Abstract:

Among the many factors of the second (foreign) language acquisition (SLA/FLA), researchers distinguish various groups of personality traits (cognitive, volitional, and communicative). In Western psychology, personality factors of the SLA are most often studied on the basis of the Big Five or Five-Factor Model (FFM). This studies show that Consciousness (volitional trait) is the most universal predictor of academic achievements for most of the subject studied, including a second (foreign) language (SL/FL). In Russian psychology, numerous studies of personality traits as SLA factors have been carried out on the basis of the System-Functional Model by A. Krupnov.

This model assumes personality traits consideration as a set of components and variables included into two subsystems:
(1) motivational-meaningful (attitudinal-target, motivational, cognitive and productive components), and
(2) regulatory-dynamic (dynamic, emotional, regulatory and reflexive-evaluative components).

The correlation of SLA features with sociability, curiosity, persistence, and responsibility, were considered on the basis of this model. In particular, it has been shown that persistence as a volitional personality trait is more closely related to success in SLA than curiosity (cognitive traits).

The purpose of the present study is to reveal and compare the correlations between the initiative as personality traits and the success in SLA in linguistics and non-linguistics students. A total of 241 respondents took part in the research. All the respondents were first– and second–year university students, of which 128 students (82% – female) are studying in the field of "Linguistics" and 113 students (64% – female) – in non-linguistic fields of study ("National Economy", "World Economy", "Psychology and Education"). All students learn English as their major SL.

The initiative was measured with the “Initiative Questionnaire” by A. Krupnov. This questionnaire includes 8 subscales according with the System-Functional Model of personality traits. To assess SLA we used the traditional academic achievement indicator (the semester final grades by English) as well as English teachers’ assessment of SLA in their students by authors’ expert scale (10 indicators and total score). The descriptive statistics methods, coefficients Cronbach’ α and McDonald's ω, Spearman rank correlation analysis, and Wilcoxon' T-test were used for processing the data. Statistical processing was carried out in the R software environment for statistical computing and graphics, version 3.5.2.

The results of present research showed that the initiative is more closely related to the SLA peculiarities in linguistics students than in non-linguistics students. But revealed correlations show that the student’ initiative in SL learning can be ambiguously assessed by teachers, what corresponds to the data on the ambiguous assessment of creativity as SLA factor. In general, the research findings provides further arguments for discussing the problem of the criteria for SLA assessment by teachers, their objectivity and role in the development of students' initiative and creativity.

Keywords:

Second Language Acquisition, Personality Traits, System-Functional Model, Initiative, Linguistics students, English as a Second Language.