scholarly journals Negotiating for meaning in interaction: differences between virtual exchanges and regular online activities

2019 ◽  
pp. 63-68
Author(s):  
Laia Canals
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Data Analyses ◽  
Meaning Negotiation ◽  
Online Activities ◽  
Negotiation For Meaning ◽  
Learning English

The present research explores the interactional nature of oral tasks carried out in two types of learner dyads in terms of their likelihood to foster negotiation for meaning during Language Related Episodes (LREs). Quantitative data analyses reveal how learners in same L1 dyads, Spanish English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, and in different L1 dyads, Canadian learners of Spanish and Spanish learners of English participating in a virtual exchange, modify their speech using negotiations and clarifications to make it comprehensible to their interlocutors. Eighteen different L1 dyads of university learners doing a virtual exchange (Canada-Spain) and eighteen dyads of Spanish-speakers learning English at the Spanish university carried out three oral communicative tasks online following the same procedures. Data were transcribed, LREs were identified, quantified for each dyad, and analyzed to determine their characteristics in terms of types of triggers, modified output, and type of feedback provided. Initial findings point to substantial differences in meaning negotiation occurring during LREs in each group. Different-L1 dyads exhibit more clarifications, meaning negotiation, and provide more feedback, which leads to higher amounts of comprehensible and modified output than learners in same L1 dyads.

scholarly journals Investigation the attitudes of secondary school students towards the use of saying and words of wisdom in learning English at secondary level in Gaza

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 169-199
Author(s):  
Wafaa Ibrahim Alnajjar ◽  
◽  
Reem Yahya Mahmoud Shehadh
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
School Students ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Secondary Female ◽  
Learning English

This paper examined the attitudes of secondary school students towards the use of saying and words of wisdom in learning English as a foreign language in secondary schools in Gaza. Saying and words of wisdom play a significant role in language learning as a part of gaining cultural knowledge. In addition, this study attempted to find out whether they could motivate students to learn English then improve language acquiring through time. 40 secondary female EFL learners were assigned in questionnaires and interviews. Through observation, the researcher convinced that saying and words of wisdom is an important segment in the English Language, and it is a useful piece that has been used to spread wisdom and truths about life. The study reveals the effectiveness and higher rate of retaining of learning vocabulary through the strategy of sayings and words of wisdom compared to the traditional method.

scholarly journals Unique Challenges Saudi EFL Learners Face

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. p490
Author(s):  
Khalid Al-Seghayer
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Causal Factors ◽  
Learning To Read ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Sociolinguistic Competence ◽  
English Pronunciation ◽  
Learning English

Learning English as a foreign language (EFL) is both a promising endeavor and a challenging undertaking. All language learners encounter unique challenges in the process of learning English, and Saudi EFL learners are no exception. This article identifies the unique and multifarious challenges Saudi EFL learners face, and explores the multidimensional causal factors in the progression of the challenges they face most commonly. The analysis first tackles the considerable challenge of accurate spelling, followed by a discussion of the challenges Saudi EFL learners encounter when learning to read and write in English. This discussion addresses challenges in sociolinguistic competence and English pronunciation arising from multivariate factors, and concludes by offering measures to help Saudi EFL learners overcome these characteristic challenges and promote their trajectory toward successful acquisition of EFL.

scholarly journals Investigating Iraqi EFL Learners' Awareness of Selected English Proverbs

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (38) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Azhar Chassab Jabir
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Full Understanding ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learning English

       Learning English as a foreign language does  not refer to the mastery of  the rules or merely the grammar of  English  . Rather , it refers to the full understanding of the semantic ( and syntactic ) concepts of that language , and employing this in real life situations . In this sense , the current research represents an attempt at investigating the Iraqi  EFL Learners’ recognition and  production of selected English proverbs . The study is divided into five sections (  an  introduction , three sections and a conclusion ) .  Evidence shows   that English proverbs represent a   very important component in learning English as a foreign language , and that Iraqi EFL learners face considerable  difficulties in understanding and employing them in real life situations .

