Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language

Soheil Mahmoudi; Asgar Mahmoudi

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16

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Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language

Soheil Mahmoudi, Asgar Mahmoudi

Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 3, Issue 5)

Received: 25 August 2015 Accepted: 8 September 2015 Published: 17 September 2015

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Abstract

This study investigated the effects of internal and external factors on learning English as a foreign language from Iranian EFL learners’ points of view. Copies of a 30-item Lickert-scale questionnaire, addressing internal and external factors or principle components, were distributed among about 140 postgraduate students of ELT in three universities in Iran. The collected data were then subjected to Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The findings revealed that while internal and external components are distinguishable, many of the variables do not heavily load on the principle component to which they theoretically belong. After separating the non-correlating variables it became clear that most of these variables are very important variables. Further analysis indicated that it is possible to divide internal variables to cognitive and affective and external variables to environmental and curricular. The conclusion reached was that the importance of variables should not be judged based on their nature but based on the importance accorded to them by the respondents. It was also concluded that extreme attention paid to internal variables should be balanced against external variables.

Published in	International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 3, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16
Page(s)	313-322
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Principle Component Analysis, Internal Variables, External Variables

References

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Soheil Mahmoudi, Asgar Mahmoudi. (2015). Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 3(5), 313-322. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16

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Soheil Mahmoudi; Asgar Mahmoudi. Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2015, 3(5), 313-322. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16

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AMA Style

Soheil Mahmoudi, Asgar Mahmoudi. Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language. Int J Lang Linguist. 2015;3(5):313-322. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16

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@article{10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16,
  author = {Soheil Mahmoudi and Asgar Mahmoudi},
  title = {Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language},
  journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
  volume = {3},
  number = {5},
  pages = {313-322},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20150305.16},
  abstract = {This study investigated the effects of internal and external factors on learning English as a foreign language from Iranian EFL learners’ points of view. Copies of a 30-item Lickert-scale questionnaire, addressing internal and external factors or principle components, were distributed among about 140 postgraduate students of ELT in three universities in Iran. The collected data were then subjected to Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The findings revealed that while internal and external components are distinguishable, many of the variables do not heavily load on the principle component to which they theoretically belong. After separating the non-correlating variables it became clear that most of these variables are very important variables. Further analysis indicated that it is possible to divide internal variables to cognitive and affective and external variables to environmental and curricular. The conclusion reached was that the importance of variables should not be judged based on their nature but based on the importance accorded to them by the respondents. It was also concluded that extreme attention paid to internal variables should be balanced against external variables.},
 year = {2015}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language
AU  - Soheil Mahmoudi
AU  - Asgar Mahmoudi
Y1  - 2015/09/17
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16
T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
SP  - 313
EP  - 322
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-0221
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16
AB  - This study investigated the effects of internal and external factors on learning English as a foreign language from Iranian EFL learners’ points of view. Copies of a 30-item Lickert-scale questionnaire, addressing internal and external factors or principle components, were distributed among about 140 postgraduate students of ELT in three universities in Iran. The collected data were then subjected to Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The findings revealed that while internal and external components are distinguishable, many of the variables do not heavily load on the principle component to which they theoretically belong. After separating the non-correlating variables it became clear that most of these variables are very important variables. Further analysis indicated that it is possible to divide internal variables to cognitive and affective and external variables to environmental and curricular. The conclusion reached was that the importance of variables should not be judged based on their nature but based on the importance accorded to them by the respondents. It was also concluded that extreme attention paid to internal variables should be balanced against external variables.
VL  - 3
IS  - 5
ER  -

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Author Information

Soheil Mahmoudi

Department of English Language, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran
Asgar Mahmoudi

Department of English Language, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran

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APA Style

Soheil Mahmoudi, Asgar Mahmoudi. (2015). Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 3(5), 313-322. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16

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ACS Style

Soheil Mahmoudi; Asgar Mahmoudi. Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2015, 3(5), 313-322. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16

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AMA Style

Soheil Mahmoudi, Asgar Mahmoudi. Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language. Int J Lang Linguist. 2015;3(5):313-322. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16,
  author = {Soheil Mahmoudi and Asgar Mahmoudi},
  title = {Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language},
  journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
  volume = {3},
  number = {5},
  pages = {313-322},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20150305.16},
  abstract = {This study investigated the effects of internal and external factors on learning English as a foreign language from Iranian EFL learners’ points of view. Copies of a 30-item Lickert-scale questionnaire, addressing internal and external factors or principle components, were distributed among about 140 postgraduate students of ELT in three universities in Iran. The collected data were then subjected to Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The findings revealed that while internal and external components are distinguishable, many of the variables do not heavily load on the principle component to which they theoretically belong. After separating the non-correlating variables it became clear that most of these variables are very important variables. Further analysis indicated that it is possible to divide internal variables to cognitive and affective and external variables to environmental and curricular. The conclusion reached was that the importance of variables should not be judged based on their nature but based on the importance accorded to them by the respondents. It was also concluded that extreme attention paid to internal variables should be balanced against external variables.},
 year = {2015}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Internal and External Factors Affecting Learning English as a Foreign Language
AU  - Soheil Mahmoudi
AU  - Asgar Mahmoudi
Y1  - 2015/09/17
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16
T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
SP  - 313
EP  - 322
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-0221
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150305.16
AB  - This study investigated the effects of internal and external factors on learning English as a foreign language from Iranian EFL learners’ points of view. Copies of a 30-item Lickert-scale questionnaire, addressing internal and external factors or principle components, were distributed among about 140 postgraduate students of ELT in three universities in Iran. The collected data were then subjected to Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The findings revealed that while internal and external components are distinguishable, many of the variables do not heavily load on the principle component to which they theoretically belong. After separating the non-correlating variables it became clear that most of these variables are very important variables. Further analysis indicated that it is possible to divide internal variables to cognitive and affective and external variables to environmental and curricular. The conclusion reached was that the importance of variables should not be judged based on their nature but based on the importance accorded to them by the respondents. It was also concluded that extreme attention paid to internal variables should be balanced against external variables.
VL  - 3
IS  - 5
ER  -

Copy | Download