VIETNAMESE HIGH SCHOOL EFL LEARNERS’ LANGUAGE MINDSETS: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS

Nguyen Trong Nguyen

Abstract


This research employed a quantitative research design targeting (1) investigating Vietnamese high-school students’ patterns of language mindset; and (2) examining the relationship between students’ mindsets and demographic variables, including genders, school groups, and grade groups. The data was collected through the language mindset inventory with 18 items, using a 6-Likert scale. The questionnaire was delivered to EFL students in public high schools via online forms. With 248 valid responses, statistical analysis was conducted to answer the research questions. The findings show that the EFL high-school students endorse a growth mindset, and there was no difference found in the relation between students’ language mindsets and their demographic features.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


mindset, growth mindset, fixed mindset, demographic variables

Full Text:

PDF

References


Altunel, İ. (2020). Mind matters: How is mindset correlated with demographic variables in foreign language learning? Journal of Language Research, 4(1), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.51726/jlr.739471

Bai, B., & Wang, J. (2020). The role of growth mindset, self-efficacy and intrinsic value in self-regulated learning and English language learning achievements. Language Teaching Research, 136216882093319. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820933190

Biddle, S. J., Wang, C. J., Chatzisarantis, N. L., & Spray, C. M. (2003). Motivation for physical activity in young people: Entity and incremental beliefs about athletic ability. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21(12), 973–989. https://doi.org/10.1080/0264041 0310001641377

Coleman, J. A., Galaczi, Á., & Astruc, L. (2007). Motivation of UK school pupils towards foreign languages: A large-scale survey at Key Stage 3. Language Learning Journal, 35(2), 245–281. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571730701599252

Chen, J. A., & Pajares, F. (2010). Implicit theories of the ability of Grade 6 science students: Relation to epistemological beliefs and academic motivation and achievement in science. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 35(1), 75–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2009.10.003

Destin, M., Hanselman, P., Buontempo, J., Tipton, E., & Yeager, D. S. (2019). Do student mindsets differ by socioeconomic status and explain disparities in academic achievement in the United States? AERA Open, 5(3), 233285841985770. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419857706

Dewi, M. S., & Nawawi, Z. M. (2022). Factors affecting the mindset in cultivating management major’s students’ entrepreneurship spirit. Indonesian Journal of Multidisciplinary Science, 1(4), 374–379. https://doi.org/10.55324/ijoms.v1i4.70

Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2011). Teaching and researching motivation (2nd ed). Longman/Pearson.

Dweck, C. S. (2000). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality, and development (1st ed.). Psychology Press.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success (1st ed.). Random House.

Dweck, C. S. (2015). Carol Dweck revisits the “growth mindset.” EducationWeek. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-carol-dweck-revisits-the-growth-mindset/2015/09

Dweck, C. S., Chiu, C., & Hong, Y. (1995). Implicit theories and their role in judgments and reactions: A word from two perspectives. Psychological Inquiry, 6(4), 267–285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli0604_1

Dweck, C. S., & Leggett, E. L. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychology Review, 95(2), 256–273.

Elliott, E. S., & Dweck, C. S. (1988). Goals: An approach to motivation and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(1), 5–12. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.54.1.5

Eren, A., & Rakıcıoğlu-Söylemez, A. (2020). Language mindsets, perceived instrumentality, engagement and graded performance in English as a foreign language student. Language Teaching Research, 136216882095840. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820958400

Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59–109. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059

Heine, S. J., Kitayama, S., Lehman, D. R., Takata, T., Ide, E., Leung, C., & Matsumoto, H. (2001). Divergent consequences of success and failure in Japan and North America: An investigation of self-improving motivations and malleable selves. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81(4), 599–615. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.81.4.599

Huyen, L. T. T., & Ha, P. L. (2013). Problematizing the culture of learning English in Vietnam: Revisiting teacher identity. In M. Cortazzi & L. Jin (Eds.), Researching Cultures of Learning (pp. 248–264). Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137296344_13

Henderson, H., Rambo-Hernandez, K., Paguyo, C., & Atadero, R. (2017). What is the relationship between mindset and engineering identity for first-year male and female students? An exploratory longitudinal study. 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, 29117. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--29117

Huang, Q., & Xie, Y. (2021). Social-demographic correlates of mindset in China. Chinese Journal of Sociology, 7(4), 497–513. https://doi.org/10.1177/2057150X211041908

