THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRIMARY 5 AND 6 STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTAL ENCOURAGEMENT AND THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN MANDARIN LEARNING AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, BANGKOK

Abstract

This research investigated the relationship between students’ perceptions of parental encouragement and their academic achievement in Mandarin learning at an International School, Bangkok during term 2, and 2014-2015. The study focused on three objectives. The first was to identify the level of student perception of parental encouragement to learn Mandarin in primary 5 and 6. The second was to identify the level of student academic achievement in primary 5 and 6 Mandarin learning. The third was to determine if there was a significant relationship between primary 5 and 6 students’ perceptions of parental encouragement and their Mandarin academic achievement. In order to collect data, the researcher employed a parental encouragement questionnaire adapted from Gardner’s Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB). For the students’ academic achievement in learning Mandarin, the researcher used the students’ Mandarin academic achievement scores at the end of term 2 in school year 2014- 2015. The findings indicated that there was a significant relationship between primary 5 and 6 students’ perceptions of parental encouragement and their academic achievement. The article concludes with recommendations for practice and for future research.