DOCSLIB.ORG

Motivating Experiences in an Extended Chinese As a Foreign Language

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Motivating Experiences in an Extended Chinese As a Foreign Language Motivating Experiences in an Extended Chinese as a Foreign Language Learning Career: Identifying what sustains learners to advanced-skill levels Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Junqing Jia, M.A. Graduate Program in East Asian Languages and Literatures The Ohio State University 2017 Dissertation Committee: Galal Walker, Advisor Mari Noda Xiaobin Jian Copyright by Junqing Jia 2017 Abstract What learning experiences can be pedagogically designed to motivate students and make them be continuously engaged with learning and using Chinese language is a fundamental concern of this dissertation. The chapters in this dissertation provide a comprehensive understanding of Chinese language learning motivation in the classroom setting and beyond with a focus on learners who have tested at advanced levels of proficiency in Chinese and have gone on to use the language in their careers. The definition of learning motivation and its significance in the context of Chinese pedagogy is clarified in the first chapter through a critical literature review. Chapter two to Chapter four are organized upon a longitudinal pathway of understanding and creating motivating experiences from beginning to advanced levels of learning. Chapter two focuses on motivation construction in the Chinese classrooms, using discourse analysis to investigate the micro-level contexts of motivating factors and motivated learning behaviors at different levels of instruction. Chapter three addresses a critical period of language training where students are transitioning from learning the foreign language to learning domain knowledge in the foreign language. Few studies have touched upon the language learning motivation of Chinese learners at advanced and superior levels. Chapter four fills this gap by investigating a group of Chinese learners who not only reach a high level of language proficiency but also function in Chinese working environments with demonstrable cultural expertise. A toolkit for designing motivational foreign language learning ii experiences is presented in the last chapter. The classroom data in this study is collected at the Ohio State University. Over forty classes of different levels given at the university are observed for the purposes of data construction, with each class lasting fifty minutes. Selected videos are analyzed through a line-by-line discourse analysis and through retrospective video-enhanced analysis. To enhance the understanding of advanced-level language learner motivation, a questionnaire consisting of fifteen close-ended Likert scale questions was administered to thirty-three students who attended the Midwest US-China Flagship Program in the past ten years. One-on-one interviews were conducted with selected learners and their Chinese associates. Various experiences in their language learning journeys were collected, categorized and analyzed through a motivation map. Two case studies on representative individual language learners were reported and analyzed. Based on the empirical findings, the rich interactions that occur inside and outside the classroom among the language students, teachers, and native speakers of the target culture play various roles in constructing sustainable motivation. Moreover, successful language learners at each stage develop specific mechanisms to perceive their periodic progress. With the expeditious adoption of technology and the emerging needs for cross-cultural working expertise, it is almost a natural but urgent undertaking for the Chinese programs in the United States to motivate 21st Century Chinese learners with a dynamic vision of utilizing their language skills to connect with the Chinese speaking communities. iii Dedication Dedicated to a motivating scholar, Jingyao Sun. iv Acknowledgements This journey of graduate school and dissertation has matured me in a way I would never have imagined seven years ago. I want to thank each mentor, friend and family member who has generously supported me and made this rewarding journey possible. I owe my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Professor Galal Walker, whose wisdom, guidance and encouragement initiated and extended my interest in language pedagogy. I especially thank him for guiding me to combine my personal interest, future career aspirations with my research directions. Being a person who has a wide range of hobbies and who rarely develops expertise in one, I know clearly that I would not be able to sustain the motivation and enjoy this long journey without his advising. I am also sincerely grateful to Professor Mari Noda, from whom I have learned how to better construct and present my research data, how to design pedagogical materials with authenticity, how to be a dedicated and motivational language teacher, and, how to stay strong when being doubted. With her words of wisdom, I have grown into a better scholar and a stronger woman. My research pathway would be completely different without Professor Xiaobin Jian’s continuous guidance and support. His sharp understanding of training language learners to reach working expertise in Chinese directly inspired me in writing Chapter three and four. I especially appreciate and truly admire his full presence for each meeting of ours when his family needs were most critical. v Besides the members of my dissertation committee, I have received tremendous help from all the professors, teachers, fellow graduate students, Chinese language