scholarly journals Factors affecting pre-service teachers’ participation in asynchronous discussion: The case of Iran

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Ebrahimi ◽  
Esmail Faghih ◽  
Seyyedeh Susan Marandi
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting

<p>This study reports on a qualitative small-scale exploratory study which examined the factors influencing 32 Iranian pre-service language teachers’ participation in online asynchronous text-based discussion forums. By adopting a multiple case study design and analysing data gathered through semi-structured interviews and participants’ online postings, it was found that access to computers and the Internet or high speed Internet, group size, quality of messages, level of instructor’s involvement, grades, interface qualities, participants’ personal characteristics and attitudes toward online interactions, as well as familiarity and experience with online discussions influenced participants’ level of participation in online discussions. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to help language teacher educators to encourage effective online communication practices in similar educational settings.</p>

scholarly journals Teacher cognition of pronunciation teaching amongst English language teachers in Uruguay

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme Couper
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teacher Cognition ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Qualified Teachers ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
English Language Teachers

This article reports on the concerns and issues which 28 experienced and well-qualified teachers expressed during individual semi-structured interviews with the researcher. It describes and discusses the participants’ views, pulling together themes representative of a wide range of perspectives on pronunciation teaching. Themes include: teacher anxiety about pronunciation and pronunciation teaching; external factors affecting pronunciation teaching such as curriculum and exam pressures, textbooks, and training received; approaches to teaching and error correction; activities and techniques; and issues related to literacy bias, listen-and-repeat, use of phonemic symbols and pronunciation goals and models. These findings, taken in conjunction with studies of teacher cognition in other contexts, serve to inform all those with an interest in English language teaching, whether they be researchers, teachers or teacher educators, curriculum designers or textbook writers.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Employees’ Work Passion in the Thai Insurance Industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 168
Author(s):  
Boonthipa Jiantreerangkool ◽  
Wasita Boonsathorn ◽  
Gary N. McLean
Keyword(s):  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Financial Industry ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Executive Managers ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Work Passion

The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify the perceived definition of staff work passion, and 2) explore perceived factors affecting staff work passion, both in the Thai insurance industry. The study was qualitative, using semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Participants were 36 key informants from life and non-life insurance companies in Thailand, including executive managers, middle managers, and staff, selected to maximize variation in responses. The definitions of staff work passion in the Thai insurance industry were comprised of five categories: happiness, pride, goal setting, personal efficacy, and job fit. Seven factors affecting work passion were highlighted: 1) the power of teamwork, 2) great support from leader, 3) work value, 4) challenge and variety of work, 5) supportive company policies, 6) gaining knowledge and opportunity to learn, and 7) providing good service to customers. These findings were incorporated into an employee work passion model adapted from Blanchard’s model. The model showed personal characteristics of individual as meanings of work passion; organization and job characteristics; and organizational role behaviours as factors affecting work passion. The model might apply to similar businesses within the financial industry, e.g., insurance brokerage companies, financial institutions, and stock and securities firms.

Teacher cognition of pronunciation teaching

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme Couper
Keyword(s):  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teacher Behaviour ◽  
Knowledge And Beliefs ◽  
Awareness Raising

Abstract Recent advances in our empirically-based understanding of the role of instruction in pronunciation learning have been accompanied by growing recognition of the need for more knowledge about teachers’ cognitions of pronunciation teaching. That is, we want to know what they do and why because it informs teacher educators and researchers and provides a useful forum for teacher reflective practice. This paper draws on semi-structured interviews (N = 19), classroom observations (N = 6) and follow-up discussions to report on the pronunciation techniques the participants say they use, what they were observed using, and their related knowledge and beliefs. The following thematic areas emerged: Ways of presenting pronunciation; Listen-and-repeat practice; Explicit/analytic practice activities; Sounds and spelling; Use of phonemic symbols; Speech perception and awareness raising. The findings are discussed in terms of factors driving teacher behaviour, advice that can be given to language teachers and teacher educators and areas that need further research.

An Overview of EFL Teachers' Individual Differences in CALL

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Samaneh Yadollahi
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Computer Literacy ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
And Gender

Individual differences have been proven to be among the most important factors affecting technology acceptance and use among teachers. Individual differences consist of a range of traits from personal characteristics, to cognitive and emotional components. The purpose of this study was investigating two sets of variables affecting teachers' use of technology in language classes including personality characteristics (such as age, teaching experience, and gender) and technology-related variables (such as computer literacy, anxiety, attitude, use and ownership) in the literature. The chapter reviews the research done on the role of these factors in language teachers' acceptance and use of technology in language classes.

How to chat in English and Chinese: Emerging digital language conventions

ReCALL ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
HEATHER LOTHERINGTON ◽  
YEJUN XU
Keyword(s):  
Online Communication ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Second Languages ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
World Languages ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Digital Environments ◽  
And Function

Rapid changes in language form and function occurring in digital environments present teachers and students of second languages alike with conundrums as to language and discourse standards. Factors affecting the changes that are emerging in digital English include the spatial and temporal possibilities and constraints of the medium, digital facilitation of case-creativity and iconic incorporation, and new social network configurations. This paper analyzes evolving changes in orthographic, syntactic, discourse and sociocultural conventions occurring in English and Chinese in digital environments, based on a small scale study conducted at York University in 2002–2003, noting trends across these languages as well as more limited, culturally and linguistically specific evolutions. The converging conventional changes occurring in these two major world languages suggest that similar transitions are happening generally in languages used for online communication, which has serious implications for second language instruction.

scholarly journals Teaching Practices and Knowledge Base of English as a Foreign Language Teachers’ Communicative Language Teaching Implementation