scholarly journals The Perception of Postalveolar English Obstruents by Spanish Speakers Learning English as a Foreign Language in Mexico

Languages ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Mariela López Velarde ◽  
Miquel Simonet
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Complementary Distribution ◽  
Word Categorization ◽  
Average Accuracy ◽  
Northwestern Mexico ◽  
Native Dialect ◽  
Learning English

The present study deals with the perception (identification and discrimination) of an English phonemic contrast (/t∫/–/∫/, as in cheat and sheet) by speakers of two Mexican varieties of Spanish who are learning English as a foreign language. Unlike English, Spanish does not contrast /t∫/ and /∫/ phonemically. Most Spanish varieties have [t∫], but not [∫]. In northwestern Mexico, [∫] and [t∫] find themselves in a situation of “free” variation—perhaps conditioned, to some extent, by social factors, but not in complementary distribution. In this variety, [∫] and [t∫] are variants of the same phoneme. The present study compares the perceptual behavior of English learners from northwestern Mexico, with that of learners from central Mexico, whose native dialect includes only [t∫]. The results of a word-categorization task show that both groups of learners find cheat and sheet difficult to identify in the context of each other, but that, relative to the other learner group, the group of learners in northwestern Mexico find this task to be particularly challenging. The results of a categorical discrimination task show that both learner groups find the members of the /t∫/–/∫/ contrast difficult to discriminate. On average, accuracy is lower for the group of learners in northwestern Mexico than it is for the central Mexicans. The findings suggest that the phonetic variants found in one’s native dialect modulate the perception of nonnative sounds and, consequently, that people who speak different regional varieties of the same language may face different obstacles when learning the sounds of their second language.

scholarly journals Iranian EFL Learners’ Writing Problems: A Move towards Solution

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 110
Author(s):  
Maryam Sharafi Nejad ◽  
Shohreh Raftari ◽  
Shaik Abdul Malik Mohamed Ismail ◽  
Lin Siew Eng
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Long Period ◽  
Writing Problems ◽  
Learning English

Writing connotes the declaration or expression of thoughts, feelings, plans and wishes in a composed form that demands skills and expertise as opposed to knowledge. Skillful writing calls for diligent work, perusing or reading, composing through reaching inferences from perusing materials and long period of practice. This study seeks to investigate the problems and identify the practical needs of writing skill in English as Foreign Language (EFL) context with special focus on Iranian citizens studying in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). In Iran, learning English language appears cumbersome for learners because it is handled as a foreign language. Hence, the leaners are confronted with plethora of problems in writing the language because it is not utilized in real life conversation or situation. In order to achieve its objectives, the study administered questionnaires to the respondents to elicit information on the difficulties confronting them while learning English as Foreign Language and their pragmatic needs.  

scholarly journals Motivating EFL Learners Comprehensively: Applying Dörnyei’s Taxonomy of Classroom Motivational Strategies

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Ernita Raharja ◽  
Ashadi Ashadi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Motivational Strategies ◽  
Language Aptitude ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Single State ◽  
Learning English

<p><em>Learning English as a foreign language is considered as a long-term process. During the period of learning, students might undergo ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ issue related to motivation swings. It is believed that motivated learners likely to outperform others who have high language aptitude but possess low motivation. For this reason, EFL teachers are required to involve strategies that captivate EFL students’ motivation. Motivating students should not only rely on immediate teaching strategies or a single activity since learning English as a foreign language is not an immediate process. Students tend to show fluctuated motivation in a time while in the other occasions could suffer in learning. </em><em>Hence, how motivation is considered as a process rather than a single state is described. Examining other perspective about motivation and the changing of focus in researching motivation show that seeing motivation as a process indicates more promising results for EFL students’ learning accomplishment. </em><em>Pointing out the importance of motivation in English learning attainment and the need of continuum process in motivating students, this paper offers the practical and comprehensive classroom motivational strategies by applying </em><em>Dörnyei’s motivational taxonomy</em><em>. </em></p>

scholarly journals Learners’ Perceptions of Monolingual Dictionaries in Learning English as a Foreign Language

