The authors investigated the relation of foreign language
attitudes and perceptions to reading and spelling skills for
278 English-speaking college students enrolled in 100- and 200-
level foreign language classes, using the Foreign Language Attitudes
and Perceptions Survey (R. Sparks & L. Ganschow, 1993b),
the Test of Dyslexia-Rapid Assessment Profile (S. M. Bell, R. S.
McCallum, & E. A. Cox, 2003), and the Woodcock–Johnson III
Reading Fluency Test (K. McGrew & R. Woodcock, 2001). Spelling,
silent reading fluency, orthography, and listening vocabulary
correlated modestly but significantly with foreign language attitudes
and perceptions; that is, students with weaker reading and spelling
scores exhibited more negative attitudes and perceptions toward
foreign-language learning (p < .05). Mean difference analyses for
high-, middle-, and low-risk groups (on the basis of spelling scores)
revealed significant differences in attitudes (p < .05); however, the
authors noted no significant differences on the basis of the language
being studied. In general, the results confirm that college students
with weaker reading and spelling performance have more negative
attitudes about foreign-language learning. The authors address the
implications for instruction. |