Pragmatic Knowledge and Its Reflection in ESP Textbooks: The Case of Unauthentic Textbooks

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 701
Author(s):  
Zohre G. Shooshtari ◽  
Anahita Bordbar ◽  
Reza Banari
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Linguistic Input ◽  
Pragmatic Knowledge ◽  
Academic Interests ◽  
Knowledge Incorporation

Textbooks play a crucial role in language teaching particularly in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms since they are considered as an important and primary source of linguistic input. EFL textbooks are expected to develop EFL students’ knowledge, no difference in linguistic or pragmatic competences (Gholami & Mahboobrezaei, 2011). As some scholars believed pragmatics is the fifth skill in language learning, then, it is essential to incorporate it like an integral component of EFL textbooks. However, there exists little knowledge on how well pragmatic perspectives of language are taken into consideration in expanding EFL textbooks generally and Iranian English for specific purposes (ESP) textbooks particularly. In fact, ESP textbooks are written by non-native authors and are considered as unauthentic textbooks. This study, therefore, attempted to explore pragmatic knowledge incorporation into ESP textbooks that have been published for computer engineers by SAMT publication as university textbooks. This study was also an attempt to investigate the frequency and rate of ‘politeness principle’ and ‘irony principle’ from the subcategories of inter-personal rhetoric as the umbrella term in two textbooks in the field of psychology. Book A was an authentic book written by natives for native speakers; however, book B was written by Iranians writers for Iranian university students (SAMT book). This paper then presented some results abstracted from the whole research project. EFL teachers and researchers whose professional and academic interests lie in syllabus design and ESP field may benefit from the findings of the study.

scholarly journals Language Learning Strategies, Motivation, and Writing Achievement of Indonesian EFL Students

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Mutiatun Nasihah ◽  
Bambang Yudi Cahyono
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Writing Achievement ◽  
Language Learning Strategies ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Big City ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Writing Tests

This study aims at investigating the correlation between language learning strategies (LLSs) and writing achievement, the correlation between motivation and writing achievement, and the correlation between LLSs combined with motivation and writing achievement. It involved one-hundred English as a foreign language (EFL) students of a senior high school which is located in a big city in Indonesia. The students were selected randomly to be the participants of this study. The data were collected by using the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) questionnaire, motivation questionnaire, and writing tests. The results of research revealed that the null hypotheses for the three correlational analyses were rejected. In other words, there is a significant correlation between LLSs and writing achievement; there is a significant correlation between motivation and writing achievement; and there is a significant correlation between LLSs combined with motivation and writing achievement. Theoretically, this study supports the important roles of LLSs and motivation, either separately or combined, in predicting writing achievement. Pedagogically, when teaching writing, EFL teachers are recommended to introduce the potential of LLSs to EFL students, arouse the students’ motivation to write, or to apply both of them simultaneously to boost EFL students’ writing achievement.

scholarly journals Stimulating Students’ Motivation in the EFL Classroom

2021 ◽  
pp. 50-56
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Internal Motivation ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Extrinsic Orientation

This study aimed to explore Sudanese EFL undergraduate students’ level and kinds of motivation towards learning English as a Foreign Language. Simple random sampling technique was used to select (25) firs-year students drawn exclusively from the English Language Department, at College of Languages, in University of Bahri. A questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. The data was then analysed using statistical package for social science (SPSS). The researcher adopted the descriptive analytical method to interpret the data obtained from the above mentioned instrument. The findings revealed that most of Sudanese EFL students have extrinsic orientation towards English language learning. Therefore, the study recommended that EFL teachers should incorporate authentic teaching materials and content into their lecture plans to supplement and enhance textbook units and topics to encourage internal motivation in students and help them achieve their goals.

scholarly journals An Attempt at Promoting Undergraduate Sudanese EFL Students’ Performance in Academic Writing Skills

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ammar Mohammed Ahmed Mudawy
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
Reading And Writing ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Holy Quran ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
University Level

The study aims at suggesting effective methods and techniques that could improve English as a foreign language EFL students’ performance in writing skills. The researcher uses the descriptive, analytical method. Four tools were adopted pretest, post-test, supporting program, and a questionnaire for teachers for collecting data. Twenty-five students in Holy Quran University, Sudan, were chosen purposively, and thirty EFL teachers at a university level were randomly selected as a sample for the study. Ninty percent of the teachers agree on the suggested program and techniques. The findings of the study indicate that: using varied techniques and activities in pre-writing stage promotes students’ performances in writing, integration of reading and writing skills in the classroom improves students’ writing skills, as well as encouraging extensive reading outside the classroom promotes students’ performance in writing skills. Accordingly, the researcher recommends that: teachers should focus on the prewriting stage through different activities as well as reading and writing should be used in an integrated way in-class writing to guide the writing process.

