The mediating effect of academic engagement on the relationship between temperament and EFL speaking and listening performance

Abstract

This study aimed to empirically identify the detailed relationships among temperament factors (i.e., task orientation, personal-social flexibility, and reactivity), academic engagement, and EFL speaking and listening performance in young children. It attempted to provide teachers with insights that enable them to help young children who have diverse temperamental traits enhance their EFL speaking and listening performance based on the empirical evidence. To achieve this purpose, a hypothesized mediation model was formulated based on the related literature, and then it was empirically tested. This study found that young children's academic engagement accounts for part of the relationship between their task orientation and EFL speaking and listening performance, but task orientation still predicts their EFL speaking and listening performance even when their academic engagement is taken into consideration. In addition, this study found that young children who have pro-social traits are more likely to show a higher level of academic engagement, which in turn might result in a higher level of EFL speaking and listening performance than their counterparts. However, young children's personal-social flexibility is not a significant direct predictor of their EFL speaking and listening performance. © 2018 Asian E F L Journal Press. All Rights Reserved.