Session Information
31 SES 12 A, Research approaches to language performance and affective manifestations among diverse learners
Paper Session
Contribution
Language learning encompasses rigorous training of speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Education sector, however, experienced transgression and transformation during the pandemic. Changes in learning environment and evaluation had caused mental distress globally, causing regress to students' learning process. Following the stages of alarm, resistance and exhaustion, students will either experience eustress or dystress (Selye,1956). For new knowledge or language acquisition to take place, students must have minimal distractions or threats as Affective Filters (Krashen, 1982). Students predisposed to symptoms of depressive disorders trying to thrive in a challenging situation could suffer from bi-directional influence. Both these genetic and environmental stressors catalyse an onset of depressive disorder, echoing the Diathesis Stress Model (Ingram and Luxton, 2005). With the highly demanding workload, examinations and lack of human interaction during these periods of times, language learning can cause considerable stress on students, more so for students of vulnerable background, with existing difficulties and stressors outside of classroom. It is therefore crucial to acknowledge their mental distress and identify their sources so that revision of curricula can be implemented, and inclusivity in language classes post-pandemic can be enhanced. Thus, it begs the question, to what extent are queer and immigrant students in Iceland impacted by the pandemic? What are the impacts towards students' second language acquisition process? As these questions propounded the possible research questions for this study, this research aims to benefit the teachers, students and policymakers to plan ahead for the future. Extending the works of Kartal (2019;2016) and Beiser (2001), this study attempted to investigate the relationship between language acquisition and mental health among adolescent students of either multicultural or/and multi-gendered backgrounds during the pandemic. Four participants included adult learners both in University of Iceland and Language School who are either learning a language as a second language or as a foreign language either for academic, professional, or personal reasons. This pilot study will be beneficial in two ways. Firstly, the result from the pilot study will be able to select a suitable model that will be used for the main study. As there exist two models of opposing views and literature on the relationship of language acquisition and stress, this pilot study hopes to shed light on the more fitting model to be used for the study. Secondly, it will be used to identify whether the amended version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Perception of Academic Scale (PAS) is appropriate to be conducted on a bigger scale to shed light on students’ formation of selves through the intersection of race, language, and gender identities. Aside from highlighting the current challenges faced by these groups during pandemic times, this study aims to discuss the complex negotiation, transnational and transcultural spaces and intersectionality of queer and immigrant students in Iceland.
Method
In really understanding the challenges faced by queer and immigrant students, mixed-method research were conducted. By using both quantitative and qualitative approaches to collect and analyse data a more pragmatic paradigm can be generated (Tashakori and Teddlie, 2008). Queer students were recruited through advertisements (posters or social media posts) and to seek help from non-governmental bodies in Iceland. Immigrant students were recruited from advertisements (posters and social media posts) and through Tungumalskóli (Language School). DASS-21 has been widely used in psychometric and non-psychometric research in 50 languages. It is a 21-item, 4-point Likert-type self-report inventory composed of three subscales: anxiety, depression, and stress (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). Each subscale is made up of seven items. Responses to items range from 0 = Did not apply to me at all to 3 = Applied to me very much, or most of the time. As the existing literature to date points to the need of questionnaire measure focused on the unique minority stress experience face, a simplified version of this scale were used to identify and point the distress in the current landscape of second language in Iceland. In answering the exploratory aspect of the research questions, data from the interviews were transcribed, coded and thematised through SPSS software. Two coders translated the transcript in a double-blind manner and differences were resolved through consensus. Descriptive statistics were performed to evaluate participant characteristics and incidence of depression, anxiety and stress. The descriptive statistics, intercorrelations and logistic regression of depression, anxiety and stress from queer students and immigrant students were investigated. Factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress among the participants. Data were then triangulated.
