AFFECTIVE VARIABLES AND

COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE PRACTICES OF ELEMENTARY

STUDENTS

Maria Bella R. Alvarez University of Mindanao

Davao City, Philippines

RATIONALEStudents are not really learning to use the language in their language class. ( Yalden, 1981)Students failed to achieve satisfactory level of competence in English despite learning the language for several years. (Choudhury, 2006)

There is lack in communication skills as far as English language is concerned. (Adolfo, 2011)

Teachers end up disappointed with the students’ participation in their language classes in activities like games, role-play and problem-solving tasks.

ANCHOR THEORYThis study was anchored on the argument of

Gardner and Lambert (1959) that affective variables including anxiety, attitude and motivation could significantly influence the language learning process.

CONCEPTUAL PARADIGM

Affective Variables

AnxietyAttitude

Motivation

Communicative Language Practices

GamesRole Play

Problem- Solving Tasks

METHODOLOGYResearch design :

DESCRIPTIVE-CORRELATIONALResearch respondents:

325 GRADE SIX STUDENTS OF COMPOSTELA DISTRICT,DIVISION OF COMPOSTELA VALLEY

Research instruments: ADAPTED QUESTIONNAIRES

Data gathering procedure: 1.asking permission 2.distribution & retrieval of questionnaires 3. Collation and tabulation of data

Data analysis tools: MeanPearson r

First Problem: What is the level of affective

variables of the grade six pupils in terms of the following indicators:

1.1 anxiety 1.2 attitude

1.3 motivation ?

Level of Affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils in terms of Anxiety

Item SD Mean Descriptive level

1.Feeling frightened when cannot understand what the teacher is saying in the English class 1.18 3.08 Moderate

2.Forgetting things when gets really nervous 1.25 3.43 Moderate

3.Feeling more tensed and nervous in English class than other classes 1.24 2.90 Moderate

4.Heart pounds when called to recite1.21 3.44 Moderate

5.Being afraid that other students will laugh when speaking in English 1.26 3.24 Moderate

Overall0.74 3.22 Moderate

1.1 ANXIETY

1.Hearts pounding when they are called to recite ( M-3.44, moderate)

2.Forgetting things when they get nervous (M-3.43, moderate)

3. Being afraid that other students will laugh when speaking in English (M-3.24, moderate)

4. Feeling frightened when having difficulty understanding the teacher’s words during the class

(M-3.08, moderate)5.Feeling more tensed and nervous in their English class than

other subjects (M-2.90, moderate)

Level of Affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils in terms of Attitude

Item SD Mean Descriptive Level

1.Being a good English language learner 1.03 3.21 Moderate

2.Having high English language learning aptitude 1.00 3.03 Moderate

3.Having ideas about how to go about learning the English language 0.93 3.49 Moderate

4.Not worrying a lot about making mistakes in speaking English language

1.26 3.12 Moderate

5.Able to do impersonations of famous people 1.13 2.72 Moderate

Overall 0.64 3.12 Moderate

1.2 Attitude

1. Having ideas about how to deal with learning the English language (M-3.49, moderate)

2.Being good English language learner (M-3.21, moderate)

3.Not worrying a lot about committing mistakes in speaking the English language (M-3.12, moderate)

4. Having high aptitude in the English language (M-3.03, moderate)

5.Able to impersonate famous people (M-2.72, moderate)

Level of Affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils in terms of Motivation

Item SD Mean Descriptive Level

1.Thinking that English is important 0.95 4.32 High

2.Thinking one can win parents’ praise and classmates’ admiration if English is learned well

1.06 3.77 High

3.Likes to learn more about English 1.08 4.04 High

4.Being happy in English class 0.99 3.82 High

5.Volunteering to answer the teacher’s questions in class 1.04 3.43 Moderate

Overall 0.67 3.88 High

1.3 Motivation

1.Thinking that English is important (M-4.32, high)2.Likes to learn more about English (M- 4.04, high)3. Being happy in English class (M-3.82, high)4. Thinking one can win parents’ praise and classmates’ admiration if English is learned

well ( M- 3.77, high)5. Volunteering to answer the teacher’s questions

in class (M- 3.43, moderate)

Summary on the level of Affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils

Item SD Mean Descriptive level

Anxiety 0.74 3.22 Moderate

Attitude 0.64 3.12 Moderate

Motivation 0.67 3.88 High

Overall 0.43 3.41 Moderate

Conclusion: The level of Affective Variables of Grade Six pupils is sometimes manifested in learning

the English language.

Second ProblemWhat is the level of the Grade Six pupils communicative language

practices in terms of the following indicators:

2.1 Games 2.2 Role Play

2.3 Problem Solving Tasks?

Level of communicative language practices in terms of games

Item SD Mean Descriptive Level

1. Aiming to do better when playing games

1.11 3.47 Moderate

2.Wanting to show that one is better than other children

1.20 3.41 Moderate

3.Wanting to be better than other children 1.19 3.43 Moderate

4.Wanting other children to think that one is good at the game

1.11 3.60 High

5.Wanting the teacher to think that one is smarter than other children

1.26 3.27 Moderate

Overall 0.83 3.42 Moderate

2.1 Games1. Wanting other children to think that one is good at

the game (M- 3.60, high)

2. Aiming to do better when playing games (M- 3.47,moderate)

3.Wanting to show that one is better than other children

(M- 3.43,moderate)4.Wanting the teacher to think that one is smarter than

other children

(M-3.41, moderate)5.Wanting to show that one is better than other children

( M-3.27, moderate)