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Anchalee Jansem
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Major Elements ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Multiple Roles ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pedagogical Content

This small scale study aimed at identifying (1) the characteristics of teaching practices in CLT classrooms, (2) teachers’ opinions underlying such practices, (3) their positions while adopting CLT, and (4) a knowledge base used as a framework of CLT implementation. Eight Thai teachers who regarded themselves as CLT proponents voluntarily took part in this study. Data collected via classroom observations and post-teaching semi-structured interviews indicated that CLT involved four common features including promoting ‘small talk’ in the target language, beginning the lesson with the combination of lead-in and presentation strategies, positively reacting to students’ linguistic errors, and emphasizing semi-communicative activities. The participants’ opinions underlying CLT implementation centered on playing multiple roles including lesson designers, class managers, and English users with certain levels of English proficiency. Content, pedagogical content, and subject matter knowledge served as their major elements of the knowledge base for teaching when conducting CLT lessons.

scholarly journals Factors affecting teacher educators adoption of formative assessment strategies in the mathematics classroom

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-489
Author(s):  
Justice Enu
Keyword(s):  
Formative Assessment ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Classroom ◽  
Mathematics Learning ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Major Factors

The purpose of this study was to look into the factors that influence mathematics teacher educators' formative assessment practices. This paper took a qualitative case study research design approach with six educators teaching mathematics in three teacher Colleges of Education in Ghana. The exploration focused on factors that hinders teacher educators use of formative assessment practices. Data were generated through the administration of semi – structured interviews and lesson observations. The qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that major factors which limit teacher educators formative assessment practices were: large class size, time, lack of transparency in assessment, and internal and external summative assessment issues. The factors limiting teacher educators' use of formative assessment (FA) discussed in this study are beneficial for teacher college administration in addressing the issues and educators in assisting pre-service teachers in eliminating these factors during their training and after passing out from the college of education to the teaching field. Based on the findings, it is recommended that a large scale study is conducted on factors that affect teachers formative assessment practices and the effect on students mathematics learning.

scholarly journals PRIMARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ ENGAGEMENT IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Thom Thom ◽  
Pham Thi Thanh Thuy
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Efl Teacher ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
The Impact

Teachers’ professional development (PD) is viewed as the center of educational reforms in many countries, and this topic has been widely researched by scholars such as Avalos (2011), Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin (2011), Le (2002), and Whitehouse (2011). However, primary English language teachers (PELTers)’ PD has been under-researched in Vietnamese contexts. This paper outlines a project researching PELTers’ PD in a period of ongoing educational transformation, initiated by the National Foreign Languages Project. The authors highlight a ‘mixed methods’ research design with data collected from 68 surveys and five individual semi-structured interviews in a province in North Vietnam. Both the impact of language policy on Vietnamese PELTers' PD and their responses to top-down PD requirements and provision are under investigation. Some initial findings are (i) PELTers' rationales for PD; (ii) their engagement in PD forms and topics; (iii) benefits of PD; (iv)their PD need areas; and (v) factors affecting PD engagement. PELTers' suggestions for improving PD in their contexts are also discussed. This paper offers significant insights for EFL researchers, policy-makers, EFL teacher training institutions and other educators.

scholarly journals Factors Preventing in-service University English Language Teachers from Becoming Action Researchers in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-133
Author(s):  
Hassan Syed
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Academic Culture ◽  
Junior Faculty ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Published Research

Research suggests that TR enables classroom teachers to address their classroom-specific problems without having to rely too heavily on published research. However, despite the fact that TR narratives of language teachers have increased lately, there is still need for studies investigating the perceptions of university English language (EL) teachers about TR, and exploring the factors affecting their engagement with TR in culturally diverse contexts. The current study was designed to explore the perceptions of university EL practitioners about the factors that inhibit or encourage them to engage in TR in a university context in Pakistan. Data were obtained from fifteen EL teachers from four public sector universities through semi-structured interviews. Results show that teachers appeared to possess only simplistic knowledge of research as an activity aimed at finding something new. While a majority admitted to have done no research, even the engagement of others who claimed to have done some research seemed sporadic and less than systematic. The main factors responsible for teachers’ dis-engagement from TR included academic culture, management’s attitude, power relations between senior and junior faculty, workload, lack of monetary benefits, and large classes. A number of implications have also been discussed.

scholarly journals Lurking and L2 Learners on a Facebook Group: The Voices of the Invisibles

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Latisha Asmaak Shafie ◽  
Aizan Yaacob ◽  
Paramjit Kaur Karpal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Esl Learners

<p>This qualitative research investigates the practice of lurking among English as a second language (ESL) learners in a Facebook group discussion. Lurking is a term used to describe the activity of following and observing any online discussions or activities without contributing to the discussions. Lurkers are often accused of being invisible and passive participants. Facebook groups with international members usually uses English as the medium of communication in their group discussions. It is a norm for L2 learners to lurk in the group. These L2 learners often do not have the required English language proficiency and the confidence to participate actively in the group they join. This study explores lurking behaviours of three participants in learning English in informal Facebook contexts. This study uses a qualitative case study. The study involved three L2 learners who were university students and members of a Facebook group. The study involved online observation and semi-structured interviews with these three participants. Their Facebook accounts and a common Facebook group were observed for 14 weeks, and after the online observation, the participants were interviewed. Data collected from online observation and semi-structured interviewed were analysed and managed using Atlas.ti 7. The study reveals five emerging themes such as that lurkers have poor online communication skills, lack of confidence, learning by lurking, lack of a sense of belonging and lurking is the norm of Facebook groups.</p>

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