scholarly journals Creative Translation Tasks for ELT (English Language Teaching)

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonu Gohil
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Management ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
First Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Language Competence ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Cultures

This article looks at the function of creative translation tasks for learners in the ELT classroom. It does not advocate the use of L1 (Language 1, first language, mother tongue) as a teaching tool, for classroom management, setting up activities, or for explaining new vocabulary but encourages the use of innovative translation tasks for developing language competence. The article starts by looking at benefits of creative translation as an aid to language learning. It then briefly reviews the current education system. It concludes with some creative translation tasks and observations on how to utilize them in the best possible ways. This paper advocates the effectiveness of using creative translation to develop the communicative competence of a language among the students at tertiary level. English dominates the world as no other language ever has in the world. There is a need to emphasize the conscious acquisition of English as a meaningful system and a creative process. When there is a need there is an urge of finding various mediums to satisfy that need, now this medium should be such as it not only helps in learning a language but also develops competency of the learner. Thus, one of the effective and fairly possible fundamentals of learning a new language is translation. Translation is desirable as it does not undermine the adult learners’ confidence. This paper thus, aims at the development of communicative competence, enabling the learners to discuss the cultures they encounter while translating and eventually helps the learners in deepening their sensitivity to language through heightening their critical ability and creative power. The tasks on translation helps learners make use of the English language while communicating with each other in more realistic situations than what generally happens in the classrooms. They get aware of different cultures while discussing different languages. Thus, translation becomes an intellectually challenging process.

FIRST AND SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING THROUGH TEXTBOOKS IN ALBANIAN SCHOOLS (COMPARATIVE OVERVIEW OF ALBANIAN AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS)

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 2319-2324
Author(s):  
Rina Muka ◽  
Irida Hoti
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
First Language ◽  
Grammatical Knowledge ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
The Third

The language acquired from the childhood is the language spoken in the family and in the place of living. This language is different from one pupil to another, because of their social, economical conditions. By starting the school the pupil faces first the ABC book and then in the second grade Albanian language learning through the Albanian language textbook. By learning Albanian language step by step focused on Reading, Writing, Speaking and Grammar the pupil is able to start learning the second language on the next years of schooling. So, the second language learning in Albanian schools is related to the first language learning (mother tongue), since the early years in primary school. In our schools, the second language (English, Italian) starts in the third grade of the elementary class. On the third grade isn’t taught grammar but the pupil is directed toward the correct usage of the language. The textbooks are structured in developing the pupil’s critical thinking. The textbooks are fully illustrated and with attractive and educative lessons adequate to the age of the pupils. This comparative study will reflect some important aspects of language learning in Albanian schools (focused on Albanian language - first language and English language - second language), grade 3-6. Our point of view in this paper will show not only the diversity of the themes, the lines and the sub-lines but also the level of language knowledge acquired at each level of education. First, the study will focus on some important issues in comparing Albanian and English language texts as well as those which make them different: chronology and topics retaken from one level of education to another, so by conception of linear and chronological order will be shown comparatively two learned languages (mother tongue and second language). By knowing and learning well mother tongue will be easier for the pupil the foreign language learning. The foreign language (as a learning curriculum) aims to provide students with the skills of using foreign language written and spoken to enable the literature to recognize the achievements of advanced world science and technology that are in the interest of developing our technique. Secondly, the study will be based on the extent of grammatical knowledge, their integration with 'Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing' as well as the inclusion of language games and their role in language learning. The first and second language learning in Albanian schools (grade III-VI) is based on similar principles for the linearity and chronology of grammatical knowledge integrated with listening, reading, writing and speaking. The different structure of both books help the pupils integrate and use correctly both languages. In the end of the sixth grade, the pupils have good knowledge of mother tongue and the second language and are able to write and speak well both languages.

scholarly journals A Plurilingual Approach to ELT in Primary School: Towards an Ecological Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-106
Author(s):  
Alicia Chabert
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
English Teaching ◽  
Ecological Understanding ◽  
Attitude And Motivation ◽  
Initial Results

