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A Case Study of the Factors that Influence Brazilian Students’ Acquisition of English

This presentation focuses on the factors that influence the acquisition of English by Brazilian students. It examines the interactions between the child, the family, and the school in order to understand their impact on English fluency. The study findings suggest that positive influences between the child and family, and the child and school, are crucial for achieving fluency. The audience is encouraged to take action to improve these interactions and narrow the education gap.

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A Case Study of the Factors that Influence Brazilian Students’ Acquisition of English

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  1. A Case Study of the Factors that Influence Brazilian Students’ Acquisition of English Presenters: Dr. Margaret Vianna Dr. Elizabeth Young

  2. Presentation Focus • Education in Brazil • Purpose of the Study • Study Participants • Study Findings • Call-to-Action

  3. BrazilGoiânia, Goías States: 26 Federal District: Brasilía Population: State of Goiás: 6.5 million Goiânia: 1.3 million Language: Portuguese

  4. Education in Brazil • Public and Private Schools: • Elementary (K-5th grade) • Middle schools (6th-9th grade) • High School: (Grades 10-12) • Morning/ Afternoon Schedule (4-4.5 hours) • Enem Exam (Public University Entrance Examination) • (Conroy, 2012)

  5. Extracurricular Courses • English Classes • Cursinho ENEM (ENEM Assessment training) • Kumon (Math/Portuguese)

  6. The Problem • Brazilian students ranked 46th of 54 countries on English Proficiency, and were the lowest of the BRICS (EF/EPI, 2012). • Proposition • When positive didactic influences between child and family, and the child and the school are present, the child will more likely achieve English fluency.

  7. The Purpose Identify and understand the child, the family, and the school interactions that influence the development of the Brazilian students’ English fluency.

  8. Population and Sample Population Private School System in Goiânia, Goiás Sample7th and 8th 15 2

  9. Metacognition • I’m thinking... • I’m wondering... • I’m reflecting.. • I’m predicting... • I’m synthesizing... • I’m inferring... • (Henter, 2014; Nostratinia, Saveiy, & Zaker, 2014).

  10. Ecological Systems Theory

  11. Data Collection • Panelists’ Study Review • Professors: Brazilian (1), American (2) • Reviewed: (1) interview protocol (2) Interview questions for parents and teachers. • 17 Interviews: Recordings and Transcriptions • 17 Member Checking Interviews • Document Review • teachers’ lesson plans, national curricular guidelines, written tests, and parent conference participation, researcher’s memos

  12. Data Analysis Parents’ perspectives • Interviews, tape-recordings, member checking • Observations • NVivo 10.0 for Mac Beta Teachers’ perspectives Document review

  13. Findings • GRQ:What perceived influences act within and on the students’ language acquisition to acquire English fluency? • Results of home and school influences: • (1) English lessons are priority in Extracurricular Activities, • (2) technology use is fundamental, • (3) parents’ participation in the child’s learning experience, • (4) Contact with Culture and Native Speakers

  14. External Factors Cont.d • (5) Parents Set High Standards • (6) The Curriculum and • (7) the Teachers’ Competency

  15. Internal Influences • (1) a natural interest in learning, and • (2) likes studying English

  16. Summary of Findings When positive didactic influences between the child and family, and the child and teachers were evidenced, the child achieved successful English fluency. In general, we might say that student learning has just as much to do with home and school influences as it does with the student’s internal motivations and aptitude to learn.

  17. Call-to-Action • A connection between the child, the family, the school, and the community influence learning. • The home environment What can you do to narrow the gap in education for underprivileged students?

  18. References • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Press University. • Central Intelligence Agency (US), 2017. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html • Conroy, M. (2012, February). Global voices in Cuba: Cuban students excel in Latin America. Phi Delta Kappan, 93(5), 74-75. Retrieved from www.pdkintl.org/ • EF English Proficiency Index (2012). 3-42. Retrieved from www.ef.com/epi • El Kadri, M. W., & Gimenez, T. (2013, April/June). Formandoprofessores de inglêspara o contexto do inglêscomo lingua franca. ActaScientiarum. Language andCulture, 35(2), 125-133. doi: 20.4025/actascilangcult.v35i2.14958 • Merriam, S. B. (2002). Introduction to qualitative research. In Qualitative Research in Practice: Examples for Discussion and Analysis (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. • Henter, R. (2014). Developing metacognitive skills as a foundation of learning a foreign language. Romanian Journal of Experimental Applied Psychology, 5(1), 48-57. Retrieved from www.rjeap.ro/.../RJEAP%20vol%205%20issue%203%202014.pd.

  19. References Cont.d • Nostratinia, M., Saveiy, M., & Zaker, A. (2014, May). EFL learners’ self-efficacy, metacognitive awareness, and use of language learning strategies: How are they associated? Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4(5), 1080-1092. doi: 10.4304/tpls.4.5 • QSR International (2014). NVivo 10.0 for Mac Beta. Retrieved from http://www.qsrinternational.com/ • Nostratinia, M., Saveiy, M., & Zaker, A. (2014, May). EFL learners’ self-efficacy, metacognitive awareness, and use of language learning strategies: How are they associated? Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4(5), 1080-1092. doi: 10.4304/tpls.4.5 • QSR International (2014). NVivo 10.0 for Mac Beta. Retrieved from http://www.qsrinternational.com/ • Stake, R. E. (2010). Qualitative research: Studying how things work (Epub Edition.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press. • Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods. (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Inc.

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