AWEJ Volume.4 Number.3, 2013 Pp.266-276
The Correlations of Onset Age to Taiwanese Junior High EFL Learners’
Listening and Reading Abilities
Maosheng Hung
Department of Applied English, Ming Chuan University
Taiwan
Shih-Yi Hung
Department of Applied English, Ming Chuan University
Taiwan
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the correlations of onset age of learning English to Taiwanese junior high EFL learners’ listening and reading proficiencies. A total of 458 students recruited from a public junior high school in New Taipei City participated in this study. The participants were all asked to fill in a questionnaire and take GEPT tests in listening and reading. The collected data were then analyzed by using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficients. The results of this study showed that there was a significant correlation of the participants’ ages of first exposure to formal English instruction to their listening test scores (r=-.133, p<.01). However, no significant correlation was found between the age factor and the learners’ reading test scores (r=-.043, p>.05). The findings suggested that onset age played a role in the listening area of foreign language acquisition but not in the reading area.
Keywords: CPH, onset age, age factor, listening, reading
