scholarly journals The interface between task-modality and the use of previously known languages in young CLIL English learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-500
Author(s):  
María Martínez-Adrián ◽  
Izaskun Arratibel-Irazusta
Keyword(s):  
English Learners ◽  
Cognitive Tools ◽  
Limited Effect ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Construction Of Meaning ◽  
Oral Interaction ◽  
Task Modality ◽  
Writing Task ◽  
Speaking Task

This article contributes to the scarcity of research on the interface between task-modality and the use of previously known languages (PKL) in young learners. It examines the use of Basque/Spanish by CLIL learners (aged 10-11) during oral interaction while completing two collaborative tasks in English: a speaking task and a speaking + writing task. Findings indicate that these learners are extensive users of their PKL. Task-modality is particularly evident in the case of amount of PKL use, as a higher number of PKL turns are obtained in the speaking + writing task. However, task-modality has a limited effect on the functions of PKL, which contrasts with previous studies with adults. Despite the extensive use of their PKL, these young and low-proficient learners employ them as cognitive tools that facilitate the organization of the tasks, the co-construction of meaning and the attention to formal aspects of language such as mechanics.

Task modality and language-related episodes in young learners: An attempt to manage accuracy and editing

2021 ◽  
pp. 136216882110528
Author(s):  
María Martínez-Adrián ◽  
Francisco Gallardo-del-Puerto
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Focus On Form ◽  
Modality Effects ◽  
Task Motivation ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Final Output ◽  
Collaborative Interaction ◽  
Task Modality ◽  
Writing Task

Task modality (oral vs. writing) has been found to affect the production, nature and resolution of the language-related episodes (LREs) produced by adult learners in collaborative interaction, a finding also attested in very recent and still limited research with young learners, a population that deserves greater attention in the literature. Besides, previous research has not yet considered the incorporation of LREs in the final output of both oral and written tasks. Nor has it controlled for the differential levels of accuracy that the oral vs. the written modality demand, or the opportunity for revising the output equally in both modalities. Besides, little is known about learners’ motivation towards tasks of different modality. This article fills these gaps by examining the effect of task-modality on the production of LREs by 10- to 12-year-old schoolchildren performing an oral+writing task and an oral+editing task, as well as its effect on their task motivation. Task modality effects were evinced in terms of nature and incorporation of LREs, the written mode leading to greater focus on form and incorporation of accurately resolved LREs. The possibility of editing the oral output resulted in enhanced target-likeness of resolved LREs. As for task motivation, learners perceived both tasks as equally motivating.

scholarly journals “I start learning English through speaking”: Social agency demand and inter-school readiness for Indonesian young English learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 218-225
Author(s):  
Sri Setyarini ◽  
Bachrudin Musthafa ◽  
Ahmad Bukhori Muslim
Keyword(s):  
School Readiness ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
School Level ◽  
Social Agency ◽  
Young Learners

Preserving Indonesian as a national identity and institutional readiness to perform the national curriculum 2013 instruction has become a critical factor in the exclusion of English as a compulsory subject at the elementary school level. This leaves rooms for teachers’ confusion and creativity, leading to various practices at different school clusters, depending on parental demands and school readiness. This study thus tries to cast light on the social agency demand and inter-school readiness for young learners in the Indonesian EFL pedagogical contexts. This instrumental case study portrays the practices of English language teaching at three clusters of Indonesian primary schools; local, national, and independent, as well as responses of parents and students to these practices. Involving 4-6 grade students and English teachers of six primary schools, the data were garnered through classroom observation, interviews, and document analysis. The findings revealed that although teaching English to young learners is somehow communicative and fun, it more emphasises  literacy skills (reading, writing, and grammar), particularly at local schools as the majority cluster across the country. Since English is a non-phonetic language, this literacy-focused practice is rather contradictory to what parents as social agencies expect, that is, to develop their children’s English oral proficiency. The study also offers ways by which teachers and schools can accommodate this social agency’s needs for speaking skills by focusing more on student-centred and oral English proficiency activities and assessment.

Task-modality and L1 use in EFL oral interaction

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 550-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agurtzane Azkarai ◽  
María del Pilar García Mayo
Keyword(s):  
L1 Use ◽  
Oral Interaction ◽  
Task Modality

scholarly journals ISSUES AND CHALLENGES AMIDST THE PANDEMIC ERA: ENGLISH LEARNERS’ VOICES

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (23) ◽  
pp. 72-80
Author(s):  
Suyansah Swanto ◽  
Wardatul Akmam Din ◽  
Iziana Hani Ismail ◽  
Nur Anneliza Abd Latip
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
School Age ◽  
Internet Connection ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Online Access ◽  
A Current

Corona virus disease 2019 has become a current pandemic and many countries have been affected by it. At the end of January 2020, the WHO Emergency Committee declared a global health emergency state as COVID-19 confirmed cases have been increasing internationally. Since then, online learning has been actively implemented globally including Malaysia. This research is purely qualitative where data was collected via online interview with four willing secondary students. The findings highlight that there are a few weaknesses regarding online learning. Poor internet connection contributes to one of the weaknesses in online learning in Malaysia. Furthermore, not understanding teachers’ teaching is also one of the limitations of online education. Online learning limitations might vary depending on the students' technological capability to access online sites and use computers. These limitations are more evident for young children or school-age students who may not have online access. Although online learning has its flaws however it comprises several strengths too. Online learning enables the students to have flexible time in participating in the lesson. Avoiding from the virus is the next advantage of conducting online learning. Although schools are closed however students still could get connected with their teachers through several devices like computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Hence, online learning is deemed to be the best alternative to continue the learning process and at the same time protects young learners from this deadly virus.

scholarly journals The Effect of Using Songs on Young English Learners’ Motivation in Jordan

