Validity and Reliability of a Scale Measuring Attiitudes toward Foreign Language

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of a scale measuring attitudes toward foreign language. Results of principal components analysis with an orthogonal rotation identified five interpretable dimensions explaining 63.0% of the variance in the total factor solution. The most meaningful factors, in order of importance, were Fascination with Learning a Foreign Language, Dislike for Foreign Language Study, and Value of Learning a Foreign Language. Other meaningful factors concerned the importance of foreign language study to education and the difficulty of learning a foreign language. Discussion of the findings focused on the need for additional research to improve the internal structure of the attitude scale and to support the use of the five dimensions as predictors of foreign language achievement or proficiency.