scholarly journals The Impact of Reflective Practices of English Language Teachers on the Development of A Sense of Agency

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Birsen Tutunis ◽  
Ozge Hacifazlioglu

Language teaching has undergone many changes for several decades and is still changing within this complex dynamic system. Teaching is recognized as both individually practised and socially shaped phenomenon with lots of constraints imposed by the society. The concept of agency has been theorized from an interdisciplinary approach incorporating academic disciplines of sociology, philosophy, anthropology, management, economics and the related fields. The aim of this paper is to address this gap in the literature by examining the experiences of language teachers working with young learners. There is limited research literature that specifically addresses the practices of teacher agencies in language teaching. However, Johnson (2009) for example, based on Vygotsky's (1958) sociocultural theory, suggests to take a sociocultural approach in teacher education to acknowledge both social forces and the individual experiences that shape language teaching. A qualitative pilot study was conducted with 30 language teachers working in disadvantaged neighborhoods in İstanbul, Turkey with the purpose of finding out their reflective practices on the development of a sense of agency. The data was analyzed and interpreted from the basis of “professionalism and teacher identity” and provisional insights are provided for policy makers, teachers, administrators and leaders at various levels in schools and faculties of education that we believe will contribute to the literature on teacher agencies and professionalization in the field of second/foreign language teaching.

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 367-388
Author(s):  
Jonathan Luke

ABSTRACT This article reports on a case study of English language learning in higher education, considering the impact of language policies embedded within a mobility scholarship programme on the practices of language teachers. Based on a larger ethnographic study following the experiences of several undergraduate members of one cohort of Brazil’s Science without Borders programme for students in science and technological fields, this article describes how several language teachers engaged with the power relations of the frequently shifting policy terrain of the programme. It concludes with a discussion of possibilities for teachers in similar situations who endeavour to take a critical approach to language teaching and explores some of the tactics they might employ against those policies which they see as incompatible with their practices.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 454
Author(s):  
Muhammed Salim Keezhatta

This study aims at exploring the feasibility of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in English Language Teaching (ELT) by analysing the perceptions of NLP-trained English teachers. The study applied a qualitative method based on interviews with 20 NLP-trained English teachers of high schools in India. To acquire an in-depth perspective of the extensive and comprehensive material available, the interview comprised open-ended detailed questions on the innovation, role, different techniques, and benefits and limitations of NLP, while also dwelling upon the different perceptions of NLP-trained language teachers, motivations of the learners towards NLP, and the positive changes brought about by NLP in the education sector. The researcher used a manual thematic analysis method to identify similarities in pattern while performing the analysis. Also, reliable studies from verifiable sources were selected for further analysis. Findings showed that NLP facilitated communication and encouraged learners of English. In addition, the finding strongly suggests NLP as an effective tool for developing teacher-student relationship and for promoting interactive learning environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-193
Author(s):  
Lucía Pintado Gutiérrez

AbstractThis article explores the agency of the student in translation in language teaching and learning (or TILT). The purpose of the case study discussed here is to gain an overview of students’ perceptions of translation into the foreign language (FL) (also known as “inverse translation”) following a module on language and translation, and to analyse whether there is any correlation between students’ attitude to translation, its impact on their language learning through effort invested, and the improvement of language skills. The results of the case study reveal translation to be a potentially exciting skill that can be central to FL learning and the analysis gives indications of how and why language teachers may optimise the implementation of translation in the classroom. The outcome of the study suggests that further research is needed on the impact of translation in the language classroom focussing on both teachers’ expectations and students’ achievements.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterine Pipia ◽  
Irina Chikovani

Considering the urgency of integrating technologies in the contemporary classrooms, the aim of the presented study has been shaped to outline the impact of inquiry-based English language teaching through digital applications on primary learners’ reading comprehension and autonomy development during a pandemic outbreak of COVID-19. The research context has been designed in a quantitative manner to analyze experiment results and compare control and treatment group learners’ reading comprehension and academic achievement levels as well as to measure primary schoolchildren’s level of autonomy before and after the treatment. The subjects’ autonomy level, curiosity and interest in reading through digital applications before and after the experiment have been evaluated through pre and post-experimental questionnaires. Learning processes of two experimental and two control groups were compared to create four research contexts for the study. Discrepancy between inquiry-based teaching through a digital library and a traditional way of teaching reading has been emphasized in the study results. The obtained data has been analyzed using SPSS to compare the academic performance results. The study revealed that inquiry-based English language teaching through digital applications highly enhanced the primary learners’ academic performance in reading and increased their motivation level to study independently.


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 595-622
Author(s):  
Vanderlei J. Zacchi

Abstract: This paper aims to discuss the use of multimodality in English language teaching. The corpus consists of a set of activities based on a series of pictures related to the seizure of two trucks carrying US-bound migrants in 2011. Two different groups, comprised of pre-service and in-service English language teachers, took part in the research. The first part of the activity involved loose interpretations of the pictures and a discussion about migration nowadays. Afterwards, other activities were carried out based on Luke and Freebody's four-resources model (1990). Some preliminary analyses lead us to conclude that the reading of images is very much culturally sensitive and that multimodal ways of meaning making are becoming more powerful in the globalized, digital era, turning them into an important means for English teaching nowadays.


