Good Teachers Know Where to Scratch When Learners Feel Itchy: Korean Learners' Views of Native-Speaking Teachers of English

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Song-Ae Han

Cross-border education has been growing dramatically in both English-speaking countries and non-native English-speaking countries. While more and more students, particularly from Asian countries such as Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan choose to study in English-speaking countries, many native English speakers go to Asian countries to teach English. In this context, cross-cultural misunderstanding and cultural bias between English language learners and native-speaking teachers of English are becoming major issues. This article focuses on 12 Korean adult learners' views about native-speaking teachers of English working in Korea. Korean learners' expectations and needs regarding English language learning and teaching are explored through the investigation and analysis of the learners' views. It aims to provide educators both in non-English and English-speaking countries, including Australia, with insights to inform the development of effective learning and teaching environments not only for Korean students, but also for those in similar cultural contexts.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
Durga Bhusal

Language Learning Strategies (LLSs) are specific actions, behaviors, steps, or techniques that the learners use them to improve their performance which is important for L2/FL learning and teaching. These strategies are as affecting factors on success or failure of the language learning process. Hence, this paper explores the English language learners’ learning strategies to develop their communicative competence within the theoretical stance of Oxford’s 1990 Language Learning Strategies (LLSs). The study is qualitative in nature where four participants were interviewed to understand their ontological perspectives and practices of different LLSs to enhance their communicative ability in English. The findings show the learners seemed to be usual strategy users. However, social, affective, and metacognitive strategies frequent strategies for developing their communicative competence. It further depicts learners are not always aware of the influence of consciously using language learning strategies for making their learning quicker and more effective. Thus, the teachers need to be the one who helps their students develop the awareness of language learning strategies and enable them to use a wider range of appropriate strategies for further success in their communicative competence.


Author(s):  
Rashad Ali Ahmed

Social media sites have become an essential part of communication and interaction all over the globe. They have also offered numerous opportunities to language learners across geographic borders, paralleled by a new research interest in their potential. The present study joins this relatively new line of research as it adds data from a sample of Yemeni English language learners about their uses and perceived benefits of using social media sites in English beyond formal education. The study came up with a conclusion that Yemeni EFL learners were actively participating in social media sites and were aware of their language-related benefits. The participants reported that social media sites were helpful for building various aspects of their English proficiency but found them most useful for their writing and reading skills, expanding their vocabulary, having access to authentic materials, and communicating with English speaking friends, both native and non-native speakers. They ranked their usefulness in the following order: Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr. Rishi Mishra ◽  
Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Shah

Dyslexia, or specific reading disability, is a disorder in which children with normal intelligence and sensory abilities show learning deficits for reading. The developments in reading lags behind other academic developments. Achieved reading skill is limited. Reading is slow and non-word reading is impaired. The educational system has difficulties in understanding dyslexia and an even harder time identifying children with dyslexia in order to provide the correct intervention for students who are non – native English speakers. When a school has the added challenge of identifying struggling English language learners (ELLs), the task becomes an even more complicated process, and often, these kids are completely missed. But that does not have to be the case. Children who are learning English are just as likely to have dyslexia as their native-English-speaking counterparts, and there is a way to identify dyslexia in these children. The difference is that dyslexia might appear in the native language quite as vividly as it will when they attempt to learn English. This research paper tries to analyze those teaching strategies which have been very effective in developing English language skills among the non native speakers. It reviews the body of research on difficulties faced by dyslexic students in educational setup and different teaching methods which played an effective role in enhancing the English language learning skills of the students. First, we explore the assessment of comprehension and reading difficulties of these students at initial stages. Next we discuss the methodology used in reviewing the literature on different instructional methods for the students with specific focus on dyslexic students.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saleh Ahmed Saif Abdulmughni

There is a significant psychological aversion to English as a foreign language in Saudi Arabia. General weakness among learners opting for English majors and undergraduate learners of the English language is noted. Different learners are unaware of learning styles most suited to them. This research discussed the necessity for sensitizing university teachers towards the contributing factors in the success or failure of teaching and learning the English Language in Saudi Arabia. Teaching-learning processes would be fruitful if the syllabus designers, teachers, and learners become aware of important factors like teacher’s characteristics, learners’ characteristics, teaching materials, and educational institutions. This study aimed to emphasize the role of the English language teacher in facilitating learning processes, through conducting active research of English language learners at Wadi Ad-Dawasir in Saudi Arabia. This research enhances the prospects of pedagogical studies of different language learning and teaching.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-150
Author(s):  
Sandra Ximena Bonilla-Medina ◽  
Karen Vanessa Varela ◽  
Katherine García

Racial identity, as well as other social identities, is intrinsically related to language learning. Nevertheless, this relationship has been taken for granted. Despite research done in the area, not a lot has centred explicitly on finding the connections between race and language learning. This article addresses that point in an attempt to shed light specifically on English language learning and teaching. We used a qualitative research methodology to analyse oral and written narratives that were produced by participants telling their experience as English language learners. This article underscores the results that relate language learners’ racial experiences as a crucial factor in the configuration of their identity as well as the economic, social, and cultural factors involved.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 95-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Kraemer ◽  
Allison Coltisor ◽  
Meesha Kalra ◽  
Megan Martinez ◽  
Bailey Savage ◽  
...  