Summary This paper aims to demonstrate that using a plurilingual and ecological approach to English language teaching can achieve better results in primary school independently of the mother tongue of the student. This article is based on the initial results of our international research carried out in three very different countries (Norway, China and Spain). While the author´s research project involves 328 participants, we will present the results of the first phase of the experiment, including 133 students. In this paper, we propose a plurilingual communicative approach to English teaching as a foreign language, making a distinction between languages for communication and languages for identification. This research examines the current teaching policies in the participating countries, and analyses cross-cultural and cross-linguistic perspectives in English language teaching while promoting the positive use of the mother tongue as a connecting tool in the students’ communication system. The subjects of this study were divided in control and experimental groups, in which they received traditional and plurilingual approach respectively. After the classes they completed a test and were then supplied with a Likert scale questionnaire focused on understanding their attitude and motivation towards mother tongue and English language learning. Based on observation and results obtained, we can conclude that a plurilingual approach that uses L1 as a tool in English teaching improves English learning, as well as develops an ecological understanding of languages.

scholarly journals The X-Factor Profile Characteristics of English Language Teachers in Non-Native Setting

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Zarina Othman ◽  
Shahizan Shaharuddin ◽  
Azizah Ya’acob
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
English Teacher ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Profile Characteristics ◽  
Learning English

Phrases such as ‘learning English is fun’ or ‘English is fun’ are often heard when one speaks about learning English especially in a context where English is not the mother tongue of the learners. What about when the focus shifts to English language teachers on the other hand, who are non-native speakers of English? The focus on the teacher other than the curriculum, syllabus, material and pedagogy needs considerable attention in promoting effective English language learning. What are the profile characteristics of an English teacher that can help most importantly first boost the students’ motivation and interest to learn English. Studies have explored in general the characteristics of effective language teachers but to what extent has it identified the ‘X’ factors. This paper addresses a discussion on the the profile characteristics of specifically non –native English language teachers. It focuses on the relevance of the ‘qualities’ of English language teachers’ in relations to English teacher attributes specifically.We gathered the views and opinions of English language instructors teaching English at one of the local higher institutions who are non-native and who have had twenty years’ experience in the field of ELT (English Language Teaching) on what they believe is the X factor characteristics profile of an English language teacher.

scholarly journals Translation in EFL Classroom

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-117
Author(s):  
Arta TOÇI
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
First Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
East European ◽  
History Of Research ◽  
History Of

Throughout much of the history of research into second language acquisition (SLA), the role of learners’ first language (L1) has been a hotly debated issue. Prodromou (2000) refers to the mother tongue as a ‘skeleton in the closet’, while Gabrielatos (2001) calls it a ‘bone of contention’. Such views are but a mere reflection of the different methodological shifts in English Language Teaching, which have brought about new and different outlooks on the role of the mother tongue. The conflict itself is taking place in academic circles rather than in classrooms, where the use of L1 is still considered unacceptable owing to the predominance of the communicative method in language teaching.   Research on the role that mother tongue has for the non-native learners of English has been conducted around the world, however none in North Macedonia. This research aims to explore some of the controversy regarding the use of the student’s first language (L1), as well as to suggest translation activities as a beneficial tool for the students of South East European University in Tetovo, North Macedonia. It also provides insights into native language interference in the process of translating from students’ mother tongue into English, and vs.

scholarly journals Incorporating Communicative Competence in Assessment and English Language Teaching in Multilingual Settings

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-13
Author(s):  
Ella Yuzar
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Test Validity ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Historical Review ◽  
Language Testing ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
English Language Teaching

There has been a high level of agreement among scholars that communicative competence should be integrated within language learning and assessments. The study attempts to unravel the issues of how communicative competence can be assessed and measured in multilingual environments and how communicative language testing can be promoted. Using the content analysis approach as the qualitative method, it begins with the historical review of communicative competence that started at the beginning of 1970s to the most current concept involving intercultural communicative competence. Then, some practical models of communicative competence that can be used to propose a measurement of communicative competence are presented. Later, this article argues that there is an upsurge need to shift the paradigm of language testing and language assessment towards communicative competence. Moreover, the nature of language testing should not only concern linguistic or knowledge competence but also recognize the different varieties of English. This study implies that, in the field of language testing, language test designers should encompass the concept of communicative competence in the test construct to include real-life language use, and by extension, to increase test validity. As for teachers, a reform integrating communicative competence in classroom language assessment has become essential within the scope of language teaching.

scholarly journals Foreign Language Learning Process at an Early Age and Its Impact on the Native Language Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Shqipe Husaj
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Early Age

