scholarly journals Fostering cultural competence awareness by engaging in intercultural dialogue – a telecollaboration partnership

2019 ◽  
pp. 379-384
Author(s):  
María Villalobos-Buehner
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Intercultural Dialogue ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Trained Group ◽  
Group Control Group ◽  
Experimental Group

This study measured changes in cultural awareness levels between two groups of US students in their third semester of a Spanish class. One group (experimental group) collaborated via Skype with a group of English language learners from a Colombian university and the other group (control group) did not. The experimental group met seven times during the semester to discuss a variety of cultural topics such as health care and gastronomy. The control group addressed the same topics by examining them among members of the same class. Both groups answered a pre and post self-awareness questionnaire. Mixed factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) results showed significant differences between the two groups. There was no change in scores from pretest to posttest for the control group, but scores in the trained group increased significantly. Students from the treatment group show substantial gains in skills, knowledge, and awareness of themselves in their interactions with others in one semester.

The Effects of Explicit Metapragmatic Instruction on Chinese English Language Learners’ Acquisition of Compliment Responses

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhou Wen ◽  
Deng Jun
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Written Discourse ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Compliment Responses ◽  
English Major ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Experimental Group

AbstractThe present study investigated the effects of explicit metapragmatic instruction on foreign language learners’ performance of compliment responses (CRs). Eighty-two non-English major students participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to two groups, an experimental group that received explicit metapragmatic instruction on compliment responses and a control group that did not. A pretest-posttest research design was adopted. The data were collected through a written discourse completion task (WDCT) with six scenarios concerning the topics of appearance, performance, and personality. The results revealed that learners who received explicit instruction dramatically decreased their use of Accept strategy and increased Combination (CB) strategy at the macro level; more specifically, a decrease in Appreciation and an increase in Accept + Accept at the micro level. The learners of the control group made little progress in their performance. The study sheds light on pragmatics learning in an EFL setting and provides implications for pragmatics pedagogy.

scholarly journals The Impact of Scaffolding Techniques on Saudi English-Language Learners’ Speaking Abilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Khalid Mohammed Alwahibee
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

This study investigated the extent to which scaffolding techniques improve Saudi English-language students’ speaking abilities. The study’s main aims involved determining why most Saudi students do not want to participate in communication tasks and activities and identifying other ways to encourage teachers and students to be more active during speaking classes. A mixed-methods technique, a special rubric, and an attitude questionnaire to collect this study’s data were used. The participants included 50 students from Level 3 in the Department of English Language and Literature at the College of Languages and Translation at Al-Imam Mohammed Bin Saud Islamic University. The experiment lasted for 7 weeks. A teacher met with each group for 2 hours per week. The participants were divided into two groups and experimental and a control group of 25 students each. The experimental group used various scaffolding techniques in each session—which allowed the learners to use their existing knowledge, skills, and strategies in several contexts and for many purposes when speaking. The control group received standard speaking instruction, in which the teacher gave the students time to speak freely without intervention. An independent-sample t test for was used of the analysis. The posttest results showed that the experimental group’s speaking ability improved after the pretest. Moreover, the posttests’ overall results indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group. This result emphasized the usefulness of using new techniques to teach speaking to nonnative speakers.

scholarly journals The Effect of the Cognitive Research Trust Program for Development of Thinking Skills on the Achievement of the Jordanian English Language Learners

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samer Radwan Ahmed Hmeadat
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Conventional Method ◽  
English Language ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cognitive Research ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Experimental Group

Aim: To investigate the effect of the CoRT(Cognitive Research Trust) program for the development of thinking skills on the achievement of the Jordanian English language learners. The length of the program did not exceed more than three months and a half, starting from the warming-up period in the first semester to the achievement test. Methods: The study sample consisted of (86) students from the seventh grade in Al Nahda Islamic Modern Private Schools, The First Directorate of Education in Zarqa District. The subjects were divided into four groups. Two experimental groups consisted of (34) male students who were taught two units in the curriculum (Aim High1) through the CoRT program. The other two control groups consisted of (34) male students who were taught the same content through the conventional strategy. Analysis of ANOVA was performed to test the statistical significance of the differences between the experimental group who was taught through the CoRT and the control group who was taught through the conventional method. Result: It revealed that there was a statistical significant difference at the level (α =0.05) in the mean scores between the experimental group and the control group in favor of the experimental group. Interestingly, the current study adopted the experimental design. Conclusion: There were statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the subjects of the experimental groups who studied through the CoRT as a new instructional model and the control group who studied through the conventional method in favor of the experimental groups.

scholarly journals A Study of Language Anxiety among English Language Learners in Saudi Arabia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badia Muntazer Hakim
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Self Awareness

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.

scholarly journals FROM INLAND TO OUTLAND: EXPERIENCES OF NON-NATIVE EXPATRIATE TEACHERS TEACHING IN A FOREIGN CONTEXT

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-37
Author(s):  
Remart Padua Dumlao ◽  
Trixia Mengorio
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking

The numbers of English language learners and limited domestic English language teachers have grown exponentially in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as to the ASEAN region over the past decades due to the demand of globalization. Given the huge cultural and linguistic diversity among learners, educating these populations of English language learners can be a challenging but also beneficial for foreign language teachers. This study aimed to analyse the experiences of fifteen Non-native English Speaking Foreign Teachers (NNESFT) teaching in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The results of this study suggested that although teachers’ reasons in teaching English language in a foreign classroom were more extrinsic reasons rather that intrinsic and altruistic. NNESFT recognized benefits of teaching in foreign classroom, namely, financial aspects, personal development, and building cultural awareness. Meanwhile, challenges were reported include as a non-native English speaking teachers in a foreign classroom, on the part of textbooks and curriculum, and cultural differences in the classroom. Implications were discussed in light of the findings and recommendations formulated for future research directions.

scholarly journals Do EFL Learners Enhance Their knowledge of Their Home Cultures as a Result of comparing them with other Cultures Through Project-Based Learning?