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (24) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Manal Hisham Al-Smadi
Keyword(s):  
Private School ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Music Analysis ◽  
T Test ◽  
Motivation To Learn ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Vocabulary Retention ◽  
Human Voice ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Effective Use

A song is a work of poetry that is typically intended to be sung by human voice many studies have tackled the importance of implementing songs in teaching English as a second language (ESL) showing that they can be very effective in developing student’s grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary retention. This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of using songs on young student’s motivation in Jordan. The participants were two different groups from a private school in Jerash. Their motivation was examined with and without implementing music. Analysis of the data using a t– test suggested that using songs in teaching English for young learners was significantly effective in raising their motivation to learn the language. The study also concluded with some implications about the effective use of songs to enhance the effect of these results.

scholarly journals English Teachers' Perception about Humanistic Approach and Its Implementation in Teaching English for Young Learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisna Listiari
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Schools ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
The Body ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Public Elementary Schools ◽  
Humanistic Approach

This study describes the teachers’ perception regarding humanistic approach in teaching English for young learners in Public Elementary Schools in Badung Regency. The objectives of this study were (1) to find out the perceptions of the English teachers in public elementary schools in Badung Regency on humanism values in teaching English for young learners, (2) to find out how the English teachers implement humanism values in teaching English as a foreign language in public elementary schools in Badung Regency, and (3) to find out teachers’ perceptions about humanism values related to their strategies in teaching English for young learners in the classroom. The results indicated that the English teachers practice often reflect their stated beliefs about humanism values. In dealing with feeling of the students, the activity of both T2 and T3 appeared around 30 times.  The average of three teachers was 28.0 or (15.3%). In dealing with students’ motivation in learning process, the average was 25.0 or (13.8%). The most activities appeared in this component was 28 times and it appeared mostly in T3.This study offers some contributions to the body of knowledge about teacher’s competences, particularly the implementation of Teaching English Learners at the Elementary School.

Child EFL learners’ attitudes towards a collaborative writing task

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-72
Author(s):  
Asier Calzada ◽  
María del Pilar García Mayo
Keyword(s):  
Small Groups ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Collaborative Writing ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Attitude Questionnaire ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
L1 And L2 Writing ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Writing Task

Abstract The way learners engage with tasks can crucially impact on learning opportunities and, therefore, more attention is now being devoted to task affect. This study examines the attitudes of an underresearched population, child EFL learners, towards a collaborative dictogloss task. Thirty-two Spanish EFL children (ages 11–12) completed the task in pairs and small groups at their school, and an attitude questionnaire one week after. Results show that learners had a positive attitude towards L1 and L2 writing, collaboration in the classroom, and the task itself, regardless of their grouping condition. Although these children did not mention in their responses any explicit grammar gains as a result of the task, they considered the blend of the written and oral mode and the opportunities for peer assistance to be beneficial. These results are encouraging for the promotion of collaborative writing tasks with young learners in communicative contexts.

The Effect of Dyadic and Triadic Interaction on Iranian EFL Learners’ Oral Proficiency

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 1498
Author(s):  
Abbas Moradan ◽  
Nayereh Ahmadian
Keyword(s):  
English Learners ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
English Education ◽  
Oral Proficiency ◽  
Dyadic Interaction ◽  
Development Theory ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Triadic Interaction ◽  
Young Learners

Knowing about interaction and applying it among EFL learners, is one of the crucial and important factors which needs to be taken seriously in English education. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Dyadic and Triadic Interaction between young Iranian English learners and to find out how the different forms of interaction between the learners in classroom practice can enhance their oral proficiency by drawing on some theories such as Social Learning, Social Development Theory and Interaction Hypothesis. 61 Iranian young learners participated in the study, taking part in two interviews that were based on Young Learners English Test YLE Cambridge University (Starter). The subjects’ interactional behaviors were determined by the researcher with a checklist which named Learner’s Interaction. Multivariate and discriminate analyses of both experimental groups and control groups’ scores indicated that dyadic interaction between young learners could enhance their oral proficiency more effectively in comparison with that of control group in which all activities were conducted individually, but it didn’t improve learners’ oral proficiency  significantly in comparison with Triadic interaction. The results can be used to pave the way for adopting effective educational planning and consequently enhancing teaching education system and improving teachers' practice and learning in EFL contexts.

scholarly journals Sense of agency among frequently anxious learners of English in Swedish primary school: Mismatching beliefs and experiences

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Sense Of Agency ◽  
Foreign Language Instruction ◽  
Emotional Experiences ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Oral Interaction

Instilling a sense of agency (SoA) in young learners is an important aspect of foreign language instruction, as is the counteracting of emergent foreign language anxiety (FLA). Focusing on learners who frequently experience FLA, this study explores young learners’ beliefs and classroom experiences in relation to teaching and learning of English, in order to highlight the way in which they perceive their own agency, that is, their situated SoA. After initial classroom observations, learners from seven Swedish classrooms, across years 2–5, were seated in small groups to discuss open questions about target language (TL) use, oral interaction, instructional work mode and the role of the teacher and the learners. The present study is based on discussions among 31 of those learners. Qualitative content analysis of the recorded discussions reveals conflicting beliefs and experiences. These frequently anxious learners stressed the importance of extensive input in English and of learners engaging and speaking the TL. However, they also expressed that oral instructions and prompts, which were sometimes incomprehensible, made them feel frustrated and insecure. Considering the risk of embarrassment, they refrained from asking questions or volunteering to speak. Thus, their accounts of their emotional experiences and actions did not align with their beliefs, which hampered their SoA. The findings illustrate the interrelated nature of beliefs, emotional experiences and agency. Implications for primary language teaching relate to target language use and offering plenty of time for learners to practice their oral skills under conditions that they perceive as safe.

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