A Study on English Anxiety of Taiwanese Preschool Children

• Main Authors: Pei-yi Cheng, 鄭佩宜
• Other Authors: Lichun Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/75619096144042603225

碩士 === 國立臺南大學 === 幼兒教育學系碩士班 === 99 === The purpose of this study was to investigate (a) preschool children’s English anxiety and parental expectations, (b) the impact of different background variables on English anxiety, (c) the relationship among parental expectations in young children’s English learning, English achievement, and English anxiety. The research subjects were 203 preschool children from three different English programs in Tainan and Kaohsiung city. The instruments included the English Anxiety Scale for Young Children, Parental English Expectation Questionnaire, and the Kindergarten International Tests of English, KITE test. This research was conducted using the purposive sampling method. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, and Pearson Correlation. The findings were summarized as follows: (a) The preschool children’s English anxiety was obviously low, and the result was consistent with the hypothesis stating that “The preschool children have low affective filter”. (b) Parents generally held a high expectation of their children’s English learning. (c) Preschool children with different ages and sexes revealed no significant differences on English anxiety levels. (d) The group of children whose parents would talk in English with them had a significantly lower level of English anxiety than the group whose parents would not talk in English with them. (e) There was a significant difference among different English-programmed groups in terms of their English anxiety levels. (f) Preschool children’s English anxiety was not correlated with their parents’ expectations of their English learning. (g) Parental expectations were positively correlated with children’s English achievement. (h) English anxiety was negatively correlated with English learning achievement.