Abstract
The effects of the language medium of instruction on students' approaches to learning has been little researched, despite its obvious importance in cultures that use second-language instruction. Existing research is counter-intuitive, associating deep approaches with bilinguality, not surface. Confidence in one's competence in the L2 medium is suggested to be an important moderating variable. Two studies were conducted (1) involving Hong Kong University students, and (2) Nepalese high school students. Both suggested that language confident students were low on surface and high on deep approaches, as might be expected. Relations with achievement motivation however varied between the two cultures.
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Watkins, D., Biggs, J. & Regmi, M. Does confidence in the language of instruction influence a student's approach to learning?. Instr Sci 20, 331–339 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00043257
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00043257