The Adoption of the English Language - Research Paper Example

RESEARCH PAPER, PSYCHOLOGY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE OF IMMIGRATION, LANGUAGE EXPOSURE AND YEARS OF EDUCATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACQUIRING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Name: Institution: Tutor: Module leader: Course: Date: Abstract It is important to highlight that this paper is very much focused on the links that are attached and associated with the age and period of immigration in relation to the adoption of the English language. There have been moves by the people from one place to another and during the period, it is important to highlight that there have been frequent interactions that have always been occurring. This has therefore been the major factor that leads to the people acquiring English language as their second language (Marianne, and Neisser, 2000). Introduction It is important to highlight that this paper delves in the discussion of the relationship between the age of immigration, exposure to language and years of education in the development of the acquisition of English as the second language. Before any stage in the growth of a human being, it is important to note that there are several; factors that occur. Some of these are the acquisition of the mother language. This is the vernacular language influence. Immigration on the other hand is the movement of people into a given area (Hyltenstam, and Abrahamson, 2003). Aims and objectives of the research It is always important for any person conducting a research to be working with certain questions in mind that kind of guides the research. These should be well answered by the end of the research that the researcher is undertaking. These are therefore acting as the guiding principles, framework as well as the blue print for the research exercise. These are in a nutshell the research objectives and aims. For the research the objectives are well highlighted below to determine the major reasons for the acquisition of English as a second language (Birdsong, 2005). To determine the Relationship between age of immigration, language exposure and years of education on the development of acquiring English as a second language. To determine the influence of the language in the coming generations. To put emphasis on English as a second language. To determine how the age of immigration could possibly be a factor in this situation. Problem statement It is very much sensible to reiterate that due to the increased use of English As a language by many citizens, there has therefore been the need for the various scholars to come to the board to determine the reason behind this. In the research therefore, the statement of the problem that was for the research was therefore The Relationship between age of immigration, language exposure and years of education on the development of acquiring English as a second language (Ferrer, Cordoba, Garin, Oive, Flavia, and Vargas, 2006). Hypothesis There is high use of English language by many people as a second language showing that there is a Relationship between age of immigration, language exposure and years of education on the development of acquiring English as a second language (Birdsong, 2005). METHODOLOGY It is important to highlight this study will use different types of methodology to get the results. The following methodology will be used during this study. Different research methodologies are very much ideal in a research in the sense that it enables the researcher to come out with a lot of information that are very much vital for the study he or she is conducting (Hyltenstam, and Abrahamson, 2003). Research approach Deductive Approach In deductive approach, it is important to note that it enables the researcher to critically analyze the facts and the test hypotheses from the more general level to more the specific level. This approach is normally known as top-down approach. What top-down approach means is that the researcher start to think a topic that the researcher is interested in, the researcher then narrow the topic down into more specific hypotheses that the researcher is able to test. This research will therefore apply largely the use of deductive approach in carrying out research (Ferrer, Cordoba, Garin, Oive, Flavia, and Vargas, 2006). Inductive Approach Inductive approach to reasoning enables the researcher to analyses from the specific observation to wider theories and generalizations. This approach is known as bottom-up approach. This means that inductive approach majorly uses evidences that have arisen during the research to explain the results and the hypotheses. It is therefore important to highlight that these approaches that are bought into being by the researcher are therefore current and recent (Birdsong, 2005). Research design It is important to highlight this research design is sorted into four sections and segments for the effective presentation. These sections are exploratory research, explanatory research, experimental research and finally descriptive research. These research designs are described below: Exploratory Research Exploratory research enables the researcher to determine the best research design, selection of subjects and data collection method for a problem that has defined clearly. Furthermore, exploratory research is based on secondary resources such as looking at available literature and data and such as qualitative research interviews with customers, companies, individuals, competitors, focus groups, case studies and so on so forth. Exploratory research aims at gaining an insight for new phenomenon or obtains a familiarity to be able to formulate hypotheses (Ferrer, Cordoba, Garin, Oive, Flavia, and Vargas, 2006). Descriptive Research Many researchers strive to identify and to figure out the terms of these kinds of researches. Descriptive research is also known as statistical research and describes characteristics and data