students in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, for which I am truly grateful. I especially thank Minru Li and Debbie Knicely for all the wise advice and enjoyable moments they shared with me. I am also indebted to my mentors at Williams College. Both Professor Cornelius Kubler and Professor Li Yu have greatly enhanced my understanding of language pedagogy. I want to thank Zhini Zeng, Xin Zhang, and Cong Li for being the most understanding, supportive and interesting friends. Whenever I am lost, they are always there to take care of every little feeling of mine and pull me back in. I also thank Lulei Su for being like a brother to me. Those good old days we spent on training Chewie (a very sweet beagle dog) certainly contribute to my thinking of learning motivation. I dedicate my special thanks to my friend and writing buddy, Yanfei Yin. With her warm company and encouragement, even the hardest writing days were full of joy and laughter. Finally, I must thank my wonderful parents and my loving husband. My dissertation or my heart would never be complete without their unconditional trust, patience, and love. vi Vita March 26, 1985.......................Born - Shanghai, P.R. China 2003-2007...............................B.A. Department of Chinese language and literature, Shanghai Normal University 2007-2010................................M.A. Department of comparative literature and foreign literatures, Shanghai Normal University 2010 - 2012 ............................M.A., Graduate Teaching Associate Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures The Ohio State University 2012-2013................................Chinese Language Fellow Department of Asian Studies, Williams College 2013 to present ........................Graduate Teaching Associate Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: East Asian Languages and Literatures Area of Specialization: Chinese Language Pedagogy vii Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................ ii Dedication ............................................................................................................ iv Acknowledgements ............................................................................................... v Vita ..................................................................................................................... vii Table of Contents ............................................................................................... viii List of Tables ........................................................................................................ xi List of Figures ...................................................................................................... xii Chapter One: Developing Motivation in Language Learning: the key of cultivating successful Chinese learners for the 21st Century ..................................................... 1 1.1 Human motivation in the context of language pedagogy ......................................... 1 1.1.1 Hierarchy of needs ................................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Cognitive dissonance theory .................................................................................... 4 1.1.3 Sustainable motivators............................................................................................. 5 1.2 L2 motivation ......................................................................................................... 7 1.2.1 Social-psychological research: dominated by the work of Gardner and his associates .......................................................................................................................... 8 1.2.2 Cognitive-situated studies ...................................................................................... 12 1.2.3 Beyond the cognitive-situative
Load more

Recommended publications
  • WO/GA/24/4 REV.: Use of Portuguese As a Working Language of WIPO
    E WO/GA/24/4 Rev. ORIGINAL: English WIPO DATE: July 19, 1999 WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION WIPO GENERAL ASSEMBLY Twenty-Fourth (14th Ordinary) Session Geneva, September 20 to 29, 1999 USE OF PORTUGUESE AS A WORKING LANGUAGE OF WIPO Document prepared by the International Bureau 1. In two letters dated November 11, 1998, and January 25, 1999, the President of Portugal’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), writing in the name of the seven countries whose official language is Portuguese, requested the Director General of WIPO to include, on the agenda of the next session of the WIPO General Assembly, consideration of the possibility of adopting Portuguese as a working language of WIPO. 2. In support of this request, the President of INPI stated that Portuguese is the fifth most widely spoken language in the world, being spoken by 200 million people, that all seven Portuguese–speaking countries are now party to the WIPO Convention and the main treaties administered by WIPO and that the majority of Portuguese speakers are nationals of developing countries. He also noted that the use of Portuguese as a working language of WIPO would reinforce and enhance the participation of Portuguese speaking countries in the development activities conducted by WIPO for their benefit and would reflect the new dynamic spirit of WIPO’s cooperation for development program. 3. It is recalled that Article 6(2)(vii) of the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization provides that the General Assembly shall “determine the working languages of the Secretariat, taking into consideration the practice of the United Nations.” WO/GA/24/4 Rev.
