English language identity: Schema and factor based approach

Abstract

This study aimed to revalidate the Foreign Language Identity Scale developed by Khodadady and Navari (2012) and explore the factors underlying the construct from theoretical as well as empirical perspectives. To this end, the scale was first analyzed linguistically and cognitively by employing the microstructural approach of schema theory. The analysis showed that the scale deals basically not with foreign but English language and was, therefore, renamed as English Language Identity Scale (ELIS). It was then administered to 381 students learning English at advanced levels in nine private and semi private institutes in Mashhad, Iran. The subjection of the data to Principal Axis Factoring and rotating the extracted factors via Varimax with Kaiser Normalization showed that the 30 statements comprising the ELIS loaded acceptably on six latent variables treated as cognitive genera in the microstructural approach, i.e., Idealized Society, Idealized Opportunities, Idealized Conditions, Idealized Connections, Idealized Character and Idealized Personality. The findings are discussed and suggestions are made for future research.