Significant Learners’ Factors and English
Language Learning: Ecological Approach to ELT:
Researcher: Achara Wongsothorn
Research Assistant: Chatchada Twichatwitayakul
Chulalongkorn University Language Institute
2007
Preamble
The ecological approach presented here
stemmed from the work of Bronfenbrenner
(1979).
In adopting this system perspective,
psychological evaluation of a student's
functioning is done within the context of
her/his mesosystem (immediate family,
extended family, neighborhood, school, and
other networks), macrosystem (community or
culture), and exosystem (society/social
structures).
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Socio-Cultural Theory of Learning
Van Lier (2004) discusses the following issues
in his ecological approach to language learning
theory and practice.
Perception and action in semiotic contexts
The emergence of language abilities in
meaningful activity
The dynamics of social interaction
The quality of educational experience
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The paper will provide
definitions and background
of the study by reporting
impact of related research,
research methodology,
results and implications.
Attention will be given to the
significant factors related to
learning.
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Background of the study
This classroom centered research employs
three cohorts of graduate students taking the
Chulalongkorn University Language Institute’s
Academic English for Graduate Studies
Course” (GE 5500-532). The purposes to
study are to investigate (1) the learners’ self
perception, and their attitudes towards the
teacher, and the teaching-learning methods
used, (2) ecological factors and classroom
management, and (3) relationships between
learners’ factors, namely their EQ,
background, attitude and perception and their
achievement.
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The approach employs psycho educational intervention within the
student’s sociocultural context and
his/her perception of the learning
environment and allows for a more
accurate assessment of the student's
psychological functioning and a broader
understanding of the four crucial issues
affecting the student’s language learning
(Van Lier, 2004)
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 Both the student and the systems are continually changing. In
the teaching-learning process, ecological approach adopts
the concept of psychoeducational intervention focusing on the
student as physiological and psychological developments. .
This approach allows for a more accurate assessment of the
student's psychological functioning and a broader
understanding of the crucial issues affecting the student.
Application of this approach in psychoeducational
intervention with Southeast Asian students includes collecting
and integrating information from various aspects of the
sociocultural context and then developing intervention
procedures or the teaching-learning system based on
understanding of both this context and the student. In sum,
the approach is holistic rather than analytic.
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Purposes of the study
 A research project entitled “Ecological Approach to
English Language Learning Factors of Student
Attitude and Perception toward their Teacher and
Classroom Interaction in Chulalongkorn University
Language Institute’s Academic English for Graduate
Studies Course” is being conducted employing the
ecological approach with the purposes to study
(1) the learners’ self perception, and their attitudes
towards the teacher, and the teaching-learning
methods used, (2) ecological factors and classroom
management, and (3) relationships between
learners’ factors, namely their EQ, background,
attitude and perception and their achievement.
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Expected Outcomes of the Study
It is expected that this research would create
knowledge and understanding about the roles
of perception and ecological factors in ELT for
academic purposes, and that learners’ micro
system, ecosystem, macro system, and
ecosystem impacting their ELL would be better
understood.
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Research Procedures
Subjects:
 3 groups of graduate students taking Academic
English for Graduate Studies course from ay 20052006 numbering 28, 27 and 32 respectively
Instruments
1. EQ measures
2. Attitudes measures
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Learner Variables
Perception: Presentation to the mind in the form
of an idea or image
In education, it has been proven that positive selfperception, or high self-esteem, is conducive to
the developmental process. Self-perception has
been shown to reflect developing cognitive
abilities and social circumstances (Dusek &
Flaherty, 1981; Stanwyck, 1983).
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College Student Self-Perception
 More specifically, academic self-concept refers to a
student's perceptions of his or her academic
abilities (House, 1992).
 Hamachek, 1995 and House, 1993 show that
students' self concept is significantly associated
with academic achievement.
 Loeb and Magee (1992) suggest that students with
low self-esteem who find it difficult adjusting to
college academics may benefit from contextual
support resulting in their satisfaction with college
and improved self-image.
 Contextural support comes from such sources as
faculty, peers, and family.
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Bernat (2005) discusses research results
revealing that attitudes toward learning, and
the perceptions and beliefs that determine
them, may have a profound influence on
learning behavior.
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Support and interaction with faculty
may be related to students'
academic achievement and selfconcept (Gerdes and Mallinckrodt
(1994).
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Contextual Support
=
Support from Ecological Variables
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Objectives
 This study investigated
 1. the impact of ecological variables

