Cultural identity profiles of Afrikaans and Southern Sotho learners of English: resource or hazard?

Abstract

The cultural identity profiles of second language learners could be regarded as a resource or a hazard in the second language learning process. Constructivist theories of learning and social models of second language learning, for example, present opposing views about the usefulness of cultural identities in the learning process. The central problem investigated in this article is: should the cultural identity profiles of Afrikaans and Southern Sotho learners of English in South Africa be regarded as a resource or a hazard in the second language learning process? An empirical project was conducted in which Afrikaans and Southern Sotho respondents were requested to complete (1) a cultural identity questionnaire and (2) a standardised English second language proficiency test. Pearson Product‐Moment correlations were conducted to determine the strength and direction between the dependent (English second language proficiency score on the standardised test) and the independent variables (aspects of cultural identity). The main finding of the study is that strong in‐group identification, balanced with a more “world‐minded” disposition, and valuing social attitudes like autonomy and own lifestyle, correlated statistically significantly with higher scores on the English proficiency test for the Afrikaans and Southern Sotho participants. In the light of these findings constructs which rely upon social models of second language learning, such as integrative motivation, are therefore problematic.