scholarly journals Investigating Social Justice Topics in Reading Texts of English Textbooks Used in China and Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Xiao Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Social Justice Education ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Social Equality ◽  
Societal Transformation ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
English Textbooks

English language teaching (ELT) plays a vital role in promoting social equality and societal transformation. Thus, social justice education has been given attention as one of ELT purposes. Textbooks, as the most significant teaching materials of English teachers, pose significant effects on English learners’ awareness of social justice issues that touch upon their daily lives. However, there is little empirical research investigating integrated social justice topics in ELT textbooks. This study addressed the gap through identifying and comparing social justice topics of grade 10 English textbooks used in Chinese and German high school classrooms. Results of this study revealed that German English textbooks encompassed a much more diversity of social justice topics than Chinese English textbooks. Besides, this study offered a significant capacity for English textbooks to stimulate English learners’ social responsibility and awareness of social justice. This study has implications for improving social justice education in the ELT classroom.

scholarly journals Strengthening Islamic Literature in the Indonesian English Language Teaching

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dedi Irwansyah
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Educational Context ◽  
Library Research ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Islamic Values ◽  
Islamic Literature

The emerging interest in using literature to teach English has not yet highlighted the significance of Islamic literature within Indonesian educational context. This article presents the portrayal of Islamic literature in English language teaching (ELT) study area and offers a possible conceptual model of integrating Islamic literature into ELT. Following a library research method, with the corpus consisting of fourteen stories and one poem derived from fifteen books, the findings of this study show that: most works of Islamic literature are designed for fluent readers; the presentation of Islamic literature is dominated by Middle East and Western writers; and the Western writers are not always sensitive to the symbols glorified by Muslim English learners in Indonesia. As to deal with the above findings, this study proposes a conceptual model consisting of input, process, and output elements. Not only does the proposed model strengthen the position of Islamic literature, but it also integrates the Islamic literature into English language teaching so that it could reach both fluent readers and beginning readers. The output of the proposed model, abridged and unabridged texts of the Islamic literature, can be utilized to teach vocabulary, grammar, the four basic skills of language, and Islamic values. 

scholarly journals An analysis of lexicon in Omani English language teaching: challenges from teaching and learning perspectives

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Rahma Al-Mahrooqi ◽  
Faisal Al-Maamari ◽  
Christopher Denman
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Consistency Ratio ◽  
Word Lists ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
The Ideal

Textbooks are indispensable in most formal education settings. However, many teachers believe weaknesses in textbooks can result in ineffective learning and teaching. This research uses a corpus-based approach to identify issues related to vocabulary with a particular focus on English textbooks in use in Omani schools. WordSmith Tools and RANGE concordance software are used to analyze these textbooks. Findings indicate that there are irregularities in vocabulary loading and that the types, tokens, density and consistency ratio show inconsistencies. Moreover, in terms of the coverage of GSL and AWL word lists, the textbooks fall short of the ideal range of 95% to 98% coverage suggested by Nation (1990, 2001). In fact, vocabulary from large percentages of the texts are not found in any of the essential word lists. The paper suggests recommendations for consistent analysis and guidance in analyzing textbooks in order to improve their quality in terms of vocabulary introduction and loading. 

scholarly journals An Empirical Evaluation of Two College English Textbooks in China Based on the China Standards English Framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-337
Author(s):  
Xinying Li ◽  
Marilyn Fernandez Deocampo
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Comparable Data ◽  
College English ◽  
Textbook Evaluation ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
Local Students

It is generally known that textbook is the first and the most vital tool for teachers to proceed with successful English language teaching activities. Hence, it is indispensable for all language teachers to evaluate books critically and choose a suitable textbook. This article aimed to explore the different features of two famous college English textbooks utilized in the researcher’s school of Wenshan University, Yunnan, China, in alignment with the China Standards English framework, and whether the two books satisfied local students’ needs and proficiency. It is hoped to provide an empirical example of textbook evaluation from a Chinese context and inspire local teachers to make possible improvements during evaluating and selecting a textbook. To achieve the objective, a checklist aligned with the framework and a questionnaire was utilized for the collection of comparable data. Moreover, content analysis and percentage were used during the analysis of the two textbooks and students’ perception about the textbooks, respectively. Results of the evaluation indicated that the two books are not aligned with the China Standards English framework suggested levels. Both textbook levels tend to be lower than the framework demanded levels, namely level five and six. Students also implied that the textbooks are accessible and seem not to help their language skills improvement. The recommendation is that these textbooks need to be adapted and modified for the English educational practices to suit local students’ needs and English proficiency to achieve the China Standards English suggested levels.