in regards to phenomenon or population that the researcher as studied (Birdsong, 2005). In this regard, even though the description of data is accurate, real and systematic, it is almost impossible that the researcher is able to find out what has caused the situation. Hence, it is not proper to use descriptive research in creating causal relationship, where one variable influence another (Vaid, and Meno, 2000). Data collection methods This section presents the methods that were used to collect data during this research study. In this situation therefore, it is important to highlight that the paper used both primary as well as secondary methods in the data collection to come up with data results (Hyltenstam, and Abrahamson, 2003). Primary research Secondary Research This study will majorly employ the use of secondary research. Secondary research is the type of research that had been researched and published by someone else. Secondary research is always seen to be time saving since it does not always require the researcher to carry out any survey (Vaid, and Meno, 2000). The secondary sources can either be available within out outside the organization. It is important to note that secondary research is always less costly. The disadvantage of this research is that information can easily be altered. The researcher will however be very vigilant on the type of data. In this case, the data should only be collected from sources that are certified (Ferrer, Cordoba, Garin, Oive, Flavia, and Vargas, 2006). Sampling techniques and description of the participants It is important to highlight that the study was conducted bearing in mind all the ethical issues in mind. These issues include the gender equality as well as equity in the choosing of the participants, the age owing to the fact that there are other legal matters that do not allow research to be carried out in certain age group unless there is permission that is given by the parent. This consequently means that the research was therefore not violating in any legal matters in one way or the other (Vaid, and Meno, 2000). On the age as a demographic variable, it can be clearly noted that the research was very much conscious and it had the range of the respondents. This was 18 years to 68 years of age. Another ethical issue that was also put into consideration was the gender factor and concerning this, it can be clearly noted that the researcher during the research study was very much aware of equalizing the sexes to avoid conflicts. There was therefore both a male as well as females involved during the research exercise. It can as well be noted that figures were as well increased or high for the case of females (Hyltenstam, and Abrahamson, 2003). This was that there were 92 females against 49 males. This therefore gave a sum total of 141 participants in the research study. It can as well e noted that the mean age of the participants was 29.78 years and the standard deviation of the age was 11.27 years on the age range that was in the target for the researcher which was the ages of 18 to 48n years. Concerning the immigration, it can be noted that the mean aggregate of the immigration is 9.41 years giving a standard deviation of 10.23 years and in this, it is important to highlight that it was done in the age range of 0 to 40 years (Ferrer, Cordoba, Garin, Oive, Flavia, and Vargas, 2006). The mean years of education for the participants was as well catered for in the study and under this, it is important to highlight that it was recorded or found to be 14.83 years and this ranged from 5 years to 24 years of age. This was a 2.37 years positive standard deviation. It is also important to highlight that the United States of America had the highest number of participants followed with Columbia (Vaid, and Meno, 2000). Research instruments This study applied various number of research instruments collection of data. It is therefore fundamental to note that the researcher used three research instruments namely questionnaires, interview schedules and document check lists. The use of various number of research instruments is always encouraged so as to ensure that the data collected is accurate and holistic. Expert opinion was also sought from the relevant personnel so as to ascertain the suitability of the of the research instruments. The research instruments are therefore explained as follows (Birdsong, 2005). Procedure for the experiment For the effective and efficient realization of the research goals and targets, it is important to highlight that all the highlighted procedures are followed to the latter. This will therefore lead to the ascertainment and attainment of the targeted objectives and missions for the research. During the research therefore, it is important to note that the following procedure was therefore followed in the coming up with the results for the research: The participated were engaged in a descriptive conversation of the English language to test on whether they could speak it fluently, read, understand or do all the skills (Vaid, and Meno, 2000). They were tested on how much they are exposed to English as a language, and how many friends they are close to who speak the language and finally tested on the association with the American culture (Ferrer, Cordoba, Garin, Oive, Flavia, and Vargas, 2006). Questionnaire This study applied the use of questionnaire to collect primary data that met the objectives of the research. The construction of the questionnaire took in to account various factors that were in accordance with the objectives of the study as outlined in section two (Hyltenstam, and Abrahamson, 2003). It must be noted that any questionnaire that contain questions, which are clearly constructed questions, is always considered a very fundamental research tool. The questionnaire used in this research was properly and carefully constructed. The questions were put in a very direct and coherent manner to ensure that each respondent understands