The Relationship Between EFL Learners’ Academic Perfectionism and Their Foreign Language Engagement

Abstract

Language development is significantly shaped by a learner’s personality characteristics. Due to the rise of the role of positive psychology in education, the interest in the study of the psychological constructs has influenced language instruction. In the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context, an investigation into the relationship between academic perfectionism and foreign language engagement is essential to enhance educators’ understanding of the role of personality traits in foreign language education. This correlational study investigates the relationship between EFL learners' academic perfectionism and their foreign language engagement. It also assesses whether these variables statistically and significantly differ in terms of gender, department, and years of learning English. The study consists of 275 EFL learners of a foundation university in Türkiye. Gathering of data entails “Academic Perfectionism Scale”, “Language Learner Engagement Scale” and “Personal Information Form”. The independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation test were used in the analysis of the data. The findings show that EFL learners’ academic perfectionism was not found to be associated with their foreign language engagement. Additionally, academic perfectionism and foreign language engagement among EFL learners showed a significant difference based on gender, whereas department and years of learning English had no role in academic perfectionism and foreign language engagement.

Keywords

• Academic perfectionism
• foreign language engagement
• learner engagement
• EFL learners

İngilizceyi Yabancı Dil Olarak Öğrenen Öğrencilerin Akademik Mükemmeliyetçilikleri ve Yabancı Dil Dersi Katılımları Arasındaki İlişki

Öz

Dil gelişimi, önemli ölçüde öğrencinin kişilik özellikleri tarafından şekillenir. Pozitif psikolojinin eğitimdeki rolünün artması nedeniyle, psikolojik yapılar üzerine yapılan araştırmalara olan ilgi dil öğretimini de etkilemiştir. Yabancı dil olarak İngilizce bağlamında, akademik mükemmeliyetçilik ile yabancı dil dersi katılımı arasındaki ilişkinin araştırılması, eğitimcilerin kişilik özelliklerinin yabancı dil eğitimindeki rolünü anlamalarını geliştirmek açısından önemlidir. İlişkisel tarama modeli kullanan bu çalışma, yabancı dil olarak İngilizce öğrenen öğrencilerin akademik mükemmeliyetçilikleri ile yabancı dil dersi katılımları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektedir. Ayrıca çalışma, bu değişkenlerin cinsiyet, bölüm ve İngilizce öğrenme süresi açısından istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık gösterip göstermediğini de incelemektedir. Araştırma, Türkiye'deki bir vakıf üniversitesinde 275 İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen öğrencilerden oluşmaktadır. Verilerin toplanması, “Akademik Mükemmeliyetçilik Ölçeği”, “Yabancı Dil Dersi Katılım Ölçeği” ve “Kişisel Bilgi Formu”nu içermektedir. Bu nedenle, verilerin analizinde bağımsız örneklemler t-testi, tek yönlü ANOVA ve Pearson korelasyon testi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, bu öğrencilerin akademik mükemmeliyetçiliklerinin yabancı dil dersi katılımlarıyla ilişkili olmadığını göstermektedir. Buna ek olarak, öğrencilerin akademik mükemmeliyetçilik ve yabancı dil dersi katılımları cinsiyete göre anlamlı farklılık gösterirken, bölüm ve İngilizce öğrenim süresinin bu değişkenler üzerinde herhangi bir etkisi bulunmamıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Akademik mükemmeliyetçilik
• yabancı dil dersi katılımı
• öğrenci katılımı
• İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen öğrenciler

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