    [Show full text]
  • Working in a Foreign Language
    Master in Learning and Communication in Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts WORKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: Case study of employees’ perceptions in a Luxembourg-based multinational company using English as a lingua franca Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ingrid de Saint-Georges Master Thesis submitted by: Yelena Radley Luxembourg June 2016 Abstracts With the globalisation of business and diversification of the workforce, an increasing number of companies implement a corporate language policy based on the use of a lingua franca, often English. Thus more and more people face the challenges of simultaneous socialisation into a new corporate and linguistic environment, and of re-inventing themselves as competent articulate professionals through the medium of a foreign language. While a number of studies have concentrated on the management angle of corporate communication, fewer seem to focus on the language-related experiences of the employees in a multinational company. Adopting a sociolinguistic approach, this study seeks to explore the implications of working in a foreign language through the perceptions of a sample of employees at a multinational IT company based in Luxembourg and using English as a lingua franca. The qualitative content analysis of the data obtained in the course of 6 semi-structured interviews provides insights into the ways the employees construct and negotiate their daily linguistic reality. The study examines their attitudes to working in a foreign language (English as a lingua franca or other language) and outlines the perceived benefits, challenges and coping strategies. Special attention is paid to discourses linking language to power and professionalism. The adaptation to professional functioning in a foreign language is presented as a continuum, tracing the journey from overcoming initial challenges to achieving ‘linguistic well-being’.
    [Show full text]
  • Aliens of Marvel Universe
    Index DEM's Foreword: 2 GUNA 42 RIGELLIANS 26 AJM’s Foreword: 2 HERMS 42 R'MALK'I 26 TO THE STARS: 4 HIBERS 16 ROCLITES 26 Building a Starship: 5 HORUSIANS 17 R'ZAHNIANS 27 The Milky Way Galaxy: 8 HUJAH 17 SAGITTARIANS 27 The Races of the Milky Way: 9 INTERDITES 17 SARKS 27 The Andromeda Galaxy: 35 JUDANS 17 Saurids 47 Races of the Skrull Empire: 36 KALLUSIANS 39 sidri 47 Races Opposing the Skrulls: 39 KAMADO 18 SIRIANS 27 Neutral/Noncombatant Races: 41 KAWA 42 SIRIS 28 Races from Other Galaxies 45 KLKLX 18 SIRUSITES 28 Reference points on the net 50 KODABAKS 18 SKRULLS 36 AAKON 9 Korbinites 45 SLIGS 28 A'ASKAVARII 9 KOSMOSIANS 18 S'MGGANI 28 ACHERNONIANS 9 KRONANS 19 SNEEPERS 29 A-CHILTARIANS 9 KRYLORIANS 43 SOLONS 29 ALPHA CENTAURIANS 10 KT'KN 19 SSSTH 29 ARCTURANS 10 KYMELLIANS 19 stenth 29 ASTRANS 10 LANDLAKS 20 STONIANS 30 AUTOCRONS 11 LAXIDAZIANS 20 TAURIANS 30 axi-tun 45 LEM 20 technarchy 30 BA-BANI 11 LEVIANS 20 TEKTONS 38 BADOON 11 LUMINA 21 THUVRIANS 31 BETANS 11 MAKLUANS 21 TRIBBITES 31 CENTAURIANS 12 MANDOS 43 tribunals 48 CENTURII 12 MEGANS 21 TSILN 31 CIEGRIMITES 41 MEKKANS 21 tsyrani 48 CHR’YLITES 45 mephitisoids 46 UL'LULA'NS 32 CLAVIANS 12 m'ndavians 22 VEGANS 32 CONTRAXIANS 12 MOBIANS 43 vorms 49 COURGA 13 MORANI 36 VRELLNEXIANS 32 DAKKAMITES 13 MYNDAI 22 WILAMEANIS 40 DEONISTS 13 nanda 22 WOBBS 44 DIRE WRAITHS 39 NYMENIANS 44 XANDARIANS 40 DRUFFS 41 OVOIDS 23 XANTAREANS 33 ELAN 13 PEGASUSIANS 23 XANTHA 33 ENTEMEN 14 PHANTOMS 23 Xartans 49 ERGONS 14 PHERAGOTS 44 XERONIANS 33 FLB'DBI 14 plodex 46 XIXIX 33 FOMALHAUTI 14 POPPUPIANS 24 YIRBEK 38 FONABI 15 PROCYONITES 24 YRDS 49 FORTESQUIANS 15 QUEEGA 36 ZENN-LAVIANS 34 FROMA 15 QUISTS 24 Z'NOX 38 GEGKU 39 QUONS 25 ZN'RX (Snarks) 34 GLX 16 rajaks 47 ZUNDAMITES 34 GRAMOSIANS 16 REPTOIDS 25 Races Reference Table 51 GRUNDS 16 Rhunians 25 Blank Alien Race Sheet 54 1 The Universe of Marvel: Spacecraft and Aliens for the Marvel Super Heroes Game By David Edward Martin & Andrew James McFayden With help by TY_STATES , Aunt P and the crowd from www.classicmarvel.com .