scholarly journals English Language Teaching in Islamic Education in Indonesia; Challenges and Opportunities

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Tuti Hidayati
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
National Language ◽  
Islamic Education ◽  
National Education ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Western Values ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
Islamic Values

The dominant use of English in every field covering politic, economic, and sosial culture these days has manifested in its gaining a special position in many countries where it is not spoken. In Indonesia, it is a foreign language officially constituted as part of national education curriculum and becomes a requirement in a number of higher education and workforce entry. Yet, ELT in Indonesia faces various constraints including, but is not limited, the anxiousness to threat the purity of Bahasa Indonesia, the national language, and the worry about liberal western values embedded in English to corrupt the youngsters moral and attitudes. Interestingly, Islamic education that maintains a vital role among Indonesians has included English alongside other secular sciences and technology as part of its curriculum in its current advancement. In this regard, the paper will show how critical Islamic education role among Indonesians is, how ELT in Indonesia has developed, what challenges it experiences, and what opportunities it posseses in the context of Indonesian Islamic Education. The paper argues that Islamic education remains the choice of the Indonesian Muslim communities as long as it is able to meet the demands of living in the globalization era while keeping the Islamic values in all the learning process. It further suggests that ELT in Indonesia needs to incorporate Islamic values and show that English learning put no threats and negative influences to Indonesian culture in general and Islamic religious values in particular.

Teachers’ engagement within educational policies and decisions improves classroom practice: The case of Iranian ELT school teachers

2020 ◽  
pp. 136548022090662
Author(s):  
Iman Tohidian ◽  
Saeed Ghiasi Nodooshan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education Policy ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
English Language ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Educational Policies ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
English Textbooks

Teachers and students are the main stakeholders of educational policies in the states; hence, the higher order policies, rules, and regulations must be in alignment with their rights, values, ideologies, needs, competencies, and peculiarities of each region and district. In such a case, the classroom practice will be improved and more promising outputs will be obtained. Iranian previous language programs failed to enhance students’ communicative competence and linguistic needs to survive at the international level; hence, an educational reform occurred to change the language curricula and English textbooks. A total of 86 Iranian English language teaching (ELT) teachers were selected through snowball sampling to find their role in the recent REFORM in Iranian ELT curricula and policies. Analysis of oral interviews and online focus groups data was conducted through Strauss and Corbin’s constant comparative method and illuminated the status quo of reform and policies, the marginalization of teachers as the sole implementers in language classrooms, and suggestions for teachers’ involvement in educational policies. These findings stress that a change within higher education policy makers’ attitude toward engagement of teachers within educational policy and decision-makings improves the classroom outputs.

scholarly journals Role of (Local) Culture in English Language Teaching

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 54-60
Author(s):  
Kumar Narayan Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Local Culture ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Meaningful Context

Since language and culture have muscle and bone relationship, the existence of one in the absence of another in unthinkable. But in practice, English language teaching has paid less attention to the local culture. It is commonly believed that the insertion of foreign cultural values is not in line with local cultural values. The insertion of local culture plays vital role in promotion of nationalism, different local cultures and local cultural wisdom. Similarly, it provides cultural identity and meaningful context for learning. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to shed light on the importance of local culture in the English language classroom. In doing so, it aims at defining culture, language, shows relationship between them and puts forth some pedagogical guidelines. Journal of NELTA, Vol. 21, No. 1-2, 2016, Page:54-60

The reform of the National Matriculation English Test and its impact on the future of English in China

English Today ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junhai Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Further Education ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Chinese Society ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Chain Reactions ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Impact

