EFL Immersion Experiences for Successful Learning Outcomes
Olga Chaves Carballo, Ph.D.
Full professor
School of Literature and Language Sciences
Universidad Nacional
Abstract:
In light of this deep-rooted belief in holistic education, the purpose of this
exploratory study is to investigate which are the freshman and senior learners’
successful EFL immersion experiences as well as their abilities, intrinsic motivation
and potentiality for achieving high learning outcomes in English. The participants
of this study were 22 Costa Rican freshman students from the English major and
28 senior students from the English teaching major at Universidad Nacional, during
the second semester of 2015. Among the results drawn by the questionnaire, the
main abilities, skills and factors that help both group of students accomplish their
academic goals are responsibility, time organization, desire to learn English,
motivation, team-working, critical thinking, family support, commitment, patience
and effort. Students also use a great variety of interactive activities and their
potentiality to learn English with the support of affective feedback and classroom
management of their professors. In fact, EFL immersion experiences in a holistic
environment enhance student academic success.
Key words: EFL immersion experiences, factors for academic success, freshman
and senior students
1
Resumen:
A la luz de del paradigma holístico, el propósito de este estudio exploratorio
es investigar dos grupos de aprendientes, sus experiencias para aprender el inglés,
habilidades, motivación intrínseca y su potencial que contribuyen a su éxito
estudiantil. Los participantes fueron 22 estudiantes de primer ingreso del
Bachillerato en Inglés y 28 estudiantes de cuarto nivel del Bachillerato en la
Enseñanza del Inglés en la Universidad Nacional durante el primer ciclo lectivo del
año 2015. Los resultados del cuestionario utilizado muestran que las habilidades,
destrezas y factores que ayudan a ambos grupos de estudiantes a alcanzar sus
metas académicas incluyen la responsabilidad, la organización del tiempo, el
deseo para aprender inglés, la motivación, el trabajo de grupo, el pensamiento
crítico, el apoyo de su familia, su compromiso, paciencia y esfuerzo.
Los
estudiantes también utilizan una gran variedad de actividades interactivas y su
potencial para aprender el inglés junto con el apoyo de realimentación afectiva y el
manejo de la clase de sus profesores. Evidentemente, las experiencias de
aprendizaje en un entorno holístico acrecientan el éxito académico de los
estudiantes.
Palabras claves: Experiencias de inmersión en inglés como lengua extranjera,
factores para el éxito académico, estudiantes de primer ingreso y cuarto nivel de la
carrera.
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Introduction
EFL educators are always looking forward to enhancing students’ success in
foreign language learning and, in general, in college life as researched by Chaves
and Villalobos (2010), Downing (2005), and Liu (2014). For successful EFL
immersion experiences and reassuring learning outcomes, educators should
support students with motivation, learning strategies and advice to keep their
interest in learning English. For the purpose of this research, immersion experience
in the Costa Rican context means that students make use of all the resources,
activities and opportunities that they can, in order to learn the language. As nonnative speakers, students need to take advantage of the encounters they find
online, at school and out of class to practice English and to encourage themselves
to become proficient in the target language.
When teachers nurture with care, understanding and passion for teaching,
students can enthusiastically improve their motivation, skills, and potentiality for
learning. In light of this deep-rooted belief in holistic education, the purpose of this
exploratory study is to investigate which are the freshman and senior learners’
successful EFL immersion experiences as well as their abilities, intrinsic motivation
and potentiality for achieving high learning outcomes in English. The objectives of
this research are to:
1. Analyze the main EFL immersion experiences that contribute to students’
successful outcomes.
2. Describe college students’ traits that help them achieve success in their
learning process.
3. Name the main abilities and skills that help students accomplish their
academic goals.
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4. Describe the factors that reinforce students’ achievement and motivation to
learn English.
5. Describe professors’ encouragement that contributes to students’ academic
achievement.
As an educator who always inspires and motivates students to find a purpose in
their lives as good professionals, I believe that we should strengthen their
values, beliefs and love for learning.
Review of literature
Researchers on the field of foreign language acquisition agree on the fact
that EFL students’ academic success depends on their language immersion in the
English classrooms. Yi (2014) discusses how to arouse students’ potentialities in
learning English by motivation and attitude. Motivation drives students towards a
desired goal, while attitude shapes students’ perceptions of the curriculum, peers,
as well as the teacher. Likewise, Moore and Casillas (2015) point out that the key
to an enjoyable experience in language learning is the direct involvement of the
student. They emphasize that the teacher’s job is to motivate everyone to
participate in all the activities organized in class. Students’ increased level of
interest and motivation will reward teachers for the additional time and energy they
spend in planning student involvement.
