English grammar

 

Data analysis.

The data will be analyzed using excel version 2007. The software will be used to derive descriptive statistics that will be presented in form of tables of graphs. Additionally, correlation statistics will be used to determine various variables that affect acquisition of English grammar.

 

 

Ethical Considerations

Consent will also be obtained from the participants – consent forms will be provided. Moreover, they will be informed fully about the reason of their participation. Their privacy, will be guaranteed. Permission will also be obtained from the school used for the case study.

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Research Timeline

Year	Month	Task
1	Jan-December	literature review and obtain and permission from school
2	Jan to may	Pilot Data collection. One at the beginning of the semester and as semester closes
	June-august	correction on the survey tool (the questionnaire)
	September to December	the actual survey.
3	Jan to may	Data analysis and compilation
	June-November.	Thesis writing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Hao, M., Liu, M., and Hao, R., P. (2004). An Empirical Study on Anxiety and Motivation in         English as a Foreign Language. Asian Journal of English Language Teaching. 4, pp. 89-            104.

Javid, C., Z., Al-Asmari, A., R., and Farooq, U. (2012). Saudi undergraduates’ motivational          orientations towards English language learning along gender and university major lines:            A comparative study. European journal of social sciences. Vol 27 No.2, 283-300.

Kobayashi, J., and Viswat, L. (2007). Cultural differences in motivation to learn. The Internet       TESL Journal XIII:11, Retrieved May 23 2010 from <http://iteslj.org/>

Manea, E. (2013). Women in Saudi Arabia are caught in a system of gender apartheid. DW.          December 30. Retrieved on 27/11/14 from <http://www.dw.de/women-in-saudi-arabia-     are-caught-in-a-system-of-gender-apartheid/a-17330976>

Ozturk, G., and Gurbuz, N. (2012). The impact of gender on foreign language speaking, anxiety   and motivation. Social and behavioral sciences. 70, 654-665.