Level of Communicative Language Practices of Grade Six Pupilsin terms of Role Playing

Item SD Mean Descriptive level

1.Enjoying role-playing objects 1.07 3.97 High

2.Preferring to do projects that include role-playing activity 1.15 3.47 Moderate

3.Role playing helps in remembering information 1.18 3.30 Moderate

4.Enjoying working with others during role-playing projects 1.18 3.78 High

5.Preferring hands-on activities compared to lecture or rote learning. 1.16 3.32 Moderate

Overall 0.67 3.57 High

2.2 Role Playing1. Enjoying role-playing objects(M-3.97, High)2.Enjoying working with others during role-

playing projects(M- 1.18,High)3.Preferring to do projects that include role

playing activity(M-3.47, Moderate)4. Preferring hands-on activities compared to

lecture or rote learning(M-3.32, Moderate)5.Role Playing helps in remembering

information(M-3.30, Moderate)

Level of Communicative Language Practices of Grade Six Pupilsin terms of Problem-Solving Tasks

Item SD Mean Descriptive level

1.Discussing ideas in class 1.17 3.01 Moderate

2.Giving opinions during class discussions 1.12 3.07 Moderate

3.Asking questions to the teacher 1.22 2.88 Moderate

4.Using ideas and suggestions during discussions. 1.22 2.83 Moderate

5.Being asked to explain how one solves problems. 1.22 3.04 Moderate

Overall 0.85 2.96 Moderate

2.3 Problem-Solving Tasks1.Giving opinions during class discussions(M-3.07, Moderate)2.Being asked to explain how one solves

problems (M-3.04, Moderate)3. Discussing ideas in class(M-3.01, Moderate)4. Asking questions to the teacher(M-2.88, Moderate)5. Using ideas and suggestions during

discussions(M-2.83, Moderate)

Summary on the level of Communicative Language Practices of Grade Six Pupils

Item SD Mean Descriptive Level

Games 0.83 3.43 Moderate

Role-Playing 0.67 3.57 High

Problem-Solving Tasks 0.85 2.96 Moderate

Overall 0.53 3.32 Moderate

ConclusionThe level of Communicative Language Practices of grade

six pupils in learning the English Language is applied sometimes.

Significance on the Relationship between Affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils and their Communicative language practice

Affective Variables

Communicative Language Practices

GamesRole

PlayingProblem-Solving Overall

Anxiety.045

(.000).022

(.687)-.222*(.000)

-.085(.125)

Attitudes .217*(.000)

.228*(.000)

.211*(.000)

.320*(.000)

Motivation .282*(.000)

.371*(.000)

.155*(.005)

.383*(.000)

Overall .278*(.000)

.317*(.000)

.059(.293)

.308*(.000)

*significant at .05 significance level

Significance on the Relationship between affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils and their

Communicative Language practice

Highest correlation Between Motivation & Overall Communicative language practice

(r-value of 0.308, sig at 0.125)

Lowest CorrelationBetween Anxiety and problem-Solving Tasks

(r-value of -0.222, sig at 0.00)

Significance on the Relationship between affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils and their Communicative

Language practice• Attitudes and Games

(r-value =0.217,sig 0.00)• Attitudes and Role Playing

(r-value=0.228,sig 0.00)• Attitudes and Problem –Solving Tasks

(r-value=0.211, sig. 0.00)• Attitudes and Overall Communicative Language

Practice (r-value=0.320, sig 0.00)

Significance on the Relationship between affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils and their Communicative Language practice

• Motivation and Games ( r-value=0.282, sig 0.00)

• Motivation and Role Playing (r-value=0.371,sig 0.00)

• Motivation and Problem-Solving Tasks (r-value=0.155,sig 0.005)

Significance on the Relationship between affective Variables of Grade Six Pupils and their Communicative

Language practice

• Affective Variables and Games (r-value=0.278, sig 0.00)

• Overall Affective Variables and Role Playing (r-value=0.317,sig 0.00)

ConclusionThere is a significant relationship between Affective Variables and Communicative Language Practices of grade six pupils in learning the English language.

Significance on the Influence Affective variables of Grade Six Pupils on their Communicative Language

PracticeAffective Variables significantly influence the

Communicative Language practices of students (r² of 0.191, SE of .48569) thus significant at 0.00

The result indicates that a combined percent of influence is 19% with an F-ratio of 25.209.

Anxiety is found to be the predictor of communicative language practices.

ConclusionAffective Variables significantly influence Grade Six Pupils’ communicative language practices and vice versa.

Recommendation

1. Department of Education officials should strengthen the training of teachers professional development that focused on boosting students’ self-confidence and motivation in learning the English language.

School Administrators may plan ways to

procure instructional materials to help students develop interest, enhance their learning and increase their level of English competency.

Recommendation2.Teachers may recognize students’ positive attitude

in the class to enhance their self-esteem and eventually become intrinsically motivated not only inside the classroom but also in the real-life situations. They must help and encourage their students in overcoming their affective weaknesses by engaging the students in communicative activities to improve their exposure level.

Teachers should continue to design curriculum and interventions that will clearly establish the strong relationship between affective variables and communicative language practices.

•

Recommendation3.Students should explore their affective variables

through communicative language practices so they will be competent in using the English language. They may continue doing desirable attitude related to English language activities to maintain or improve their communicative language skill.

4. Since the influence of both variables to each other is only 19%, researchers should conduct investigations relevant to the study to explore the 81% of the variables that are not identified in the study.

Thank you!