It is noticeable that students of a higher SES would perform better in language examinations than those who are underprivileged, but there are times that we see those of the lower ranks in the society, laborers for example who are able to converse well in a second language.
I think it is a complex question. People of a higher socio-economic status might be more geared toward school, and therefore might have better study skills. But they may also feel that their families have money and they do not NEED to study hard.
People with lower socio-economic status may feel that they NEED to learn a second language in order to have opportunities to improve their status.
We need to look at this question from the point of view of integrative and instrumental motivation and of what money can buy.
Following on from Michael's argument, in countries/cities where a foreign or second language is required for most types of jobs, the instrumental motivation to learn it is likely to be just as strong for people of a low socio-economic status as for people with a high one. However, in places where English is only required for the higher-powered jobs, instrumental motivation will only be strong in those who can aspire realistically to those jobs-often, unfortunately, just the rich and priviledged and a few determined souls from lower down the social ladder.
In terms of integrative motivation, people with a higher SES are on the whole more likely to be open to other cultures and their associated languages than people with a lower one. However, this needs to be balanced against the possibility that some upwardly mobile people with a lower SES may wish to learn a second or foreign language in order to distinguish themselves from their social peers and even attempt to rub shoulders with the language learning elite.
The money issue swings matters strongly in favour of people with a higher SES. People from higher up the social ladder have more money to invest in learning the language in terms of books and materials, private language schools or one-to-one tuition and study stays in countries where the foreign language is spoken.
I agree that it's a complicated issue. It is true that children from higher socio-economic status have more chances for language learning, so they may get better test scores. But it's not always the case because as I observed, wealthy families invested a lot in their children's language learning, but the kids were not successful. In contrast, children from poor families achieved great success. We can conclude that children from higher socio-economic status are given better learning conditions, but whether they are successful or not depends on other factors.
Each individual has the ability to learn language mechanism. Only need this mechanism right working. This happens with the right methods. So everyone can learn the language.
No not necessarily. The only thing that leis behind learning another language is closely related to motivation. Individuals normally learn a language simply because they are motivated to do so and very often the socioeconomic status does not influence learning. No doubt we think that financial conditions will promote learning. But I have come across students who have perfected the second language simply only through motivation and encouragement. I strongly believe that "where there is will there is way." And "you can lead a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink."
First, I think it is necessary to point out that getting good examination scores and being " able to converse well in a second language" are not the same thing, and therefore are not really comparable.
Socioeconomic status is also only one of a great many influences on whether people get good exam scores or learn to communicate effectively in an L2. (I suspect it is more influential on the former.) There is nothing surprising about people with 'low' socioeconomic achieving good exams scores, or people with 'high' socioeconomic status failing to become able to communicate in another language. The relationship between Socioeconomic status and exam or communicative success is about probabilities, not absolutes.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Linguistics
- Philology
- Language