Cross-cultural differences in "ESL classroom personality"

Abstract

Comparing Japanese and Mexican groups, the present study investigated cross-cultural differences in ESL learners' affective traits specific to formal settings. The target traits were measured by self-reporting questionnaires and class observations. Factor analysis of the questionnaire extracted four factors of ESL learners' affective traits, which were termed "activity", "social-awareness", "desirable behavior in formal learning", and "social isolation". The results indicated that some of these factors were strongly related with learners' cultural backgrounds. More specifically, the results showed Mexican students tended to take a more active approach toward in-class learning than their Japanese counterpart. However, the results also suggested that, in spite of passive learning behaviors they usually displayed, Japanese students valued active learning behaviors. Generally, the findings of this study are fairly congruent with the model constructed prior to the study.