    [Show full text]
  • Switzerland 4Th Periodical Report
    Strasbourg, 15 December 2009 MIN-LANG/PR (2010) 1 EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR REGIONAL OR MINORITY LANGUAGES Fourth Periodical Report presented to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in accordance with Article 15 of the Charter SWITZERLAND Periodical report relating to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages Fourth report by Switzerland 4 December 2009 SUMMARY OF THE REPORT Switzerland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (Charter) in 1997. The Charter came into force on 1 April 1998. Article 15 of the Charter requires states to present a report to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the policy and measures adopted by them to implement its provisions. Switzerland‘s first report was submitted to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in September 1999. Since then, Switzerland has submitted reports at three-yearly intervals (December 2002 and May 2006) on developments in the implementation of the Charter, with explanations relating to changes in the language situation in the country, new legal instruments and implementation of the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers and the Council of Europe committee of experts. This document is the fourth periodical report by Switzerland. The report is divided into a preliminary section and three main parts. The preliminary section presents the historical, economic, legal, political and demographic context as it affects the language situation in Switzerland. The main changes since the third report include the enactment of the federal law on national languages and understanding between linguistic communities (Languages Law) (FF 2007 6557) and the new model for teaching the national languages at school (—HarmoS“ intercantonal agreement).
    [Show full text]
  • 'Official' Languages of the Independent Asia-Pacific
    University of Wollongong Research Online Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities January 2019 'National' and 'Official' Languages of the Independent Asia-Pacific Rowena G. Ward University of Wollongong, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/lhapapers Recommended Citation Ward, Rowena G., "'National' and 'Official' Languages of the Independent Asia-Pacific" (2019). Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers. 4025. https://ro.uow.edu.au/lhapapers/4025 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] 'National' and 'Official' Languages of the Independent Asia-Pacific Abstract In November 2018 New Caledonians went to the polls to vote on whether the French territory should become an independent state. In accordance with the terms of the 1998 Noumea Accord between Kanak pro-independence leaders and the French government, New Caledonians will have the opportunity to vote on the same issue again in 2020 and should they vote for independence, a new state will emerge. In another part of Melanesia, the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARB) will vote on 23 November 2019 on whether to secede from Papua New Guinea and form an independent state. With the possibility of two new independent states in the Pacific, the possible political and economic consequences of a vote for independence have attracted attention but little consideration has been paid to the question of which languages might be used or adopted should either territory, or both, choose independence.
    [Show full text]
  • U.S.-Japan-China Relations Trilateral Cooperation in the 21St Century
    U.S.-Japan-China Relations Trilateral Cooperation in the 21st Century Conference Report By Brad Glosserman Issues & Insights Vol. 5 – No. 10 Honolulu, Hawaii September 2005 Pacific Forum CSIS Based in Honolulu, the Pacific Forum CSIS (www.csis.org/pacfor/) operates as the autonomous Asia-Pacific arm of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. The Forum’s programs encompass current and emerging political, security, economic, business, and oceans policy issues through analysis and dialogue undertaken with the region’s leaders in the academic, government, and corporate areas. Founded in 1975, it collaborates with a broad network of research institutes from around the Pacific Rim, drawing on Asian perspectives and disseminating project findings and recommendations to opinion leaders, governments, and members of the public throughout the region. Table of Contents Page Acknowledgements iv Executive Summary v Report The year in review 1 Energy security and the impact on trilateral cooperation 4 Issues in the bilateral relationship 6 Opportunities for cooperation 9 Selected Papers United States, Japan, and China Relations: Trilateral Cooperation in the 21st Century by Yoshihide Soeya 15 Chinese Perspectives on Global and Regional Security Issues by Gao Zugui 23 Sino-U.S. Relations: Healthy Competition or Strategic Rivalry? by Bonnie S. Glaser 27 Sino-U.S. Relations: Four Immediate Challenges by Niu Xinchun 35 Sino-Japanese Relations 60 Years after the War: a Japanese View by Akio Takahara 39 Building Sino-Japanese Relations Oriented toward the 21st Century by Ma Junwei 47 Comments on Sino-Japanese Relations by Ezra F. Vogel 51 The U.S.-Japan Relationship: a Japanese View by Koji Murata 55 Toward Closer Sino-U.S.-Japan Relations: Steps Needed by Liu Bo 59 The China-Japan-U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Working Group on the Legal Development of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks
    MM/LD/WG/18/5 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH DATE: AUGUST 13, 2020 Working Group on the Legal Development of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks Eighteenth Session Geneva, October 12 to 16, 2020 STUDY OF THE COST IMPLICATIONS AND TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE GRADUAL INTRODUCTION OF THE ARABIC, CHINESE AND RUSSIAN LANGUAGES INTO THE MADRID SYSTEM Document prepared by the International Bureau I. INTRODUCTION 1. At its seventeenth session, held in Geneva from July 22 to 26, 2019, the Working Group on the Legal Development of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks (hereinafter referred to as “the Working Group” and “the Madrid System”) discussed document MM/LD/WG/17/7 Rev. describing possible options for the introduction of new languages into the Madrid System, in particular, Chinese and Russian. The Working Group also discussed document MM/LD/WG/17/10 with a proposal by the Delegations of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic and Tunisia on the introduction of Arabic into the Madrid System. 2. The Working Group requested that the International Bureau prepare, for discussion at its eighteenth session, a comprehensive study of the cost implications and technical feasibility (including an assessment of the currently available WIPO tools) of the gradual introduction of the Arabic, Chinese and Russian languages into the Madrid System. 3. As requested by the Working Group, this document discusses the cost implications and technical feasibility of gradually introducing the above-mentioned languages and provides an assessment of the availability of the Madrid System tools in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Russian.
    [Show full text]
  • Course Catalog 2021–2022­ Brooksb School
    ACADEMIC POLICIES AND COURSE CATALOG 2021 –2022 BROOKSB SCHOOL B R O O K S S C H O O L ACADEMIC POLICIES & COURSE CATALOG 2021-2022 Brooks School does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, sexual orientation, disability, or religion in the administration of its education policies, admission policies, employment policies, financial aid and loan programs, athletic programs, and other School-administered programs and activities. Last updated: April 19, 2021 by Susanna Waters, Academic Dean Questions or comments? Email: [email protected] INDEX Introduction ................................. 2 ACADEMIC POLICIES Requirements ............................... 3 Diploma Requirements Departmental Graduation Requirements Course Load Promotion Requirements General Policies ........................... 5 Grading System Effort Marks Policies Regarding Course Assignments Pass/Fail Status Credit Policies Adding/Dropping Courses AP Courses & Exams Independent Study Online Learning Winter Term Sixth Form Spring Projects Summer Course Work Academic Honors .......................... 8 Honor Roll Cum Laude Society Academic Probation ..................... 8 Academic Integrity ....................... 9 Class Attendance .......................... 10 The Learning Center ................... 10 COURSE CATALOG Arts ................................................ 11 Music Theater Visual Arts World Languages …..................... 18 Latin Mandarin Chinese French Spanish English .......................................... 24 History .........................................
    [Show full text]
  • Language Management in the People's Republic of China
    LANGUAGE AND PUBLIC POLICY Language management in the People’s Republic of China Bernard Spolsky Bar-Ilan University Since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, language management has been a central activity of the party and government, interrupted during the years of the Cultural Revolution. It has focused on the spread of Putonghua as a national language, the simplification of the script, and the auxiliary use of Pinyin. Associated has been a policy of modernization and ter - minological development. There have been studies of bilingualism and topolects (regional vari - eties like Cantonese and Hokkien) and some recognition and varied implementation of the needs of non -Han minority languages and dialects, including script development and modernization. As - serting the status of Chinese in a globalizing world, a major campaign of language diffusion has led to the establishment of Confucius Institutes all over the world. Within China, there have been significant efforts in foreign language education, at first stressing Russian but now covering a wide range of languages, though with a growing emphasis on English. Despite the size of the country, the complexity of its language situations, and the tension between competing goals, there has been progress with these language -management tasks. At the same time, nonlinguistic forces have shown even more substantial results. Computers are adding to the challenge of maintaining even the simplified character writing system. As even more striking evidence of the effect of poli - tics and demography on language policy, the enormous internal rural -to -urban rate of migration promises to have more influence on weakening regional and minority varieties than campaigns to spread Putonghua.