English language learning (ELL) children suspected of having specific-language impairment (SLI) should be assessed using the same methods as monolingual English-speaking children born and raised in the United States. In an effort to reduce over- and under-identification of ELL children as SLI, speech-language pathologists (SLP) must employ nonbiased assessment practices. This article presents several evidence-based, nonstandarized assessment practices SLPs can implement in place of standardized tools. As the number of ELL children SLPs come in contact with increases, the need for well-trained and knowledgeable SLPs grows. The goal of the authors is to present several well-establish, evidence-based assessment methods for assessing ELL children suspected of SLI.


2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-79
Author(s):  
Sara C. Steele ◽  
Deborah A. Hwa-Froelich

Nonword repetition performance has been shown to differentiate monolingual English-speaking children with language impairment (LI) from typically developing children. These tasks have been administered to monolingual speakers of different languages and to simultaneous and sequential bilingual English Language Learners (ELLs) with mixed results. This article includes a review of the nonword repetition performance of monolingual and bilingual speakers and of internationally adopted children. Clinical implications for administration and interpretation of nonword repetition task outcomes are included.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramia DIRAR SHEHADEH MUSMAR

Integrating scaffolding-learning technologies has been recognized for its potential to create intellectual and engaging classroom interactions. In the United Arab Emirates, having language teachers employ computers as a medium of new pedagogical instrument for teaching second languages generated the idea of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as a medium of an innovative pedagogical instrument for facilitating and scaffolding language learning, with an aspiration that it will lead to improved English language attainment and better assessment results. This study aims at investigating the perspectives of students and teachers on the advantageous and disadvantageous impacts of CALL on learning and teaching English as a second language in one public school in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The results show that CALL has a facilitating role in L2 classroom and that using CALL activities is advantageous in reducing English learning tension, boosting motivation, catering for student diversity, promoting self-directed language learning and scaffolding while learning English. The results additionally report that numerous aspects like time constraints, teachers’ unsatisfactory computer skills, insufficient computer facilities, and inflexible school courses undesirably affect the implementation of CALL in English classrooms. It is recommended that further studies should be undertaken to investigate the actual effect of CALL on students’ language proficiency. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donita Shaw ◽  
Elena Andrei

AbstractBuilding upon the theory of teacher cognition, the purpose of this study was to discover how pre-service teachers envision learning English as English Language Learners (ELLs) and teaching English to ELLs. We examined metaphors of 98 pre-service teachers who were enrolled in their first literacy methods course in their preparatory program at one of two universities in the United States. We used metaphor analysis methodology to look at the participants’ metaphor writing samples. Overall results showed the pre-service teachers viewed learning English to be foremost a challenge and secondarily a worthwhile challenge. In contrast, the pre-service teachers viewed teaching English to be a worthwhile challenge, followed by a challenge and process. Throughout this paper we highlight our reflection and relate our findings to previous research. To be a responsive teacher educator begins by knowing our pre-service teachers.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badia Muntazer Hakim

Classroom anxiety is a recurrent phenomenon for language learners. There are various factors that cause language anxiety, the most common of which include learners’ excessive self-consciousness and self-awareness concerning their oral reproduction and performance and their peculiar, and quite often misplaced and mistaken, views and beliefs regarding different approaches. Other potential reasons for this problem could include the fear, and the consequent deterrence occasioned thereof, of encountering difficulties in language learning, specifically learners’ individual problems regarding the culture of the target language and the varying social statuses of speakers. The most important fear is, perhaps, the deterrent fear of causing damage to one’s self-identity. Therefore, while needing to paying special attention to language learners’ anxiety reactions, language teachers have a crucial role in helping their students achieve the expected performance goals in the target language. Another factor that could potentially lead to language anxiety is simply the poor command of the target language. This problem could be attributed to linguistic barriers and obstacles language learners encounter in learning and using the target language. In the current study, using a qualitative, semi-structured interview and the focus-group discussion technique, the researcher aims to investigate the factors that contribute to language anxiety among Arab language learners. It focuses on learners both within the classroom setting and without, i.e. in the social context, and recommends a number of approaches to manage and overcome this problem.


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