Interrelationships among language learning aptitude, attitude and achievement in learning English as a foreign language of Thammasat University freshmen

Abstract

To examine the interrelationships among language aptitude, attitude, GPA and achievement in learning English as a foreign language of Thammasat University freshmen. The questionnaire measuring attitude toward learning a foreign language, originally designed by Gardner & Lambert, was adapted and translated into Thai, then tried out with 49 Chulalongkorn University freshmen for the purpose of revision. After revision, the questionnaire was administered to 50 Thammasat University freshmen to estimate the internal consistency. -Through application of Cronbach's alpha coefficient, the reliability coefficient found was .783. Later, the revised questionnaire along with the Thai Language Aptitude Test Form A were administered to 175 randomly selected Thammasat University freshmen who were enrolled in three different fundamental English courses. The data obtained from the questionnaire and the aptitude test together with the students' GPA for the first semester were statistically analysed, using the SPSS computer program of Chulalongkorn University Computer Service Institute. English achievement scores obtained from the mid-term and final English exams given by the university served as the criterion measure. By applying Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple regression analysis, it was found that : 1. The student’s overall language aptitude was significantly related to achievement in English. (r xy = .238, p<.01) 2. The student attitude toward learning English as a foreign language was significantly related to achievement in English, (r xy = .180, p< .05) 3. The student GPA for the first semester was very significantly related to achievement in English. (r xy = .415, p<.001) 4. The student language aptitude, attitude toward learning English as a foreign language, and GPA were significantly related to achievement in English, and could significantly predict achievement in English. (R²=.248, p<.01) 5. The interrelationships among the attitudinal and English achievement variables were between r xy =.165 - .711, p<.05 - .001. 6. The three predictor variables: aptitude, attitude and GPA in combination could explain approximately 25% of the variance in English achievement. GPA was the best single predictor of the English variance, with the numerical perception subpart of aptitude and attitude ranking second and third respectively.