2021 ◽  
Vol 04 (08) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akharraz Mohamad ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cultural Products ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

The existing research studies have revealed that project-based learning (PjBL) has significantly helped foreign language learners enhance their cultural understanding as a result of completing their projects (e.g., Bouchouk, 2017; Hsu, 2014; Kim, 2019; Liu et al., 2006; Ngo, 2014). While these studies have congruently proved the utility of PjBL in enhancing students’ cultural awareness, none of them has measured the effect of PjBL together with a comparative and contrastive approach on students’ understanding of their home cultures. Hence, the purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of comparing students’ home cultures with the English cultures through PjBL on students’ understanding of their own cultures in terms of cultural products, cultural practices, and cultural perspectives. Two similar intact groups were randomly assigned to control and treatment groups. The two groups were pretested, administered two different treatments for 24 weeks, and post-tested to assess their differences. The independent sample t-tests results exhibited that the experimental group substantially deepened their understanding of their home cultures as a result of comparing them with the English cultures through PjBL. The study also revealed that while the control group significantly improved their cultural products, those in the experimental group greatly enhanced their knowledge of cultural practices and perspectives.

Ensuring Social Justice for English Language Learners

2021 ◽  
pp. 489-506
Author(s):  
Juan A. Rios Vega ◽  
Cecile M. Arquette ◽  
Hwa Lee ◽  
Heljä Antola Crowe ◽  
Jana Lynn Hunzicker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Credit Hours ◽  
Ell Students ◽  
Course Work

Bradley University's embedded English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement program was first implemented during the 2015-2016 academic year. This program consists of eighteen credit hours of course work specified by the Illinois State Board of Education in order to prepare teachers to work with students who do not speak English as their first language. Now in its second year, early outcomes of the program are quite positive. This chapter describes the program and its development in detail, and analyzes the program's strengths and weaknesses, focusing especially on teacher candidates' knowledge of pedagogy and cultural awareness as it relates to social justice in education for English language learner (ELL) students. The chapter concludes with recommendations for programming and future research.

Influence of prestudy on foreign language learning attitude

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismail Hakki Mirici
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Learning Attitude ◽  
Target Unit ◽  
Reading Activities

In this experimental study, based on qualitative and quantitative data collection from an experimental and a control group, the influence of 2 different ways of prestudy on foreign language learning attitude of the upper-intermediate level of English language learners was investigated. One prestudy program was based on specially designed familiarization handout-materials comprising topic-related reading activities, the other program entailed using a dictionary focusing on the words used in the target unit. Students who worked with the handout were significantly more motivated, active, and interactive than those who worked with a dictionary. In addition, teachers felt that students who did prestudy using handouts found the unit more meaningful and developed a better attitude towards learning a foreign language than did those who relied on a dictionary.

scholarly journals Exploring the Use of Written Authentic Materials in ESL Reading Classes: Benefits and Challenges

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Waheeb S. Albiladi
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Authentic Materials ◽  
Academic Benefits ◽  
Language Classrooms

The growing popularity of authentic materials provides English language teachers with more resources to practice the real language in language classrooms (Guo, 2012). However, integrating these types of reading materials can be difficult and time-consuming even though there are many benefits to using them to teach language learners how to read. Real-life based texts, which are not specifically designed for educational purposes have been recognized by many educators to be effective and interesting materials. The purpose of this study was to explore language learners’ perceptions about the benefits and challenges of using authentic materials in English reading classes. The study involved 16 adult English language learners enrolled in an intensive English program. Observations of reading classes and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Results indicated that the use of authentic materials leads to many social and academic benefits, such as increasing students’ motivation and their cultural awareness. Findings also suggest that the use of authentic materials are encouraged as they bring the sense of authenticity and reality to the language classrooms.

scholarly journals The Effect of Swain's Push Out Hypothesis on Promoting Jordanian Language Learners' Reading Performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Abeer Al-Ghazo
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Reading Performance ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Comprehension Test ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Push Out ◽  
Experimental Group

The present study investigates the effect of push out hypothesis in language acquisition that is based on Swain’s push out hypothesis (1985) on promoting Jordanian language learners' reading performance. The sample of the study consists of two classes of English reading comprehension  Course , Level one with 60 EFL students, 30 in the control group and 30 in the experimental group. Those students were belonging to the Department of English Language and Literature. The researchers choose the reading texts from reading comprehension course which was published by Macmillan Education LTD, intermediate level (2001). The researchers construct a multiple-choice reading comprehension test to assess the students reading comprehension. The participants in the two groups took a vocabulary test and an achievement reading comprehension test as a pre-test  in order to be sure that the participants formed a homogenous sample. The experimental group underwent a treatment based on Swains’ push out task, while the control group did not receive any treatment. Then, Proper statistical analyses were used to analyze the results. The scores of control and experimental group were compared at the end of the treatment period. The results reveal that the scores of the experimental group on the post-test were significantly higher than those of the control group. These results prove that teaching on the basis of the Swains’ push out hypothesis was successful to develop the students’ reading comprehension as well as their performance.

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