Having intrinsically motivated students in a language class in college is one
of the ultimate rewards for those teachers whose main goal is to support students’
academic achievement. Second language professors are constantly looking for
new ways to improve learners’ performance for both personal and professional
goals. In the holistic paradigm, we educators develop students’ potential for
4
learning. Those students who feel accepted, integrated in a group and encouraged
perform with full potential to achieve academic objectives.
Downing (2005: p. 11-12) describes eight choices of successful students:
personal
responsibility,
self-motivation,
self-management,
self-awareness,
interdependence, lifelong learning, emotional intelligence, and belief in themselves.
Career success includes hard skills (the knowledge needed to perform a particular
job) and soft skills (taking responsibility, making effective decisions, setting goals,
managing time, prioritizing tasks, persevering, giving strong efforts, working well in
teams, communication effectively, having empathy, knowing how to learn,
exhibiting self-control, and believing in one’s own self-worth).
According to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development,
(OECOD) (2007), the brain is continually changing and developing throughout life.
Neuroscientists have well established that the brain has a highly robust and welldeveloped capacity to change in response to environmental demands, “a process
called plasticity which involves creating and strengthening some neuronal
connections and weakening or eliminating others” (p.13). By conditioning our
minds and bodies correctly, it is possible to take advantage of the brain’s potential
for plasticity and to facilitate the learning process. This also calls for “holistic
approaches which recognize the close interdependence of physical and intellectual
well-being and the close interplay of the emotional and cognitive” (p.14).
Concerning positive emotions, one of most powerful trigger that motivates people
to learn is the illumination that comes with the grasp of new concepts – the brain
responds very well to this. It is paramount for educators to believe that all students
5
are able to learn since learners already possess their brain power to achieve
crucial goals.
Managing one’s emotions is one of the key skills of being an effective
learner; self-regulation is one of the most important behavioral and emotional skills
that people need in their social environments. Emotions direct (or disrupt)
psychological processes, such as the ability to focus attention, solve problems, and
support relationships. Moreover, according to Claxton (2015), the five attributes
that are crucial for success in the 21st century that students should possess
include a love of reading, the inclination to design their own learning, the capacity
to think on their feet, the strength to control attention, and the disposition to
question knowledge claims. Thus, it is not only essential for the student to be
emerged in an environment that provides all the facilities for him/her to become a
professional, but he/she also needs to have the correct and enough motivation and
attitude to achieve a good performance and be considered a successful person.
Methodology
The methodology used in this study was exploratory research; two different
groups of students from Universidad Nacional were the participants of the study; a
questionnaire designed by the researcher to collect the information for the
objectives stated above.
Data collected and analyzed by the Accreditation
Commission were also input to this research.
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Participants
The participants of this study were two groups of two different majors. The
first group was 22 Costa Rican freshman students whose ages ranged between 18
to early 20s from the English major. The second group was 28 senior students in
their middle twenties, from the English teaching major at Universidad Nacional,
Heredia. This major has been accredited by the National Accreditation Service of
Costa Rica (SINAES) since 2006.
Several studies have been conducted to
measure quality assurance and commitment of the educators involved in the
process to teach future teachers their skills, attitudes and competences to be well
prepared for the challenges of this globalized world.
The researcher is the
Coordinator of Commission and has conducted some research related to this topic.
1. Instrument
A questionnaire designed by the researcher was the instrument used to
collect data (appendix #1). It was composed of 10 open questions and applied in
the classrooms since students usually do not answer questionnaires online. It was
administered to the participants at the end of II cycle of the year 2015. In order to
elicit straightforward, truthful answers, the respondents were assured that their
responses would remain anonymous.
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Results and analysis:
Among the results drawn by the questionnaire, freshman and senior
students share some traits, skills, factors and perspectives about their academic
environment that contribute to their success. First of all, the following tables show
that freshman students feel that being responsible, studious, and enthusiastic in
their studies help them achieve their main goals in college. In addition, freshman
students recognize the importance of being disciplined and focused on their
studies. Since senior students are more mature, they contemplate self-taught as
paramount for their future career. In this concern, college students from UNA share
similar traits since they are aware that success comes with effort and dedication.
