English-language acculturation predicts academic performance in nursing students who speak English as a second language.
Students who speak English as a second language (ESL) face considerable challenges in English language universities, but little is known about the relationship between English-language acculturation and academic performance. A prospective, correlational design was used to validate the English Language Acculturation Scale (ELAS), a measure of the linguistic aspect of acculturation, and to determine the relationship between English-language acculturation and academic achievement among 273 first-year nursing students. Exploratory factor analyses demonstrated that the ELAS was a valid and reliable measure (alpha = .89). When ELAS scores were examined in relation to students' grades, students with the lowest ELAS scores also had the lowest mean subject grades, highlighting the need to place greater emphasis on identifying English-language acculturation among ESL students.
Salamonson
Yenna
Y
School of Nursing, University of Western Sydney, Penrith South, Sydney, DC 1797 New South Wales, Australia.
Everett
Bronwyn
B
Koch
Jane
J
Andrew
Sharon
S
Davidson
Patricia M
PM
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002983:Clinical Competence; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019303:Multilingualism; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*