Language Learners’ Attitudes towards Native Speakers and Their Countries Regarding Achievement and Gender

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate language learners’ attitudes towards native speakers of English and their countries (the U.S.A., England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) regarding achievement and gender. A quantitative approach was primarily adopted in the study through a questionnaire to examine students’ attitudes towards native speakers and their countries. The quantitative approach was supported by qualitative procedures through interviews with students and instructors in order to see whether the responses validate the quantitative findings. The study was carried out at a private university in Turkey. The quantitative data were gathered from 258 students in the English language preparatory program who completed the questionnaire. The qualitative data were gathered from 16 students and 9 instructors in the English language preparatory program who participated in the interviews. For the questionnaires, a statistical program, SPSS 25.0 was used and the data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests. For the interviews, content analysis was employed. The study results demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference in students’ attitudes towards native speakers and their countries and achievement. Also no statistically significant difference was found in students’ attitudes towards native speakers and their countries regarding gender. Additionally, the participants’ attitudes towards native speakers were found as moderately high. In terms of country-based results, it was revealed that the most conflicting and contradictory findings were about the U.S.A. and England. Canada was found to have the most consistent findings among all. The qualitative findings were in line with the quantitative data.