The main aim of this study was to examine the correlation between influential English learning factors and the English academic performance of EFL technological and vocational students from urban and non-urban areas. The three possible influential factors examined were the students' motivation, academic performance and socioeconomic status. The subjects were, respectively, 126 students from Taipei labeled as UAS (Urban Area Students) and 136 students from non-urban areas labeled as NUS (Non-Urban Students). The measure for this study was a questionnaire for investigating the subjects' motivation and their parents' socioeconomic status. The main result from the study was that the English academic performance of both UAS and NUS was more related to motivation than to the other factors. The correlation of parents' socioeconomic status and English academic performance was further analyzed. The results on socioeconomic status were divided into two main groups: economic and cultural socioeconomic status. Based on these types of socioeconomic status, the correlations were analyzed and compared. Both types were highly related to the English academic performance of UAS and of NUS. Moreover, the English academic performance of UAS and of NUS was associated with different types of socioeconomic status. This result showed that the English performance of UAS was more related to economic socioeconomic status; however, that of NUS was more related to cultural socioeconomic status. On the basis of the results, among all the factors, motivation is the most influential for students' English achievement. The influences of motivation on English learning are significantly different in both groups. Socioeconomic status is highly correlated to students' English achievement in Taiwan. Further analysis was done on the influence of socioeconomic status. The results show socioeconomic and cultural advantages for students are highly significant for English learning. In addition, the significant role of socioeconomic status in English learning suggests that the students' English academic performance is predictable. Thus, teachers should provide a more socially and culturally advantageous environment for students from low socioeconomic status families. The result that urban and non-urban students' English academic performance correlated to different types of status may imply that parents in urban and non-urban areas may hold different beliefs toward English learning. Further study could be done to explore such differences.
Relation:
Studies in English Language and Literature,19:97-104.