Table 1 : Freshmen’s Important Traits
Responsibility
Dedication
Optimism
Enthusiasm
Hard work
Discipline
Perseverance
Love for my
major
Total
Absolute
Value
4
4
3
3
3
2
2
Relative
Value
18.18
18.18
13.64
13.64
13.64
9.09
9.09
1
4.55
22
100.00
Table 1 : Seniors’ Important Traits
Absolute Relative
Value
Value
Hard work and self-taught
8
28.57
Responsibility and perseverance
7
25.00
Positive attitudes towards learning
5
17.86
Motivation
4
14.29
Creativity
2
7.14
A good listener
1
3.57
Love towards teaching
1
3.57
Total
28
100.00
Source: Own creation with the answers from questionnaire applied to freshman and senior students
Likewise, some factors that contribute to their success are represented on
table 2 freshman students say that they need organization of time, support from
their family, commitment, patience and effort. They depend on a great variety of
intrinsic factors as extrinsic like family and professors’ support while seniors
consider that motivation and skills as critical thinking, hard work, time management
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are part of their success. This result is coherent with previous studies conducted
by the researcher and others. Essentially, motivation is an inside state that incites
the desire for a goal and sustains their efforts in a particular direction. “From the
perspective of English learning, motivation entails not only a rigorous desire for
acquiring English, but also an inside cause that provides the enthusiasm and
willingness students need to learn English (Mao, 2011). According to Lennartsson
(2008), students with energetic learning motivation often take a positive attitude
towards learning, and most importantly, put in a great deal of effort in becoming
proficient at English with a clear goal and a strong desire for learning.
Table 2: Freshmen’s and Seniors´ Main Factors for Academic Success
Desire to learn
Absolute Relative
Value
Value
5
22.73
Time management
4
18.18
Family support
2
9.09
Commitment
2
9.09
Patience
Good guidelines from
professors
Persistence
Previous language
experience
Memory
The help of my
classmates
Responsibility
2
9.09
2
9.09
1
4.55
1
4.55
1
4.55
1
4.55
1
4.55
Total
22
100.00
Motivation
Class Activities
Effort and confidence
Critical thinking
Time management
Hard work
Family support
Scholarship
Good professors
Total
Absolute Relative
Value
Value
10
35.71
3
10.71
3
10.71
2
7.14
2
7.14
2
7.14
2
7.14
2
7.14
2
7.14
28
100.00
Source: Own creation with the answers from questionnaire applied to freshman and senior students
These factors correspond with Downing’s (2005) choices of successful
students since he points out that students accept self-responsibility (seeing
9
themselves as the primary cause of their outcomes and experiences) and discover
self-motivation (finding purpose in their lives by discovering personally meaningful
goals and dreams). Moreover, these students show to have the soft skills needed
to succeed at school as indicated by Downing (2005). In this concern, freshmen
say that they give the best of their skills and abilities (14)1; similarly, they value
responsibility (5), desire to learn, hard work (3), good team-work, discipline, desire
to succeed in life, concentration, and doing everything by themselves on time (2)
while seniors have language skills (13) (including listening, reading, writing,
speaking, monitoring) responsibility (7), time organization (5), the desire to learn
English (4), motivation, critical thinking, interest (3), creativity, flexibility, leadership
(2), among others. These results show that these learners are driven by their
intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation to learn English and to become
professionals in a very close future.
Table 3: Freshmen and Seniors' Motivation to Study English
Absolute
Value
Relative
Value
4
18.18
4
18.18
Being a successful person
4
18.18
Learning how to communicate
Passion about languages,
literature and culture
Family
3
13.64
3
13.64
2
9.09
New opportunities
2
9.09
Total
22
100.00
Improving my knowledge of
English
Having a better job
Teaching
They like
English
Better job
opportunities
Communicating
with other people
Total
Relative Absolute
Value
Value
12
42.86
9
32.14
4
14.29
3
10.71
28
100.00
Source: Own creation with the answers from questionnaire applied to freshman and senior students
1
The number in parenthesis indicate the times named by students, not the number of students
10
As a researcher and educator, I believe that students need to be challenged
and guided to use their brainpower and potential to learn foreign languages. In this
respect, freshmen point out that they boost their potentiality by practicing English
with native speakers or other people, listening to music, watching movies and TV
series with subtitles (10), writing and reading (8), studying (2), working on
assignments, thinking in English, playing video games, chatting in chat rooms in
English, and looking for help. Similarly, seniors prefer using the media (e.g. music,
videos, sitcoms, movies, documentaries) (17), practicing outside the class (9),
reading in the language (10), and thinking in English (3).