With more and more importance being attached to English since China's economic reform and opening up to the outside world in the late 1970s, the entire Chinese society has placed such high importance to the learning of English that at times it even plays a vital role for a person who plans to pursue further education and seek a better career (China Daily, 5 August, 2010). However, the end of 2013 saw an ‘unanticipated’ reform of policy on the National Matriculation English Test (henceforth, NMET) instituted by the Chinese Ministry of Education (henceforth, MOE). It was ‘unanticipated’ because in the past few years the Chinese government has invested heavily in English language teaching. As reported by ABC News (15 November, 2010), ‘China is pushing its people to learn English’, and English has thus occupied a prominent place in the life of the Chinese people because it is the ‘key’ to success (Chen, 2008: 16-37). According to this new policy, the once favorite ‘son’, i.e. English, may lose its predominance in the Chinese foreign language landscape and its importance may be diminished in exams. These changes are likely to cause a series of chain reactions since the dominant position of English largely lies in its weight in various levels of exams, with the NMET having the greatest impact. Given the determining factor of the NMET in Chinese people's attitudes towards English, NMET reform would almost undoubtedly change the current situation of English in China and it would be no exaggeration to say that it will have a foreseeable impact on various aspects of Chinese social life as well. In this article, I briefly review the causes for the ‘focus shift’ and attempt an analysis of the impact of the role of English in China in the future.

Representing Women ‘Our Way’: An English Language Teaching Television Programme in Sri Lanka

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-122
Author(s):  
Vivimarie VanderPoorten Medawattegedera
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Gender Roles ◽  
School Children ◽  
English Language ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Research On Teaching ◽  
Television Programme ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
And Gender

Research on gender representation in English textbooks reveals that messages about gender roles and gender identity transmitted through texts affect the future behaviour of children as they formulate their own roles in society. There is a limited number of studies on visual analysis of gender in textbooks and a dearth of such research on teaching materials in Sri Lanka. This study analyses a TV programme produced to teach school children English in order to uncover the ideological assumptions related to gender and gender roles embedded in the programme.

scholarly journals THE BASIC SPECIFICITY OF THE ABILITY OF VARIED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CURRICULUMS TO ENHANCE ENGLISH LEARNERS’ CAPACITY TO DEVELOP NECESSARY SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE USING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 24-33
Author(s):  
Michael Wayne Hendershot ◽  
Nutprapha K. Dennis ◽  
Suchada Chaiwiwattrakul ◽  
Ratirot Phiphitphakdee
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Effective Use

Inasmuch as the goal of teaching English to non-native English speakers should be focused on enhancing English learners’ ability to develop skills necessary for efficient and effective use of the English language in communication within their daily lives as well as within the context of educational, employment, governmental, and business related issues, the materials and resources used by the teacher to provide said English learners with enhanced ability to develop necessary skills for the use of the English language for efficient and effective communication are of paramount importance. This study was designed as a comparison of English language curriculums between select schools in an effort to determine the effectiveness of the curriculum to enhance students’ abilities to develop skills to be able to effectively and efficiently communicate using the English language. Participants in the study were presented with questions relating to activities of daily life, and conversation thereof, using the English language. The resultant responses to the questions were assessed as to an indication of the participants’ ability to effectively and efficiently communicate using the English language. The comparison involved six grade levels of students from two primary schools and one secondary school. The tabulated results indicated a significant difference in the abilities of the participants to effectively and efficiently communicate using the English language related to curriculums used in schools in which the participants were enrolled at the time of the study.

scholarly journals Effects of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) Approach and Language Assessment on Students’ Competences in Intensive Reading Course

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shijun Chen ◽  
Jing Wang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Intensive Reading

Task-based language teaching on the purpose of enhancing students’ communicative skills and involving them actively in the authentic context has long been highlighted in recent years in tertiary English language teaching. This paper proposes a framework of task-based teaching approach and language assessment in intensive reading class based on the researcher’s own teaching practice to explore positive impacts on students’ competences. This is done in the context of both oral presentation and written reports of first undergraduate English major students. The research method consists of semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire with 18 questions pointing to different aspects in the learning and teaching processes, aiming to explore what impacts it has on students’ competence in both second language acquisition and at cognitive level. In this empirical study, all the findings indicate that TBLT applied in Chinese English teaching class is very effective and beneficial for the enhancement of Chinese English learners.

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