including learner variables and

learner-related variables,
particularly learner

perception and attitudes on English

learning achievement of three

cohorts of graduate students.
 2. the strength and directions of the

relationships
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Expected Outcomes of the Study
It is expected that this research would create
knowledge and understanding about the roles
of perception and ecological factors in ELT for
academic purposes, and that learners’ micro
system, ecosystem, macro system, and
ecosystem impacting their ELL would be better
understood.
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Ecological Variables/Factors
The independent variables in this research
are either learner variables or learnerrelated variables. They are:
 1.
 2.
 3.


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self-perception
emotion quotient
attitudes towards teaching-learning
processes employed and the
teacher
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Self-Perception
 1.

 2.


 3.
 4.

 5.
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My best friend and intimate
friendship
Social acceptance relationship
with the parents. Loving
relationships, humor, morality
Global appreciation
Social notation of the family
scale
Perception of the physical appearance
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Emotion Quotient
 1. Goodness
 1.1 Self-control
 1.2 Empathy
 1.3 Responsibility
 2. Smartness
 2.1 Motivation
 2.2 Decision-making and problem

solving
 2.3 Relationship
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Emotion Quotient (cont.)
 3. Happiness
 3.1 Being proud of oneself
 3.2 Life Satisfaction
 3.3 Peacefulness of mind
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Attitudes towards IT: E-mail and Website
 1.

 2.

 3.

 4.

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Submitting assignments by email is useful
Submitting assignments by email is appropriate
Saving time factor of transaction
by e-mail
E-mail transaction for
assignments is interesting
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Attitudes (cont.)
 5.


 6.

 7.

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Submitting assignments by email helps make transaction
with the teacher faster
Receiving graded assignments
by e-mail is appropriate
Receiving graded assignments
by e-mail is useful
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Attitudes (cont.)
 8. Receiving graded assignments

by e-mail saves classroom time
 9. Receiving graded assignments

by e-mail is interesting
 10. Attitudes toward e-mail

transaction for assignments

(1) Receiving graded assignments

by e-mail helps student

obtaining useful corrections of

their work
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Attitude (cont.)
 (2) Receiving graded assignments

by e-mail helps student

obtaining useful explanation and

corrections of their work
 (3) Receiving graded assignments

by e-mail helps student

obtaining only useful explanation

without any corrections for

improvement of their work
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Attitudes (cont.)
 11. Teacher assignments on

the website
 12. Textbooks and handouts

distributed by the teacher
 13. Materials in the self-access

language learning center
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Attitudes toward teaching-learning procedures
 1. Teacher classroom management
 2. Peer assessment
 3. Teacher assessment
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Learner variables
Sex
Age
Regarding oneself as a Bangkokian or as a
person from other parts of Thailand
Years of English learning
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Dependent variables
Project
Midterm tests
Final exams
Assignments and
participation
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Findings: Relationships among the variables
On the
following
slide
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Abbreviations