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Wajahat Taj Abbasi ◽  
Mudassar Mahmood Ahmad ◽  
Faiza Abdalla Elhussien Mohammed
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
English Language ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Internal Reliability ◽  
Bilingual Dictionaries ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Learning English

Dictionary is an acknowledged learning tool which has a tremendous role in acquiring a language. It has proved to be helpful in learning vocabulary and developing language proficiency. The use of monolingual dictionaries is thought to be very fruitful for learning vocabulary. The present study used survey method to gain the perception of the students about the use of monolingual dictionaries for learning EFL. The study also used interviews of EFL teachers to support the findings of the study by eliciting their perceptions about the use of dictionaries by students. A questionnaire was administered in two governmental secondary schools of Zulfi, Saudi Arabia. It was sent to 99 students but a number 92 students responded. Internal reliability of the questionnaire was.81. Descriptive statistical methods were used for analyzing the quantitative data. Additional interviews with 9 teachers were also conducted to support the findings of the questionnaire. Collective thematic analysis of all interviews was conducted to analyze the qualitative data. The results showed that students have positive views about the use of dictionaries for learning EFL; they prefer to use monolingual dictionaries, but they cannot truly use them because bilingual dictionaries are easier and more helpful for them in translation as well as their process of learning English language due to their low proficiency levels. The paper puts forth some recommendations and suggestions that will be helpful for using monolingual dictionaries. It concludes by focussing on the problems in handling monolingual dictionaries.

scholarly journals Code-switching as Identity Marker: A Sociolinguistic Study of Kurdish EFL University Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Soma Nawzad Abubakr ◽  
Zana M. Hassan ◽  
Bekhal L. Muhedeen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
University Students ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Major Focus ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Strongly Connected ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
University Level

Being able to know English along with a mother tongue would inevitably lead into code-switching. Whether intentional or unintentional, it is revealing to investigate codeswitching among English EFL learners. This study, however, focuses specifically on the issue of learner’s identity with codeswitching. Language as identity expresser, or even identity maker, is thought to be strongly connected with identity. This study targets Kurdish EFL students at university level to mainly investigate the reason(s) for code-switching between their mother tongue and English as a foreign language. To this end, quantitative data, through a questionnaire, has been collected. The model adopted for designing the questions is based on a well-known theory by Bloom and Gumperz (1972) known as ‘situational codeswitching’. This study hypothesizes that Kurdish EFL learners code switch from English to Kurdish due to the lack of knowledge in English, or they do code switch from Kurdish to English to mark a different identity, which is the major focus of this study. To validate or refute these claims, the data collected for this paper has been qualitatively verified to reach some conclusions.

scholarly journals SOURCES OF TURKISH EFL LEARNERS’ FOREIGN LANGUAGE READING ANXIETY

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Cemre Isler ◽  
Ozgur Yildirim
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
English Language ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Reading ◽  
Reading Anxiety

The purpose of this study was to investigate possible sources of reading anxiety experienced by Turkish EFL learners. The participants of the study were 50 first year university students studying at the English Language Teaching program of a public university in Turkey. The study employed the explanatory sequential mixed methods design. First, the quantitative data were collected through Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS), and then the qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews for the purpose of better understanding quantitative data findings. For analyzing the quantitative data, each participant’s mean score from FLRAS was computed. As for the qualitative data, the transcribed interviews were analyzed using the constant comparison method, for which the researcher identified the recurring themes through coding, prioritizing and connecting the pieces of data. Results indicated that the participants of the study, in general, experience a moderate level of FL reading anxiety. The following three main categories of FL reading anxiety sources were identified with their ten sub-categories: (1) personal factors (inappropriate reading strategy use, lack of self-confidence, high expectations), (2) features of the reading text (topic familiarity, unknown vocabulary, complex reading structure, text length, figurative language), and (3) reading course (compulsory reading, exam). Key Words: foreign language anxiety, foreign language reading anxiety, the sources of foreign language reading anxiety

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document