Exploring the Relationship between Life Quality and Speaking Ability of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners
Subject Areas :Reza Biria 1 , nikoo farhadian 2
1 - Department of Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran
2 - The English Department, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University Khorasgan (Isfahan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran
Keywords: Physical factors, quality of life, Psychological factors, Environmental factors, Social Factors, Speaking Skill,
Abstract :
Despite its direct relevance to second/foreign language learning, quality of life has been a neglected area within Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research. The present study sought to investigate the relationship between quality of life factors and speaking skill as one of the most challenging parts of L2 learning. To this end, an adapted version of life quality questionnaire originally devised by the World Health Organization (WHO) was administered to 100 female intermediate Iranian EFL learners. In addition, 30 of the participants were randomly selected to take part in follow-up semi-structured interviews which asked why the respondents felt the way they reported. The analysis of data obtained from questionnaire and interviews revealed that although all the four domains of life quality namely physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains had impact on the speaking ability of the participants, a number of facets in physical and psychological domains were more influential. Furthermore, the statistical Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between life quality factors dominating learner’s success in speaking tasks. The findings of this study have implications for teacher educators and educational decision makers in bringing about higher levels of speaking ability and Quality Of Life (QOL) among English language learners.
Al-zboon, E., Fathi Ahmad, J., & Theeb, R. (2014). Life quality of students with disabilities attending Jordanian universities. International Journal of Special Education, 29 (3).
Arnold, J., & Brown, H. D. (1999). A map of the terrain. In J. Arnold (Ed.), Affect in Language Learning (pp. 1-24). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Baleghizadeh, S., & Gordani, Y. (2012). Motivation and Quality of Work Life among Secondary School EFL Teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 37(7).
Brown, G., & Yule, G. (1983). Teaching the spoken language. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Carhill, A., Suárez-Orozco, C., & Páez, M. (2008). Explaining English language proficiency among adolescent immigrant students. American Educational Research Journal, 45 (4), 1155-1179.
Csizér, K., & Dörnyei, Z. (2005). Language learners’ motivational profiles and their motivated learning behavior. Language Learning, 55, 613-659.
Dale, P. S., Harlaar, N., & Plomin, R. (2012). Nature and nurture in school-based second language achievement. Language Learning, 62 (2), 28-48.
Davis, E., Waters, E., Shelly, A., & Gold, L. (2008). Children and adolescents, measuring the quality of life of. In K. Heggenhougen & S. Quah (Vol. Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Public Health: Vol. 1. (pp. 641-648). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
De Jong, E. J. (2002). Effective bilingual education: From theory to academic achievement in a two-way bilingual program. Bilingual Research Journal, 26, 65-84.
EUROFOUND. (2012). Second European Quality of Life Survey Overview. Retrieved from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2012/64/en/1/EF1264EN.pdf
Feng, X. T. (2007). Research on quality of life: A review of studies in the past 30 years and inquiry on related issue. Social Science Studies, 6, 1-8.
Hicks, T., Herndon, M., Hitton, A., Atton, P., & Armstrong, V. (2013). Assessing Life Styles, Stressors and Health Status among a Predominantly African American On-Campus and Off-Campus Student Population. College Quarterly, 16(3).
Hinkel, E. (2006). Current perspectives on teaching the four skills. TESOL Quarterly, 40 (1), 109-131.
Hwang, S. N., & Tang, S. C. (2012). On the measurement of quality of life indicators. Journal of Environment and Management, 12 (2), 67-91.
Ibrahim, N. A., Björnsdottir, I., Alwan, A. S., & Honore, P. H. (2014). Insights about health- related quality of life in cancer patients indicate demands for better pharmaceutical care. Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice, 20 (4), 270-277.
JCCI. (2012). Quality of life Progress Report. Retrieved from http://jcci.org/quality-oflifereport.
Kitratporn, P., & Puncreobutr, V. (2016). Quality of work life and organizational climate of schools located along the Thai-Cambodian borders. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(11).
LeCompte, M., & J. Goetz. (1982). Problems of reliability and validity in ethnographic research. Review of Educational Research, 52, 1.
López, M. G., & Tashakkori, A. (2006). Differential outcomes of two bilingual education programs on English language learners. Bilingual Research Journal, 30, 123-145.
`Mantle-Bromley, C. (1995). Positive attitudes and realistic beliefs: Links to proficiency. The Modern Language Journal, 79 (3), 372-386.
Nunan, D. (1992). Research methods in language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Reese, L., Garnier, H., Gallimore, R., & Goldenberg, C. (2000). Longitudinal analysis of the antecedents of emergent Spanish literacy and middle-school English reading achievement of Spanish-speaking students. American Educational Research Journal, 37 (3), 522-633.
Samimy, K. K., & Rardin, J. P. (1994). Adult language learners’ affective reactions to community language learning: A descriptive study. Foreign Language Annals, 27, 1994.
Skevington, SM, Sartorius, N., Amir, M., & The WHOQOL-Group. (2004) Developing methods for assessing quality of life in different cultural settings: the history of the WHOQOL instruments. SocioPsychiatry PsychiatrEpidemiol, 39, 1- 8.
Takahashi, E. (1998). Language development in social interaction: A longitudinal study of a Japanese FLES program from a Vygotskyan approach. Foreign Language Annals, 31 (3), 1998.
WHO. (1998). WHOQOL user manual. Division of mental health and prevention of substance abuse, World Health Organization. Geneva, Switzerland.
WHOQOL Group. (1998). Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment. Psychological Medicine, 28, 551558.
Yang, H. G. (2016). Chinese College Students' Perceptions of Influence of Quality of Life on L2 Achievement. Asian EFL Journal, 94 (6), 23-55.