    [Show full text]
  • French : the Most Practical Foreign Language
    French : The Most Practical Foreign Language While any language will be useful for some jobs or for some regions, French is the only foreign language that can be useful throughout the world as well as in the United States. French as a foreign language is the second most frequently taught language in the world after English. The International Organization of Francophonie has 51 member states and governments. Of these, 28 countries have French as an official language. French is the only language other than English spoken on five continents. French and English are the only two global languages. When deciding on a foreign language for work or school, consider that French is the language that will give you the most choices later on in your studies or your career. French, along with English, is the official working language of ● the United Nations ● UNESCO ● NATO ● Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ● the International Labor Bureau ● the International Olympic Committee ● the 31-member Council of Europe ● the European Community ● the Universal Postal Union ● the International Red Cross ● Union of International Associations (UIA) French is the dominant working language at ● the European Court of Justice ● the European Tribunal of First Instance ● the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg. ● the Press Room at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium One example of the importance of French can be seen in a recent listing of international jobs (8/29/06) distributed by the US State Department: 135 required or preferred French, 49 Spanish, 25 a UN language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish), 6 Arabic, 6 Russian, 2 German, 2 Italian , and Chinese 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Read the Petition
    Irvine International Academy TK – 6th For a term of July 1, 2021- June 30, 2026 Reason 解析 Truth 真理 Edify 啟迪 “Creating a Legacy” Respectfully submitted to Orange County Department of Education October 7, 2020 Charter Petition Page 2 of 186 TABLE OF CONTENTS Charter School Intent and Charter Requirements..........................................................................4 Affirmations and Declaration..........................................................................................................5 Executive Summary........................................................................................................................8 Founding Group..............................................................................................................................9 Element A (1:) Description of the Educational Program...............................................................17 Element B (2): Measurable Student Outcomes.............................................................................90 Element C (3): Methods of Assessing Pupil Outcomes................................................................112 Element D (4): Governance….…………..........................................................................................122 Element E (5): Qualifications of School Employees.....................................................................129 Element F (6): Health and Safety……………………...........................................................................137 Element G (7): Means of Achieve Racial
    [Show full text]
  • Comprehensibility of Englishes Within Asean: a Synopsis of Results
    COMPREHENSIBILITY OF ENGLISHES WITHIN ASEAN: A SYNOPSIS OF RESULTS Jeffrey Dawala Wilang and Adisa Teo* Department of Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University *email: [email protected] Abstract The purpose of this study is to measure the comprehensibility of the Expanding Circle nations‟ citizens, namely Burmese, Cambodians, Indonesians, Laotians, Thais and Vietnamese towards the Outer Circle Englishes, namely Bruneian English, Malaysian English. Philippine English and Singaporean English. Ten universities in the Expanding Circle that participated in the study, namely Assumption University, Chiang Mai University, Khon Khaen University, King Mongkut University of Technology North Bangkok, Mahapanya Vidayalai University, Mahidol University, Prince of Songkla University Hat Yai Campus, Rajamangala University Srivijaya Songkhla Campus, and Rajamangala University Srivijaya Trang Campus in Thailand, and University of Riau in Indonesia. Participants in the data collection process consist of two hundred and one subjects in undergraduate and graduate level. Eight comprehension tests and a questionnaire were used as main tools in the data collection process. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were used to analyze the results of the comprehension tests and to reveal the questionnaire‟s results. The following are the results of the study. (1) The Englishes spoken in the Outer Circle were moderately comprehensible to the citizens of the Expanding Circle nations. Based on the standardized comprehensibility scales and levels set in this study, the comprehensibility scores of Bruneian English, Malaysian English, Philippine English and Singaporean English are M=4.90, M=5.57, M=5.01, and M=4.76 respectively. All fell under the moderate comprehensibility level set at 3.34-6.67.
    [Show full text]