As a result, senior
students demonstrate their proficiency level of English by taking the Test of English
for International Communication (TOEIC) which is an English language test
designed specifically to measure the everyday English skills of those people who
want to work in an international environment. Its questions are based on real-life
work settings like meetings, travel, telephone conversations and the like; it tests
listening, speaking, reading and writing. These skills are evaluated in a set of six
Common Reference Levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) according to the Common
European
Framework
of
Reference
for Languages:
Learning,
Teaching,
Assessment (CEFR), a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of
foreign languages across Europe and other countries.
Table 4: TOEIC Results
Year
C1
B2
2013
Number of
students
26
13
12
2014
15
13
2
2015
29
24
5
Source: Senior students, Accreditation Commission, UNA, Dec. 2015
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These results indicate that students graduate with the corresponding level
expected for an EFL teacher who would apply for a job in schools run by the
Ministry of Public Education in Costa Rica.
In relation to professors’ most important traits, freshman students mainly
appreciate patience (8) and kindness (3), their manner and commitment, passion
about their work advice, sharing knowledge, giving their best, accessibility,
interactive learning, confidence, and methodology.
Equally, seniors value from
professors respectful feedback (9), high level of English and willingness to teach
(4), care about their human inside (3), strict, organized but comprehensive traits (2)
and a combination of toughness and patience (2).
Table 5: Professor’s Encouragement
Activities and practice
Giving feedback
Motivation
Telling them about the importance
of learning other languages
Giving helpful advice
Monitoring deeply them difficulties
Watching videos
Repeating words (pronunciation)
Telling them that practice is the key
By giving them future views of
themselves
Awareness about their development
Demonstrating commitment,
happiness
Good attitudes
Others
Total
Absolute Relative
Value
Value
4
18.18
2
9.09
2
9.09
1
4.55
1
1
1
1
1
4.55
4.55
4.55
4.55
4.55
1
4.55
1
4.55
1
4.55
1
4
22
4.55
18.18
100.00
Relative Absolute
Value
Value
They do not have
to do it.
Effective feedback
Interactive classes
Challenging
students
Their attitude
toward learning
Adjusting the
class program to
our needs
Total
10
35.71
8
5
28.57
17.86
3
10.71
1
3.57
1
3.57
28
100.00
Source: Own creation with the answers from questionnaire #1 applied to freshman and senior
students.
12
Seniors feel themselves learners that are more independent; as a result,
they express that they do not need too much encouragement from professors.
This is in a way very positive since they learn to become more autonomous
learners who value more motivating feedback and challenging lessons.
Professors’ activities for freshman students include talking with classmates,
giving speeches and presentations (7) watching videos, looking for articles and
reading books, speaking and listening activities (5) writing (4) games activities in
groups(3) assignments (2) role plays and debates (1). Similarly, seniors like
interaction activities (forum, discussion, workshops, debates, role plays, oral
presentations, group work) (14), critical thinking activities, articles, videos (4), and
positive feedback (2). Since these activities are very interactive, diverse and
motivating, students develop their English proficiency level effectively to become
proficient speakers of the target language.
Conclusion:
Students tend to have very favorable outcomes when educators believe in
the capacities that boost their academic outcome. This study demonstrates that
students are aware of their own traits that are very positive when learning a foreign
language since their personality and values help them develop their skills and
attitude to commit themselves to academic success, goal achievement, and career
enjoyment. Moreover, learners have identified factors like responsibility, dedication,
hard work and positive attitude, which are in accordance with the ones already
researched by other authors. Likewise, the skills, similar to traits, mentioned by
13
students contribute to second language acquisition; first of all, data show that
students know their capacity to learn, they are motivated, and they have
achievable goals.
They want to learn English for their future jobs and their own
interests. Learners nowadays are equipped with multitasking skills and skills to
learn English as a foreign language. They have been exposed to a great variety of
tools, web sources, learning experiences, as well as other personal strategies to
learn English.
Students also appreciate professors’ encouragement as positive feedback,
activities, advice and motivation. Seniors do not need much of this reassurance
since they are more autonomous learners who want to accomplish their goals on
their own. Meanwhile, freshman students appreciate more the holistic methods of
the professor due to their need to be advised, inspired, and motivated. In order to
achieve their objectives, professors mediate their lessons with more studentcentered learning activities, interactive tasks and authentic learning opportunities to
inspire and engage students, increase student motivation and enhance learning
experiences.
