scholarly journals Communicative Textbooks: English Language Textbooks in Iranian Secondary School

2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahdi Dahmardeh
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Language Textbooks ◽  
Iranian Context ◽  
Textbook Design

English language teaching materials (textbooks) play an important role in many language classrooms, but recently there have been a lot of debates within the English language teaching profession based on the actual role that materials play in teaching English as a foreign language. Arguments have encompassed both the potential and the limitations of materials used for 'guiding' students through the learning processes and curriculum as well as the needs and preferences of teachers who are using the textbooks that are available. Other issues that have arisen in recent years include textbook design and practicality, methodological validity, the role of textbooks in innovation, the authenticity of materials in terms of their representation of language, communicative textbooks, and balance in presenting the language skills as well as cultural components. The purpose of this article is to report the findings of a study carried out in 2006 into how Iranian textbooks could be made more communicative. The textbooks referred to are three English language textbooks, which are currently used in Iranian Secondary Schools. Although the work has been done within Iranian context, many suggestions could be applied to other foreign/second language situations. I will start my discussion by presenting an overview about the English language teaching in Iran, before and after the revolution. This will be followed by presenting the findings of this research that would include the Iranian ELT curriculum, the questionnaire survey (author's and teachers' perspectives as well as their discomfort will be addressed) as well as introducing the English language coursebooks for secondary schools in Iran (topic, progression, structure of the lessons, types of exercises etc.). I will then present a discussion on findings of this research which would be a detailed exemplary criticism and suggestions for changes to make the materials communicative. The findings of this explanatory case study revealed that there are many inconsistencies between the learners' needs, and the textbooks that are available for learning and teaching the English language though a few of them are reliable. The purpose of this research project is to recommend constructive changes, in order to make the textbooks more communicative as well as compatible with the students' and teachers' needs and expectations.

Impact of inquiry-based English teaching through digital applications on primary schoolchildren's reading comprehension and autonomy in pandemic situation

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterine Pipia ◽  
Irina Chikovani
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Autonomy Development ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Quantitative Manner ◽  
The Impact

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.

scholarly journals An analysis of lexicon in Omani English language teaching: challenges from teaching and learning perspectives

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Rahma Al-Mahrooqi ◽  
Faisal Al-Maamari ◽  
Christopher Denman
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Consistency Ratio ◽  
Word Lists ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
The Ideal

Textbooks are indispensable in most formal education settings. However, many teachers believe weaknesses in textbooks can result in ineffective learning and teaching. This research uses a corpus-based approach to identify issues related to vocabulary with a particular focus on English textbooks in use in Omani schools. WordSmith Tools and RANGE concordance software are used to analyze these textbooks. Findings indicate that there are irregularities in vocabulary loading and that the types, tokens, density and consistency ratio show inconsistencies. Moreover, in terms of the coverage of GSL and AWL word lists, the textbooks fall short of the ideal range of 95% to 98% coverage suggested by Nation (1990, 2001). In fact, vocabulary from large percentages of the texts are not found in any of the essential word lists. The paper suggests recommendations for consistent analysis and guidance in analyzing textbooks in order to improve their quality in terms of vocabulary introduction and loading. 

An Evaluation of Preposition Representation in the Omani Basic Education ELT Textbooks

2019 ◽  
pp. 311-328
Author(s):  
Rahma Al-Mahrooqi ◽  
Faisal Said Al-Maamari ◽  
Christopher Denman
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Frequency Distribution ◽  
English Language ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Textbook Design ◽  
Practical Implications

The chapter employed a corpus-based approach to evaluate the representation of prepositions in the Omani Basic Education English language teaching (ELT) school textbooks in Grades 1-4. In doing so, it sought to investigate English preposition distribution patterns in the textbooks in order to understand more about how Omani learners are introduced to them. To achieve this, a corpus of Omani ELT school textbooks was used and a qualitative page-by-page content analysis performed through manual content analysis. Findings indicate that prepositions were not presented with enough frequency for learners to be adequately exposed to them across all grades. Moreover, results suggest that the textbook writers have not considered the frequency distribution of patterns of prepositions during the textbook design phase. Practical implications of these results are offered.

Learning to Teach for Next-Generation Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 153-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muriel M. Grosbois ◽  
Cédric G. Sarré
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Education Department ◽  
Online Surveys ◽  
Professional Skills ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Online Tutoring

This chapter examines how pre-service teachers specializing in English Language Teaching (ELT) in secondary schools can learn to teach for Next-Generation Education by developing professional skills that are in line with today and tomorrow's technology-mediated environments. To face this challenge, some specific CALL-based ELT training combining action and reflection has recently been introduced in the Education Department at Paris-Sorbonne University. In order to examine the specific CALL-based ELT training offered in light of the set objective, its theoretical underpinnings will first be considered. The design and content of a CALL-based ELT course and of an online tutoring module will then be studied. The pre-service teachers' perception of this CALL-based ELT training will then be explored through the results of online surveys. Conclusions will be drawn from these results and future directions will be outlined.

scholarly journals Smart Teacher Smart Class Portal in Enhancing Secondary School English Teachers’ English Language Teaching Knowledge in Bangladesh

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 147-157
Author(s):  
SM Kamruddin Ropum ◽  
Md Yasin Arafat
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Lesson Plan ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Knowledge ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Teaching Learning

