Note : The USP questionnaire below was used in a survey of Fiji language use in 1990. The TESOL SLA course has quite different objectives from this material. It is included here only as an example of the kinds of things that can go into a language questionnaire. Be especially aware that this USP questionnaire does not really contain open-ended questions. However, the TESOL SLA essay questionnaires really need some open-ended questions.

 Thor May

 

 

 

UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC

Department of Literature & Language

 

LANGUAGES IN THE PACIFIC, 1990

 

Instructions:

 

1. We are trying to learn what languages ordinary people know and use in the South Pacific. True information about this can help communities to plan education and activities which people really want.

 

2. Please say what you actually think. Don't just try to please the questioner !

 

3. Please try to answer every question, even if the answer is "nothing" or "nil".

 

Thank you for your help,

 

 

 

Thor May, Lecturer

___________________________________________________________________________

QUESTIONS

 

Have you answered this question sheet before? -> Yes/No

 

A. PERSONAL

1. Age (approx.):.... 2. Sex :...3. Years of Schooling .....

 

4. Job:....................... 5. Nationality...............

___________________________________________________________________________

B. WHAT LANGUAGE WHERE ?

 

6. What language(s) do you use at work or school?................

 

7. What language do you speak at home ? ........................

 

8. What language do your parents speak at home ?................

 

9. What language do your children (if any)

                           speak at home ?......................

___________________________________________________________________________

C. WRITING (It is OK to say "none" for any of these questions)

 

10. How many letters a year do you write (guess)? ...............

11. What language(s) do you write the letters in? ...............

12. What else do you write? .....................................

(PLEASE TURN OVER)

 

2.

D. READING (It is OK to say "none" for any of these questions)

 

13. What languages can you read & write in ? .................

14. How many newspapers do you read a week ? .................

15. What languages are the papers written in ? ...............

16. What magazines do you read ? (please name):...............

17. What else do you read ?...................................

 

E. SPEAKING

 

18. What can you do with these languages ? -->

     (tick the highest level for each)

 

	LEVEL 1 Exchange greetings	LEVEL 2 Buy goods in a shop	LEVEL 3 Talk about family, friends etc	LEVEL 4 Discuss difficult ideas like religion, politics, technology
English
Fijian
Rotuman
Hindi
Urdu
Other L's (please name)

 

19. How did you learn these languages ? -->

    (tick both columns if you wish)

 

	English	Fijian	Rotuman	Hindi	Urdu	Others (please name)
by talking to people
by school or study

 

 

20. What languages (if any) would you like to improve in ?

    ......................................................

21. What new languages (if any) would you like to learn ?

    ......................................................