ASS=assignment
EQ=emotion quotient
EQ sm=emotion quotient regarding smartness
EQ happy=emotion quotient regarding happiness
EQ good=emotion quotient regarding goodness
Final=final examination
Lev. Of St. Eng.=grade level of starting English learning
Midterm=midterm examination
Par=classroom participation
Peer=peer assessment
Proj=project works
Self-id=self identification (being a Bangkokian or not)
YE= years of English learning
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Consistency of significant relationships
Cohort 1
Ass&Par~Project
Sex
Age~Self-Identif.
Y.E~Self-id, Lev. of
St.E
EQ-sm~EQ-gd.
EQ-hap~Proj.
EQ-gd,sm.
Peer~Ass&Par
Ass&Par~Midterm
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Cohort 2
Sex~Proj.
Age~Proj.
Self-Id~Level
of St.E,
Year of Eng.
Y.E~Level of
St.E
EQ-hap~EQ-sm.
Att.teach~Proj.,
Sex,Self-Per.
Peer~Final,Midtm
Self-id~Ass&Par.
Level of St.E~
Cohort 3
Ass&Par~Proj
Sex~Ass&Part
LofSt.E~Self-id
Y.E~Self-id,Lof
St.E
EQ-H~Proj,EQgd, EQ-sm
EQ-Sm~EQ-good
Peer~Ass&Par
Ass&Part~<Mid
term
Ass&Part
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Significant Positive Relationships
Assignment and Classroom Participation and Project
Years of English~Self-id, Level of Starting English
EQ-sm~EQ-gd.
EQ-hap~Proj.
EQ-hap~EQ-gd,sm.
Self-Id~Level of Starting English, and Years of English
Y.E~Level of Starting English
EQ-hap~EQ-sm
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Conclusion of Findings of
Significant Positive Relationships
Years of English Learning and Self Identification
and Grade Level of Starting English
Assignments&Participation and project work
● Years of English Learning and Self
Identification and Grade Level of Starting
English
● EQ-smartness and EQ-goodness
● EQ-happiness and Project work
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Recommendations
EQ:goodness,
smartness, happiness
Project work
Participation
Years of English
Grade level of starting English
Self-identification
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For teaching and learning
● Cultivation of learning EQ generates learning
effectiveness and positive attitudes toward
learning.
● Starting English learning early generates
positive learning outcomes as well as positive
attitudes toward oneself.
● Positive self-perception, or high self-esteem, is
very crucial in the developmental process. Selfperception has been shown to reflect developing
cognitive abilities and social circumstances
(Dusek & Flaherty, 1981; Stanwyck, 1983). By
late adolescence, a coherent and intergrated
self-perception can emerge.
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Role of EQ and Student Autonomy
●EQ—happiness is related to achievement in
doing project work. Thus students’
autonomous learning by researching and
developing individual projects should be
carried out as the tasks go together with
the joy of learning.
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Negative Relationships
Significantly consistent negative
relationships
● Peer~Ass&Participation
 ● Ass&Par~Mid-term
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Conclusion of Findings of
Significant Negative Relationships
Consistent findings from the three cohort studies
confirm the fact that there were significant
negative relationships
●among peer assessment, assignment and
classroom participation and
● between midterm test results and peer
assessment
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Recommendations
 For Classroom Practice
1. Midterm test and peer
assessment may not work very
well together. The former is for
formal learning and assessing
while the latter is for an informal
and on-going process in which
learners help, participate
together rather than depending
on teacher assessment. One
may be sacrificed for the
reliability and validity of the
other teaching-learning process.
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Recommendations (cont.)
 2. Grades from peer assessment are derived from
learners grading one another while classroom
assignment grades are from teacher’s grading and
students’ consistency in submitting their works.
Peer assessment seems not to be related to
regular teacher assessment of student
assignments. The use of the two assessment
methods together may balance out biased grading
either by the teacher or by the students .
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References and Further Readings
 Bernat, E. (2005). “Beliefs about language learning: Current
knowledge, pedagogical implications and new
research
directions”, TESL-EJ:Teaching of English as a
Second or
Foreign Language. June 2005, vol. 9, no. 1.
 Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
 Dusek, J. B., & Flaherty, J. F. The development of self-concept
during
the adolescent years. Monographs of the Society
for Research in Child Development,46, (4, Serial No.191).
Gerdes, H. & Mallinckrodt, B. (1994).Emotional, social and academic
adjustment of college students: A longitudinal study of
retention. Journal of Counselling and Development. 72: 28
Hamachek, D. (1995), Psychology in teaching, learning and
growth. (5 th. Ed). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
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References (Cont.)
House, J.D. (1993). The relationship between academic selfconcept and school withdrawal. The Journal of Social
Psychology. 133:11, 125-127
Loeb, R.C. & Magee, P.M. (1992), Changes in attitudes and
self-perceptions during the first two years of college. J
ournal of College
Student Development, 33,
348-355.
Stevick, E.W. (1983). Teaching languages: A
way
and
ways. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Van Lier. L (2004). The Ecology of Language Learning.
Monterey Institute of International Studies Paper
presented at the UC Language Consortium Conference
on Theoretical and Pedagogical Perspectives
March 26-28, 2004. (http://uccllt.ucdavis.edu/leo.cfm)
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