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References
Chaves, O. and Villalobos, N. (2010). Factors Contributing with the
Academic Performance of BEI Learners. LETRAS: nº 47, mes enero-junio. ISSN
1409-424X.Escuela de Literatura y Ciencias del Lenguaje; Universidad Nacional.
Claxton, G. (2015, September 30). 5 attributes that are crucial for success in
the 21st century. World Economic Forum. Retrieved from
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/09/5-attributes-that-are-crucial-for-successin-the-21st-century/?utm_content=bufferb54d9&utm_medium=social&utm_
source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer.
Downing, S. (2005). On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College
and in life. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. print.
Freeman, D. and Richards, J. Eds. (1996). Teacher learning in language
teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press. Print.
Ghanizadeh, A. and Moafian, F. (2009). The role of EFL teachers’ emotional
intelligence in their success. ELT Journal Advance Access. Oxford University
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http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/search?fulltext=academic+success
Life, J. (set. 2011). Motivation and EFL University Students in North-East
Asia. The Asian EFL Journal Quarterly. Vol. 13. Issue 3. p. 11-41. Retrieved from
http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/PDF/September-2011.pdf.
Lennartsson, F. (2008). Students’ motivation and attitudes towards learning
a second language - British and Swedish students’ points of view. Retrieved from
http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:206523/fulltext01.pdf.
Moore, M. and Casillas, K. (2015). Motivating Students to Study a Foreign
Language. Retrieve from
https://www.bjupress.com/resources/articles/t2t/motivating-students-to-study-aforeign-language.php.
MyCollegeSuccessStory.com: Empowering Academic, College, and Career
Success. (s.a). Key Study Skills Tools to Achieve Academic Success. Retrieved
from http://www.mycollegesuccessstory.com/success-stories/.
Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development. (2007).
Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science. Paris: SourceOECD,
Print or Web.
Saville-Troike, M. (2012). Introducing Second Language Acquisition. New
York: Cambridge University Press. Print.
Williams, M and Burden, R. (1999). Psicología para profesores de inglés:
Enfoque constructivista social. New York: Cambridge University Press. Print.
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Yi, L. (2014). Motivation and Attitude: Two Important Non-Intelligence
Factors to Arouse Students’ Potentialities in Learning English. Jingzhou, China:
Yangtze University. Retrieved from
http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=48779.
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Annex 1
Universidad Nacional
Facultad de Filosofía y letras
Escuela de Literatura y Ciencias de Lenguaje
The following survey intends to collect information on Students’ Potentiality for EFL
Learning Outcomes.
I appreciate your collaboration in completing the following
anonymous questionnaire.
 Personal information
Gender:
Age:
Female
17-20 years old
Male
21-24 years old
25 or older
Answer the following questions.
1. Name your most important trait (characteristic) that makes you a good student.
____________________________________________________________
2. What is one of the main factors that contribute to your academic success?
____________________________________________________________
3. What are the main abilities and skills that help you accomplish your academic goals?
____________________________________________________________
4. What motivates you to study your major?
____________________________________________________________
5. How do you boost your potentiality to learn English?
____________________________________________________________
6. How do you exercise your brain to develop more learning capacity?
____________________________________________________________
7. How do professors encourage you to succeed in your studies?
____________________________________________________________
8. What is one of the most important traits that you appreciate from professors to help
you learn?
____________________________________________________________
9. What are some of the activities that your professors do to encourage your learning?
____________________________________________________________
10. What else can you do to continue developing your capacity for learning?
____________________________________________________________
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BIODATA
Olga Chaves-Carballo is a full professor and coordinator of the Accreditation Commission
at Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica. She holds a Ph.D in Education with Emphasis in
Pedagogical Mediation from the Universidad de la Salle, Costa Rica, a Master’s Degree in
Teaching English as a Second Language and Educational Administration from Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, USA. She’s been teaching for more than 30
years from primary school to higher education and she’s been a teacher trainer for el Plan
Nacional de Inglés CONARE-MEP for 5 years. Her main interests in research are topics
like: teacher education, accreditation in higher education, global education and teaching
language skills. Her work has been published in the Global Issues in Language Education
Newsletter from Japan, Linguagem e Ensino from Brazil and journals from Universidad
Nacional, University of Costa Rica, Instituto Tecnológico and Universidad Latinoamericana
de Ciencias y Tecnología. Her interests are volunteering, reading, writing, traveling,
dancing, learning Italian and Mandarin and practicing yoga.
18