Exploring investments in English language learning among NNL students of a Malaysian public university / Liu Yang

Liu , Yang (2019) Exploring investments in English language learning among NNL students of a Malaysian public university / Liu Yang. Masters thesis, Universiti Malaya.

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Abstract

Drawing on a focused part of the model of investment by Darvin and Norton (2015), this multiple case study explores the English language learning experience of non-native-learner (NNL) university students within the Malaysian context from the perspective of investment. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding on these learners’ investments in English language learning (IELL) through the exploration of activities chosen as IELL, perceived benefits form IELL and capital used as affordances in IELL. The data collection techniques of this qualitative study included semi-structured interview and weekly journal writing. The data were analyzed manually to get the intuition of the data and described in order to explore the IELL of NNL university students. The study found that the activities chosen as IELL may be divided into communicative activities and semi-communicative activities. While communicative activities refer to activities where two-way communications happen, semi-communicative activities refer to activities where only one-way communications happen. Additionally, the study confirmed that learners expect to gain a variety of economic, cultural and social resources from their IELL, which may be of the construction of their imagined identity. Moreover, the findings of the study confirmed that economic, cultural and social capital are all used by learners as their affordances in IELL. This study concluded that learners use their capital as affordances in investments in English language learning with the belief that they will get their perceived benefits. Based on the findings, the study discussed the implication of the study to the body of knowledge, NNL university students’ English language learning, and future research. The study also holds a significant theoretical implication for English language learning investment as it contributes to the establishment of Darvin and Norton’s (2015) model of investment as an effective and constructive conceptual framework that allows for in-depth insight in understanding NNL university students’ IELL within the Malaysian context.

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