those (Birdsong, 2005). The research questions were used in the construction of the questionnaire. This allowed the correct data to be collected in as far the objectives of the study were concerned. The questions used in the questionnaire were of two different types. For instance, the questionnaire contained open-ended questions and closed ended questions. The open-ended questions enabled the researcher to collect information pertaining to the opinions of the respondent (Vaid, and Meno, 2000). Interview Schedules Apart from the questionnaire, the researcher also used interview schedule to collect data. The use of interview schedule was considered to be very in collection of corroborative information. The interview schedules always compliment the questionnaire through corroboration of the quantitative information. The data collected were used by the researcher to analyze and study and to approve the hypothesis of the study (Birdsong, 2005). My questionnaire will have two sections only; section "1" and "2". Section 1 will contain question that will answer my research questions. Section 2 will have questions to enable me test my research hypothesis. I will carry personal interviews, especially with managing directors of key government bodies concerning environmental, social, and economic issues in building and construction industry (Hyltenstam, and Abrahamson, 2003). Observation Observation is another instrument that was employed in this research to assist in collection of primary data. This method is very reliable because it is less costly and easy to carry out. Observation only requires the researcher to avail him or herself at the site where the data collection is taking place. It involves viewing of the situations as they appear in the site. Direct observations will enable me collect data that I believe is default to gather when using other instruments of data collection (Marianne, and Neisser, 2000). Results Inferential statistics: - in the interconnection among the measures of English proficiency, it can be noted with a lot of concern that the nearly all of the participants can effectively read the language, speak but when it comes to the understanding of the language, there comes the problem. Others as well became fluent in the language during the age of the immigration and even began to read the language. This was probably because of their exposure to the language from other people especially in the schools and other education institutions. Lenneberg states it that age is a factor in the acquisition of the second language. Both the adult as well as the child are all capable and have the potentiality of acquiring the language (Hyltenstam, and Abrahamson, 2003). Age of arrival at the immigration time dictates much on the performance of language at a particular point in time. Research that was conducted by Collier (1987, 1989 and 1992) consequently shows that it takes a longer period of time to acquire and be conversant with the second language. This can be generally a span of 5 to 11 years (Hyltenstam, and Abrahamson, 2003). Discussion It can be noted that the most of the English acquisition as a second language as it is evident here is a result of a lot of exposure that occur due to the interaction with friends which speak the language well and fluently thereby posing a challenge which again motivates you (Marianne, and Neisser, 2000). Limitations of the research study Due to the constraints of time, and length of this research, the author has felt that there are some limitations to the finished version of this research study. The first limitation is that the sample pool might be small. As the respondents of the questionnaire forms are sent out digitally on the internet community including linguistic forums and educative websites and blogs, their take on some questions might need to be reconsidered for accuracy and credibility. Considering the nations that were used in the study with the time limit, it is quite evident that reaching all the states was kind of hectic and limited because of the time factor (Birdsong, 2005). The other limitation that is very much crucial to the effective obtaining of information in the study is that there are a lot of financial resources and facilities needed. These are very much essential in the sense that money is the factor behind the footing of all the bills and monetary transactions that facilitate the movement of the resource persons and the researchers during the study the production of the questionnaires and the interview documents for the respondents (Ferrer, Cordoba, Garin, Oive, Flavia, and Vargas, 2006). Correlation bar graph between the composite English proficiency measure and predictors of English proficiency Conclusion In conclusion, it can be noted that the migration of people into other areas was and is still having a great impact on the societal issue of the people. This is therefore the same situation in the study. It is as well noted that the age of education is another influencing factor when it comes to acquisition of English as the second language (Vaid, and Meno, 2000). References Birdsong, D. (2005). Interpreting Age effects in second language acquisition in 2nd language acquisition. In J. Kroll and A. de Groot (Ed), Handbook of bilingualism, New York, Oxford University Press. Ferrer, M., Cordoba, J., Garin, O., Oive, G., Flavia, M., and Vargas, V. (2006). Validity of the Spanish version of the chronic liver disease questionnaire as standard outcome for quality life assessment. Liver Transplantation. Hyltenstam, K., and Abrahamson, N. (2003). Maturational constraints in second language acquisitions. In C. Doughty and M. Long, Handbook of second language acquisition. Marianne, V. and Neisser, U. (2000). Language-dependent recall of autobiographical memories. Journal of experimental psychology. Vaid, J. and Meno, R. (2000). Correlates of bilingual preferred language for mental computations. Spanish Applied Linguistics,4, 325-342. Read More