The Effect of Classroom Environment on Achievement in English as a Foreign Language (EFL): A Case Study of Secondary School Students in Gezira State: Sudan

Abstract

Classroom environment plays a significant role in determining students’ level of academic achievement and enhancing
their holistic growth. For students, the classroom is not just an intellectual space, but also a social, emotional and
physical environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of classroom environment on learning
English as a foreign language by a group of first grade students at Secondary Schools in Gezira State in the Sudan. This
study indorses the experimental approach to realize its objective. Two groups of students are classified as the
Experimental and the Control group and assigned to study under two different classroom environments. The
Experimental group consists of (122) students. These are accommodated in three well renovated classrooms; while the
Control group which includes (135) students are assigned to study in non-renovated schools under relatively poor
classroom environments. The two groups are taught the same English language material by teachers with similar
qualifications and experiences during the first term of the academic 2016. Scores in the English Final Examination for
the two groups are compared to check the classroom environment effect on the students’ achievement. These scores are
tabulated and analysed using descriptive statistics. The results reveal that there are significant differences between the
achievements of the Experimental and the Control group in English in favour of the Experimental group who have
studied under favourable classroom conditions. The researcher has also explored the administrators’ and teachers’
viewpoints regarding the learning environment in the study zone and its possible impact on students’ achievement in
English. The study ends up with some recommendations including conducting further studies on the environmental
effect on other school subjects and on female students’ achievement.