HOW ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (27) ◽  
pp. 49-67
Author(s):  
Ángela Vanesa Duarte Infante ◽  
Sandra Milena Fonseca Velandia ◽  
Bertha Ramos Holguín

This article describes a pedagogical proposal, based on debates, to determine the type of arguments that pre-service English language teachers constructed at a public university in Tunja, Colombia. We implemented a series of debate workshops about educational issues. Thirteen modern languages pre-service teachers in their sixth semester participated in the debates. In each debate, we collected data through recordings, focus groups, and field notes to understand the impact of the pedagogical intervention. Findings suggest that the arguments pre-service teachers built were based on examples. In this sense, the arguments built were based on their personal experiences and their partners’ opinions. We argue for the need to implement more research proposals that will contribute to the understanding and awareness of what argumentation implies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Ahmad F. Alnwaiem ◽  
Abdullah M. Alazemi ◽  
Abdullah A. Alenezi

The beliefs of EFL teachers are an essential term perceived in a number of educational fields. Especially in teacher education and behavioural research, this term is usually related to teachers' habits and practices in classes, considering their impact on each other. The aim of this study is to add to prior studies on the subject of teachers' beliefs and to concentrate on English language teachers (ELT). The objective is to merge the theory of instructors' beliefs with Global English (GE). The research question 'what are the Kuwaiti instructors' beliefs about ELT and their awareness of Global English?' formalizes these aims. To accomplish the research: To discover teachers' beliefs about ELT and their awareness of Global English. This research concentrates on English language teachers at the university level. The collection of data has been conducted over two months. For data collection and interpretation, this study adopted a qualitative research methodology. Surveys were chosen as the instrument for data collection. The study used qualitative content analysis in relation to the data analysis method. Moreover, the findings were evaluated based on a deductive and inductive approach to qualitative data analysis. Results indicated various kinds of teachers' beliefs about ELT. Including views about the English language, ELT in relation to the standards, ELT with regard to the GE context. English-language beliefs played a central role in shaping two other views, which were considered secondary beliefs. Except for the content of teachers' beliefs, the study's findings have shown two significant categories of influences: internal and external, that affect the development and application of teachers' beliefs in classrooms. In this study, the internal factor referred mainly to English-language teaching beliefs based on its ability to influence other cognitive constructs (i.e., different convictions, behaviours, sensitivity) and teaching practices. As far as external factors are concerned, the teachers' diverse experiences with individuals (e.g., parents and retired teachers) and administrative legislation (e.g., policy and curriculum) are the main factors. Finally, it was possible to conclude the findings of this analysis in the same manner as previous studies, which combined teacher cognition theory with the field of GE. In other words, teacher beliefs play a crucial part in the teacher's cognitive system as a decisive role in their teaching practice. This study proposes further research to reinforce the results of contemporary research in this area.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-84
Author(s):  
Sevim Maviş ◽  
Fevzi Dursun

The purpose of this study is to discover the issues in teaching English from the perspective of teachers. The qualitative method was employed in the study by using semi-structured interview forms to 19 teachers from a central Black Sea region province of Turkey. The teachers highlighted the impact of learning-teaching process, teacher training, teacher-stakeholder relationship and students during the study. According to the teachers, students' prejudices against foreign language learning, interest in the subject, awareness of the importance of language learning, speaking skills, participation in the lesson and the environment they take the courses affect the language learning process. Nevertheless, the reasons for the problems are a lot more complex than this. The students are also need to be supported by the education system, by the parents and by teachers in this process. For instance, the results shows that there is a need for activities that will make students more active, and more suitable environments and materials (i.e. books) are needed for English language teaching. Also, the teachers need to the support of parents, administrators, and the other teachers to become more efficient. This research once again reveals the importance of interrelation of all factors and stakeholders as well as students' willingness and thoughts in teaching English.


2021 ◽  
Vol VI (III) ◽  
pp. 65-74
Author(s):  
Amna Zahra ◽  
Ayesha Butt ◽  
Sadia Rafique

The aim of the study was to make a comparison between the teaching methodologies employed by English language teachers at public and private sector schools at primary level. Foreign language teaching methodologies has become a much-discussed phenomena and has been given immense importance from the last few decades, however, it still needs development in teaching practices. The data for the present study were collected in the form of semi-structured interviews, which were related to the objectives and research questions. The target population of the study was primary level teachers of Lahore, Punjab (Pakistan), while the sample of the study was comprised of primary level teachers of a public and private sector school in Lahore. The results of the study indicated that the teachers of the public sector schools were mostly relying on the structural methods of language teaching, whereas the teachers of the private sector schools were using blended methods.


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