Expected Outcomes
The proposal responds to the current need to study the impact of how COVID-19 has affected education, social dynamics and address unknown drawbacks to queer and students of non-Icelandic origins. The intellectual merit of this research effort resides in exploring the current state of inclusive education approaches in Iceland and hopefully provide an insight to further strengthened the ‘skóli fyrir alla’ (school for everyone) discourse, by examining intersecting factors such as ethnicity and gender identity in relation to students’ foreign language acquisition in lower/upper secondary schools. This project investigates the meaning and relationship between social dynamics and explore learners’ identity development through the lens of intersection based on prior prominent research (Wolff et al., 2021; Grzanka and Miles, 2016; Lee and Brotman, 2013; Parent et al., 2013; Júlíusdóttir,et al., 2013). Iceland is a fitting setting to conduct this study in a sense that as it has open-door’ policies in terms of a gender continuum and has become more diverse through rising rates of immigration (Júliusdóttir et al., 2013). Coming from Malaysia, this research will also be beneficial for me to add dimensions in my perspective of language acquisition and inclusive education in Iceland to conduct a comparative study that will improve the current setbacks faced by queer communities and immigrants in my country. Outcome and results of research project are expected to be communicated through several implementations. Materials in the form of slideshows, reading materials or in-house training can be offered to teacher trainees/undergraduates programs. Materials in the form of slideshows, reading materials or in-house training can be offered to teacher trainees/undergraduates programs. Physical and electronic pamphlets can be distributed to schools and educational institution in Iceland after consultations with Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, in accordance of Icelandic Education Policy 2030.
References
Arnbjörnsdóttir, B. (2007). English in Iceland: Second language, foreign language, or neither. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioural change. Psychological Review, 84, 191-215. Beiser, M., & Hou, F. (2001). Language acquisition, unemployment and depressive disorder among Southeast Asian refugees: a 10-year study. Social science & medicine, 53(10), 1321-1334. Choi, M.-H. M. (2013). On Exploiting New Methods of Language Acquisition Offered by the Internet. Journal of Digital Contents Society, 14(1), 111–116. https://doi.org/10.9728/dcs.2013.14.1.111 Chomsky, N. (1986). Knowledge of language: Its nature, origin, and use. Greenwood Publishing Group. Doshi, P. (2011). The elusive definition of pandemic influenza. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 89, 532-538. Farrah, M., & Abuzahra, N. (2018). Blended Learning in the Literary Criticism Course. Foster, J. A., & Neufeld, K. A. M. (2013). Gut–brain axis: how the microbiome influences anxiety and depression. Trends in neurosciences, 36(5), 305-312. Graeff, F. G., Guimarães, F. S., De Andrade, T. G., & Deakin, J. F. (1996). Role of 5- HT in stress, anxiety, and depression. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 54(1), 129-141. Gudlaugsdottir, G. R., Vilhjalmsson, R., Kristjansdottir, G., Jacobsen, R., & Meyrowitsch, D. (2004). Violent behaviour among adolescents in Iceland: a national survey. International Journal of Epidemiology, 33(5), 1046-1051. Henry, J. D., & Crawford, J. R. (2005). The short‐form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS‐21): Construct validity and normative data in a large non‐clinical sample. British journal of clinical psychology, 44(2), 227-239. Ingram R.E, Luxton D.D. Vulnerability–stress models. Hankin B.L, Abela J.R.Z, editors. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage Publications; Development of Psychopathology: A Vulnerability–Stress Perspective. 2005 Kartal, D., Alkemade, N., & Kiropoulos, L. (2019). Trauma and mental health in resettled refugees: mediating effect of host language acquisition on posttraumatic stress disorder, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Transcultural psychiatry, 56(1), 3-23. Kartal, D., & Kiropoulos, L. (2016). Effects of acculturative stress on PTSD, depressive, and anxiety symptoms among refugees resettled in Australia and Austria. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 7(1), 28711. Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. New York: Prentice-Hall International. Lehtonen, M., Page, T., Thorsteinsson, G., & Hepburn, M. (2007). An application of a virtual learning environment in support of teaching and learning for design and technology education. International Journal of Learning Technology, 3(2), 133-151. Lovibond, S.H. & Lovibond, P.F. (1995). Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Selye, H. (1956). The stress of life.
Search the ECER Programme
- Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
- Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
- Search for authors and in the respective field.
- For planning your conference attendance you may want to use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference
- If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.