Perhaps the most complex question risen among linguists, psychologists and philosophers is how a child learns foreign language? Considering that language learning is natural and that babies are born with the ability to learn it since learning begins at birth, still Language learning (be it native or foreign) is a process that is not simple and short. It takes time, patience and self-discipline. Independent from some internal and external factors that are found inside and outside of every learner and which differ from each and every person this process has its pros and cons. A foreign (English) language learning at an early age has evolved considering modern technologies and methodologies used by individual learners and teachers. The earlier the language is learnt the more fluent the speaker is, but what happens to the mother tongue? Is the child well understood by the community, school teachers and friends? What is the progress of that child at school, what are psychological effects of technology used in the process of learning a language, what is the best age to learn a foreign language? , etc. These and many other questions will be discussed in this paper. The findings of this paper are assumed to also identify teachers’ perceptions about the main challenges they face during the classroom management with foreign language speakers in the classroom, the strategies they use, parents’ attitude toward this and also to find out some steps that parents and native language teachers should take to improve the situation.

scholarly journals Use of L1 in the Iranian EFL Classroom

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-45
Author(s):  
Setareh Masoumi Mayni ◽  
Shamala Paramasivam
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Elementary Level ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Institute Of Technology

By reviewing the literature on the development of English language teaching methods in the last three decades, it is obvious that the idea of using the first language (L1) in the second language (L2) classroom has always been controversial. The history of language pedagogy and the role of the first language in foreign language learning generate debates in English as a foreign language. The teaching of English as a foreign language is growing every day in Iran, and as a result, the need for informing the best policy is getting more urgent. The principal intent of the current study, that investigates the use of L1 in the English classroom, is to determine teachers, students and policymakers’ beliefs and attitudes towards the use of L1 in L2 classroom. The L1, in this case, is Farsi language and all the participants are native speakers of Farsi. One hundred and fifty students of the English Language Department at the elementary level at Tehran Institute of Technology are the participants of the study. They are all female and in their late teens or early twenties. The students and the teachers were surveyed by questionnaires and the researcher observed 10 classes and interviewed 3 teachers and 3 policymakers. The information gathered from the questionnaire was submitted to SPSS for analyzing the data, and the information gathered from the interview. Class observation check-list was used to triangulate the findings of the questionnaire. The results of this study indicate that teachers and students have different attitudes towards using L1 in the EFL classes. While students have a positive attitude, teachers have a negative attitude. The main reason mentioned by students for not being against the limited use of Farsi in their English class is that they believe using Farsi even in a limited sense can help them to understand difficult concepts. However, teachers believe in an English-only policy to be more exposed to the English language. Another finding of this study is that the functions of using Farsi by students or teachers in EFL classroom are: for explaining difficult parts, for managing the classroom, for explaining exam instructions, for explaining the two language differences, for checking comprehension, for seeking help from others, for joking with others, for making students relaxed and for presenting the meaning of new words. Given these findings, to match the student’s and teachers’/policymakers’ ideas about using L1 at the elementary level, an EFL teaching methodology that considers the use of Farsi, even in a limited way, is suggested.

scholarly journals A Literary Approach to teaching English Language in a Multi – Cultural Class - Room

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanju Choudhary
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Teaching Learning

<p>Literature is not generally considered as a coherent branch of the curriculum in relation to language – development in either mother tongue or foreign language – teaching. As teachers of English in Multi cultural Indian class rooms we come across students with varying degree of competence in English language learning. Though, language learning is a natural process for natives but the Students of other languages put in colossal efforts to learn it. Despite   their sincere efforts they face challenges regarding Pronunciation, Spelling and Vocabulary. The Indian class rooms are a microcosm of the larger society, so teaching English language in a manner which equips the students to face the cut-throat competition has become a necessity and a challenge for English language Teachers. English today has become the key determinant for getting success in their career. The hackneyed and stereotypical methods of teaching are not acceptable now. Teachers have no longer remained arbitrary dispensers of knowledge but they are playing the role of a guide and facilitator for the students. Teachers of English are using innovative ideas to make English language teaching and learning interesting and simple. Teachers have started using the literary texts and their analysis to explore and ignite the imagination and creative skills of the students. One needs to think and rethink the contribution of literature to intelligent thinking as well as its role in the process of teaching – learning. My paper would, therefore, be an attempt at exploring the nature of the literary experience in the present day class rooms; and the broader role of literature in life.</p>

scholarly journals Use of First Language in the Classroom: Non-native EFL Teachers’ Beliefs in Teaching English to Adult Learners in Bilingual Context

