scholarly journals Perception and production of English initial /s/ clusters by Brazilian learners

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosane Silveira

The present study investigated the relationship between perception and production in the acquisition of word-initial /s/ clusters in the interlanguage of Brazilians learning English as a foreign language. In addition to the interface between perception and production, other factors that might influence both mental processes, e.g., faulty perception, L1 interference, or a combination of these factors, were taken into account. The results part ially support studies which propose that perception influences production. There was also support for the power of L1 interference over Markedness and Universal Canonical Syllable Structure. Epenthesis was the strategy of syllable simplification present in all cluster types. Some subjects, though, resorted to a short epenthetic vowel (/I/), thus indicating that they might be developing a separate category for initial /s/ clusters.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 161-175
Author(s):  
Ghasem Tayyebi

The current study aimed at examining the relationship between anxiety level of Iranian elementary English as a foreign language learners and the strategies that they adopt for learning English vocabulary. To this end, based on the performance of the participants on the Quick Placement Test, the researcher recruited 100 participants through availability sampling. To determine the strategies that the participants employ for learning English vocabulary, Schmitt’s taxonomy of vocabulary learning (VL) strategies questionnaire was administered. Also, the Spearman correlation was run to determine the correlation between various levels of anxiety and different VL strategies. The findings of the current study indicated that the effects of anxiety can adversely affect a person’s use of VL strategies. Likewise, when there is an increase in anxiety, VL strategy use decreases to a significant extent. Keywords: Vocabulary learning, strategies, foreign language, classroom, anxiety scale.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
Hualan Tan ◽  
Zhilong Xie

English serves as a bridge of communication for the people from all over the world as it plays an increasingly crucial role in the process of globalization. In accordance with English curriculum standards issued by the Ministry of Education in 2011, the ultimate goal of English language discipline is to communicate. But over these years, China’s English education has been difficult to get out of the dilemma of “Dumb English”. When facing the real oral communication situations, students are still too nervous to speak with a great deal of fluency and accuracy. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the relationship between English language anxiety, gender, years of English learning and final oral English achievement by inviting 41 English major freshmen of foreign language departments of Nanchang Business College. For this purpose, this study adopts a reliable Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale developed by Horwitz and Cope (1986) to measure students’ anxiety. The results reveal that anxiety levels between males and females are similar; there is also no significant difference among years of learning English; however, a significantly negative correlation between college students’ foreign language anxiety and their oral English learning achievement was found.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (S1) ◽  
pp. 113-124
Author(s):  
Sudarmo Sudarmo

Speaking in a foreign language requires competence in the language skills itself and mindfulness so that the content of the speech is easier to reach and by the interlocutor. To understand the relationship between skillful and thoughtful in speaking English, we conducted a series of data collection with the help of an electronic engine based on Google Scholar data. We target these data in several international journal publications that discuss these two variables. After the data has been collected, it is then analyzed by involving a coding system and in-depth evaluation under a descriptive qualitative study. Before drawing data conclusions, we ensure that the data results meet reasonable and reliable standards. Based on the discussion of the findings, we can conclude that speaking in English as a foreign language requires skillful and thoughtful competence so that the interlocutor can easily understand the contents of the conversation. Thus, this finding should be a meaningful input for many parties in learning English.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Imam Khasbani ◽  
Didin Nuruddin Hidayat

Motivation has been long believed to be an essential contributor to students’ success in learning English. Many studies (e.g., Gbollie & Keamu, 2017; Wang, 2008; Zhang & Xiao, 2006) have been dedicated to investigating the relationship between motivation and success in learning English. While these studies have contributed to shedding light on the importance of motivation on students’ achievement in learning English, insufficient research has been conducted to address the concept of motivation itself, how the concept has evolved since the first time it was developed, and to what extent motivation affects both teachers and students’ performances at school. Owing to this fact, the present article seeks to discuss the notion and conceptualization of motivation by following several steps. First, the present paper took on arguments from prominent figures on the field of motivation to explore the essence of motivation and why it is essential for English as second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) learning. The conversation then built on the current theoretical framework of types and factors influencing student and teacher motivation. Following that, a plethora of discussions on the possible ways to increase student and teacher enthusiasm and motivation inside EFL classrooms were elaborated.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 2245-2249
Author(s):  
Suzana Ejupi ◽  
Lindita Skenderi

Working with English learners for many years, gives you the opportunity to encounter linguistic obstacles that they face while learning English language as a foreign language. Additionally, teaching for 13 years and observing the learning process, it enables you to recognize the students’ needs and at the same time, detect linguistic mistakes that they make, while practicing the target language. During my experience as a teacher, in terms of teaching and learning verbs in general and its grammatical categories in specific, it is noticed that Albanian learners find it relatively difficult the correct use of verbs in context and even more confusing the equivalent use of verbs in Albanian. Since verbs present an important part of speech, this study aims to investigate several differences and similarities between grammatical categories of verbs in English and Albanian. As a result, the Albanian learners of English language will be able to identify some of the major differences and similarities between the grammatical categories of verbs in English and Albanian; overcome the usual mistakes; gain the necessary knowledge regarding verbs and use them properly in English and Albanian.


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-62
Author(s):  
Philip C. Vergeiner

AbstractThis paper examines the relationship between accommodation processes and social norms in varietal choice within tertiary education in Austria. The investigation consists of (a) a content analysis of metalinguistic statements in semi-structured interviews and (b) a variable rule analysis of actual language variation in university lectures.The findings show that there are norms prescribing that listeners must have at least be able to comprehend a particular variety, whereas accommodation to actual language use does not appear to be required to the same extent. However, the norms depend strongly on group membership: while there is a norm prescribing the use of the standard variety in the presence of speakers of German as a foreign language, there is no such norm for Austrians vis-à-vis people from Germany, although speakers from both groups may lack the ability to understand the respective nonstandard varieties. This difference can be explained by the sociocultural context and differing language attitudes.


1946 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Robert A. Hall ◽  
Charles C. Fries

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