Kornilova, T. V., Kornilov, S. A., & Chumakova, M. A. (2009). Subjective evaluations of intelligence and academic self-concept predict academic achievement: Evidence from a selective student population. Learning and Individual Differences, 19(4), 596–608. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2009.08.001

Lamb, M., Csizér, K., Henry, A., & Ryan, S. (Eds.). (2019). The Palgrave handbook of motivation for language learning. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28380-3

Little, D. (2007). Language learner autonomy: Some fundamental considerations revisited. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 1(1), 14–29. https://doi.org/10.2167/illt040.0

Little, D., Dam, L., & Legenhausen, L. (2017). Language learner autonomy: Theory, practice and research. Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783098606

Lou, N. M., & Noels, K. A. (2017). Measuring language mindsets and modeling their relations with goal orientations and emotional and behavioral responses in failure situations. The Modern Language Journal, 101(1), 214–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12380

Lou, N. M., & Noels, K. A. (2019a). Promoting growth in foreign and second language education: A research agenda for mindsets in language learning and teaching. System, 86, 102126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.102126

Lou, N. M., & Noels, K. A. (2019b). Language mindsets, meaning-making, and motivation. In M. Lamb, K. Csizér, A. Henry, & S. Ryan (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Motivation for Language Learning (pp. 537–559). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28380-3

Lou, N. M., & Noels, K. A. (2020). Breaking the vicious cycle of language anxiety: Growth language mindsets improve lower-competence ESL students’ intercultural interactions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101847. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101847

Macnamara, B. N., & Rupani, N. S. (2017). The relationship between intelligence and mindset. Intelligence, 64, 52–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2017.07.003

Mercer, S., & Ryan, S. (2010). A mindset for EFL: Learners’ beliefs about the role of natural talent. ELT Journal, 64(4), 436–444. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccp083

Molway, L., & Mutton, T. (2020). Changing mindsets in the modern foreign languages classroom: An intervention combining intelligence theories and reading strategies. The Language Learning Journal, 48(5), 598–612. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2018.1554693

Murphy, M. C., & Dweck, C. S. (2010). A culture of genius: How an organization’s lay theory shapes people’s cognition, affect, and behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36(3), 283–296. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167209347380

Nussbaum, A. D., & Dweck, C. S. (2008). Defensiveness versus remediation: Self-theories and modes of self-esteem maintenance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(5), 599–612. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167207312960

Ryan, S., & Mercer, S. (2012). Implicit theories: Language learning mindsets. In S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (Eds.), Psychology for Language Learning (pp. 74–89). Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137032829_6

Schlender, J. (2020). Gender differences in growth Mindset, group Identity, and social Skills. The Journal of Undergraduate Social Work Research, 4(2).

Sigmundsson, H., Guðnason, S., & Jóhannsdóttir, S. (2021). Passion, grit and mindset: Exploring gender differences. New Ideas in Psychology, 63, 100878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2021.100878

Ushioda, E. (2012). Motivation: L2 Learning as a special case? In S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (Eds.), Psychology for Language Learning (pp. 58–73). Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137032829_5

Wigfield, A., Eccles, J. S., Fredricks, J. A., Simpkins, S., Roeser, R. W., & Schiefele, U. (2015). Development of achievement motivation and engagement. In R. M. Lerner (Ed.), Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science (pp. 1–44). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118963418.childpsy316

Wang, J., Zhang, X., & Zhang, L. J. (2022). Effects of teacher engagement on students’ achievement in an online English as a foreign language classroom: The mediating role of autonomous motivation and positive emotions. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 950652. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.950652

Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindsets that promote resilience: When students believe that personal characteristics can be developed. Educational Psychologist, 47(4), 302–314. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2012.722805

Zhang, J., Kuusisto, E., & Tirri, K. (2017). How teachers’ and students’ mindsets in learning have been studied: Research findings on mindset and academic achievement. Psychology, 08(09), 1363–1377. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2017.89089

Ziegler, A., & Stoeger, H. (2010). Research on a modified framework of implicit personality theories. Learning and Individual Differences, 20(4), 318–326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2010.01.007




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v8i2.4784

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright © 2015 - 2023. European Journal of English Language Teaching (ISSN 2501-7136) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing GroupAll rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms.

All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).