台灣大學生英語學習信念以及英語課堂參與行為初探

A Pilot Study on Taiwanese College Students' Beliefs about Learning English and Participation Behaviors in English Class

本研究為一初探性研究，探討台灣大學生的英語學習信念與他們英語課堂參與行為之間的關係。參與社會互動被視為語言發展的關鍵。然而，一般常見的是，許多台灣學生在其英語課堂上卻習於保持沉默。文獻曾指出，學生的語言學習行為與其語言學習信念有關。因此，本研究提出一項假設，認為台灣學生的英語課堂參與行為與其英語學習信念之間也存在著某種關聯。本研究採用問卷調查的方式，並使用修改過的「語言學習信念量表」（Horwitz，1987年），檢視了在中台灣一所科技大學裡，182名學生的英語學習信念。除此之外，本研究亦設計了「課堂互動量表」，用來探討該學生所感知的英語課堂互動模式，以及他們與同儕、與教師在英語課堂上的互動情形。主成分分析和多元迴歸分析被用來進行資料分析。因素分析結果指出，經過修改後的「語言學習信念量表」裡共有十項英語學習信念因子；而「課堂互動量表」裡含有九項相關結構。多元迴歸分析的結果顯示，學生的英語學習信念和他們英語課堂的參與行為呈現正相關之關聯。此外，在預測學生參與英語課的課堂互動情形時，其英語學習自我效能信念是一個較好的預測指標。

This study serves as a pilot study to examine the relationship between Taiwanese college students' beliefs about learning English and their participation behaviors in English class. Participation in social interactions is considered the key to language development. However, it is more than common that many Taiwanese students remain reticent in their English class. Literature has suggested that students' language learning behaviors are linked to their beliefs about language learning. Therefore, in this study, it was hypothesized that Taiwanese students' participation behaviors in English class are associated with their beliefs about learning English.Using a survey method with a modified Beliefs "About Language Learning Inventory" (BALLI) (Horwitz, 1987), this study examined the beliefs held by 182 students who were enrolled in a university of technology in central Taiwan. Another instrument, Classroom Interaction Inventory (CII), was devised to explore the interaction patterns perceived by the students as well as the students' engagement in verbal interactions with their peers and instructor in English class.Principal component analysis and multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis. A total of 10 belief factors in the modified BALLI and nine dimensions underlying the CII were identified after the factor analysis. The results of multiple regression analysis suggested a positive relationship between the students' beliefs and their participation behaviors in English class. In addition, the students' "self-efficacy beliefs about learning and specking English" appeared to be a better predictor of the students' engagement in classroom interactions.