Smart teacher smart class (STSC) is a portal developed by Dnet which contains curriculum, teachers’ guide, education policy, textbook, lesson plan, multimedia contents, and teaching-learning strategies on different subjects aiming to provide content and pedagogical support to the secondary school teachers in Bangladesh. Making an offline CD, the STSC portal is provided to the respective teachers of secondary schools Dnet works with. The regular use of the STSC portal helps the teachers to improve their knowledge about effective teaching-learning techniques. The study was designed as one group pre-test post-test quasi-experimental method to find the effect of STSC portal on secondary school English teachers’ English language teaching knowledge (ELTK). Twenty eight English teachers from 14 secondary schools were selected purposively to form the group and the tests were administered on them considering 6 months intervention (STSC portal) period. The test was adapted from Cambridge language teaching knowledge (TKT) test focusing on different ELT aspects. The tests scores of the teachers were categorized in 4 knowledge levels: limited, basic, deep and extensive. The findings of the study show that the STSC portal induces a significant improvement of the teachers’ ELTK. Most of the teachers showed better performances in the post-test than the pre-test. Moreover, significance (0.001) and effect size score (0.91) also depict a clear and large effect in enhancing teachers’ ELTK. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v19i1-2.12087 Journal of NELTA, Vol 19 No. 1-2, December 2014: 147-157

scholarly journals Effects of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) Approach and Language Assessment on Students’ Competences in Intensive Reading Course

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shijun Chen ◽  
Jing Wang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Intensive Reading

Task-based language teaching on the purpose of enhancing students’ communicative skills and involving them actively in the authentic context has long been highlighted in recent years in tertiary English language teaching. This paper proposes a framework of task-based teaching approach and language assessment in intensive reading class based on the researcher’s own teaching practice to explore positive impacts on students’ competences. This is done in the context of both oral presentation and written reports of first undergraduate English major students. The research method consists of semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire with 18 questions pointing to different aspects in the learning and teaching processes, aiming to explore what impacts it has on students’ competence in both second language acquisition and at cognitive level. In this empirical study, all the findings indicate that TBLT applied in Chinese English teaching class is very effective and beneficial for the enhancement of Chinese English learners.

scholarly journals Teacher-Based Assessment of Speaking in Cameroonian Secondary Schools: The Impact of Teacher Training

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 01-11
Author(s):  
Rudolf N. Akongoh
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Training ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Variation Principle ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Speaking is an important language skill that deserves a place both in English language teaching and English language assessment. However, the assessment of speaking in Cameroonian secondary schools is still neglected in many teacher-based English language tests. Often, attempts made to assess the skill are done either almost always indirectly or informally, leaving a wide gap between tenets professed in the Competency-Based Approach (CBA) to English language teaching and practice in the field. In 2012, the government of Cameroon officially introduced the CBA as the pedagogic paradigm for the teaching of English as a Second Language (ESL), and by extension, assessment in secondary schools. Eight years down the line, little seems to have changed concerning the way speaking has always been assessed, even though the CBA requires that learners practically demonstrate knowledge, skills and values in testing situations. This article set out to evaluate the contribution of teacher training to the assessment of speaking. Data was collected through qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of 259 questionnaires were administered to examiners of the June 2019 marking session of the Cameroon General Certificate of Education (CGCE) as well as members of the Cameroon English Language and Literature Teachers’ Association (CAMELTA). Also, four interviews were conducted with the maximum variation principle in mind. The findings revealed that teacher training, both pre-service and in-service, is a major factor responsible for the neglect of speaking in assessments. It was recommended that teacher-training institutions introduce or expand courses on testing to include direct assessment of speaking and that opportunities be created for in-service teachers to acquire certification on assessment within the framework of the CBA to English language teaching.

scholarly journals Constraints in English Language Teaching and Learning in Senior Secondary Schools: Strategies for Implementation

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-76
Author(s):  
Steven Sylvester Bockarie ◽  
Michael Sahr Bengu
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Senior Secondary School ◽  
Senior Secondary Schools ◽  
Senior Secondary ◽  
Language Teaching And Learning

The study entitled 'Constraints in English Language Teaching and Learning in Senior Secondary Schools: Strategies for Implementation' seeks to unravel the myriad of problems in teaching and learning the English Language in senior secondary schools and offers strategies that can be implemented to salvage the situation. Learning to teach is more than simply knowing the results of research and theory; it always involves learning the ‘craft’ of classroom exposition, explanation, organization, and guidance. The desired outcome of the language learning process is the ability to communicate competently, not the ability to the ability to use the language exactly as a native speaker does. To guide the study, three research questions were posed. The questions examined the following three variables: (1) the constraints in teaching English; (2) the constraints in learning English; and (3) strategies for implementation in senior secondary schools. The research will be carried out in two senior secondary schools in Kenema City, Eastern Sierra Leone (Government Senior Secondary School and Methodist Senior Secondary School). The study revealed that: the lack of adequate teaching and learning materials, poor pedagogical and academic subject matter competency, and the negative attitude of students towards the English Language, account for the major constraints in the teaching and learning of the subject.

scholarly journals Students’ perspectives on technology integration in ELT

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 95-106
Author(s):  
Renu Singh
Keyword(s):  
Technology Integration ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Ict Infrastructure

Technology integration in English language teaching (ELT) has changed the mode of classroom instruction at school. The use of modern technologies at public secondary schools within Nepal is a big challenge. This study explores students ‘perspectives on technology integration in English language teaching at public secondary schools in Nepal. The study was framed under qualitative research design that used focus group discussion to gather data from the six groups of students in the Kathmandu valley. The thematic analysis of their views under different categories revealed that the ELT with technology integration is a dire need for developing students’ language proficiency. Additionally, the results show that the learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) are aware of the advantages of teaching with technology but the insufficient ICT infrastructure at school and the lack of EFL teachers’ professional skills and knowledge of integrating technology into their daily pedagogical practices are main obstacles of technology integration. The study points out implications for ELT practitioners, researchers, policy makers of ICT in education along with stakeholders.

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