The Influence of Acculturation on Students' Language Proficiency

Abstract

Acculturation is usually accompanied by changes in the language environment. Students may need to adapt to the new language environment, which will have a certain impact on students' language acquisition. Generally speaking, acculturation helps students better integrate into local social circles. Such social interactions provide opportunities to practice language skills as they need to communicate and build relationships in the new language. This study focused on Chinese students studying in the UK and explored the relationship between these students' acculturation and English proficiency skills, as well as the factors that may mainly influence their language proficiency. Research has found that acculturation has a positive impact on students' language proficiency, and the psychological factors in Schumann's acculturation theory are more prominent. Among them, the highest factor affecting language learning and proficiency is learning motivation.