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Iftikhar Ahmad ◽  
Noor Raha Mohd Radzuan ◽  
Muhammad Sabboor Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
First Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers

This study aims to investigate the perspectives of non-native English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers across mother tongue and gender, and their male and female adult students, regarding the use of Arabic in the EFL classrooms at the university level in Saudi Arabia. The study specifically seeks to investigate the perspectives of non-native Arab and non-Arab EFL teachers as they, working in the native Arab setting, often resort to Arabic (Al-Nofaie, 2010; Machaal, 2012). However, there are glaring research gaps about non-native EFL teachers’ and adult learners’ beliefs on the use of first language (L1) in the classroom. For this purpose, the study used quantitative research design, and administered two questionnaires, one for the teachers and the other for the students. Students’ questionnaire complemented that of the teachers. Forty teachers and sixty students were selected based on stratified random sampling. The findings of the study revealed that all camps of teachers, Arab, non-Arab, male, female, and students were in favour of judicious bilingual approach. The study finds statistically significant difference between the beliefs of Arab and non-Arab EFL teachers about the use of L1. The findings suggest that Arab EFL teachers’ use of Arabic is extensive, while non-Arab EFL teachers’ use of Arabic is well-timed. The study suggested practical implications for the improvement of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Saudi Arabia by recommending planned, occasional and judicious use of L1 while teaching EFL adult learners.

Cross-linguistic influence on the use of L2 collocations: the case of Vietnamese learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dung Cao ◽  
Richard Badger
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
First Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Language Writing ◽  
Argumentative Essays

Abstract Using collocation is a key part of second language ability (Granger, Sylviane. 2018. Formulaic sequences in learner corpora: Collocations and lexical bundles. In Anna Siyanova-Chanturia & Ana Pellicer-Sanchez (eds.),Understanding formulaic language: A second language acquisition perspective, 228–247. New York: Routledge; Nattinger, James R. & Jeamette S. DeCarrico. 1992. Lexical phrases and language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press; Nesselhauf, Nadja. 2004. Collocations in a learner corpus. Amsterdam; Philadelphia: J. Benjamins Pub. Co.; Pawley, Andrew & Frances H. Syder. 1983. Two puzzles for linguistics: Nativelike selection and nativelike fluency. In Jack Richards & Richard W. Schmidt (eds.), Language and communication, 191–228. London: Longman). Researchers often hypothesize that the influence of the first language is an important factor in the production and understanding of unconventional collocations (Huang, Li-Shi. 2001. Knowledge of English collocations: An analysis of Taiwanese EFL learners.Paper presented at the Texas Foreign Languguage Education Conference, Texas; Laufer, Bhatia & Tina Waldman. 2011. Verb-noun collocations in second language writing: A corpus analysis of learners’ English. Language Learning 61(2). 647–672. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2010.00621.x; Phoocharoensil, Supakorn. 2013. Cross-linguistic influence: Its impact on L2 English collocation production. English Language Teaching 6(1). 1–10) but we are only now starting to understand this. The present study provides a robust investigation of cross-linguistic influences by exploring how Vietnamese influenced Vietnamese learners’ use of English language verb-noun and adjective noun collocations in 104 350-word argumentative essays, using a framework derived from Jarvis, Scott. 2012. The detection-based approach: An overview. In S. Jarvis & S. A. Crossley (eds.), Approaching language transfer through text classification: Explorations in the detection-based approach, 1st ed., Vol. 64, 1–33. Bristol: Multilingual Matters, drawing on homogeneity among speakers of Vietnamese; heterogeneity between users of Vietnamese and other language; and formal and conceptual congruity between collocations learners produce in English and equivalent terms in Vietnamese. The study found that less than 10% of the collocations learners produced were unconventional and of these, 40% of collocations were influenced by the first language (L1); errors associated with incorrect use of prepositions in verb-noun collocations (e.g. the addition, omission or misuse of prepositions) are strongly L1-motivated. Learners make errors with not only incongruent collocations (collocations with no direct L1 equivalents) but also with congruent collocations (collocations with direct L1 translation).

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