scholarly journals EFL Students’ Writing Strategies in Saudi Arabian ESP Writing Classes: Perspectives on Learning Strategies in Self-access Language Learning

2012 ◽  
pp. 407-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Alnufaie ◽  
Michael Grenfell
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Writing Strategies ◽  
Writing Classes ◽  
Student Writers ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Process Oriented ◽  
Almost All

This study was part of a PhD research to explore the writing strategies of 121 second-year undergraduate Saudi student writers who are studying English as a foreign language and for specific purposes in one of the Saudi industrial colleges: Jubail Industrial College (JIC). The writing strategies under investigation had been classified into two categories (process-oriented writing strategies and product-oriented writing strategies) based on their instructional philosophies. A strategy questionnaire was designed to collect data. Although JIC writing classes were assumed to be product-oriented as reported by the majority of the participants’ description of their teachers’ writing approach, the results showed that almost all of the participants (95.9%) were mixing the two kinds of strategies. More surprisingly, the top five writing strategies used by the participants were process-oriented.

scholarly journals CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING SPEAKING: VOICES OF INDONESIAN EFL LEARNERS

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Arif Nugroho ◽  
Novrika Nartiningrum
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Oral Communication ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
The Ideal

<p>Among the four English skills, oral communication becomes crucial for undergraduate students to be more competitive in the work-places. In a foreign language teaching, designing appropriate classroom activities is a prerequisite for the success of a language learning. Therefore, this study sheds some light on 92 EFL learners’ perceptions and insights of classroom activities for teaching speaking. Drawing on the data obtained from questionnaire and focus group discussion (FGD), the findings illustrated that the students held moderately positive perceptions toward the speaking activities in their classroom. In addition, the results of FGD revealed some insights from the students with regard to the ideal classroom activities for teaching speaking. The findings of this study provide insights for EFL teachers in designing appropriate classroom activities to achieve the success of teaching speaking.</p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>teaching speaking, classroom activities, students’ perception</p>

scholarly journals An Investigation into the Benefits of the Intercultural Approach to EFL Learning and Teaching: A Case Study of Taif University, KSA

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir H. Abdalla
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Preparatory Year ◽  
Study Participants

The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential benefits of using the intercultural approach to teaching English as a foreign language in the preparatory –year programme (male branch), Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The intercultural approach is considered a viable means of foreign language education that seeks to address issues of culture in foreign language learning and teaching and how best to address them. Hence, this study intends to explore the attitudes of first year EFL Taif university students to the potential benefits of the intercultural approach to EFL. A sample of 200 EFL students participated in the study. Participants’ views on the topic of the study are collected via a questionnaire the researcher designed and administered to the participants. In addition, the views of 50 EFL instructors teaching in the preparatory programme were gathered by a questionnaire regarding the topic researched. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the collected data.

scholarly journals Metacognitive Awareness and Critical Thinking Abilities of Pre-service EFL Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Dilek Cakici
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Metacognitive Awareness ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Efl Teachers

The primary aim of current study was to investigate the possible relationship between Metacognitive Awareness (MA) and Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) in a foreign language learning context. In addition, this research aimed to probe the effect of gender and years of pre-service English language teachers on the relation between metacognitive awareness and critical thinking abilities. 218 pre-service EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers participated in the study. Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and Critical Thinking Questionnaire were employed to gather necessary data. Obtained results confirmed that there existed a highly significant positive correlation between MA and CTS. Besides, the results indicated that there was a strong relation between the years of pre-service EFL teachers and their MA and CTS. Seniors were found to be more metacognitively aware and critical thinkers than their counterparts. Conversely, it was revealed that there was no gender effect on both MA and CTS. Finally, certain suggestions were set for tertiary institutions to develop metacognition and critical thinking skills in foreign language classroom settings.

The specifics of foreign language distance learning

2020 ◽  
pp. 72-78
Author(s):  
N. A. Drutsko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Stressful Environment ◽  
Online Mode ◽  
Physical Isolation ◽  
University Classrooms ◽  
Absolute Advantage

The internationality of the communicative community and the incessant process of modernization require from railway specialists the skill of freely interacting with native speakers of another language. Knowledge of a foreign language at a time when many types of activities have switched to remote functioning is an absolute advantage. This is both the opportunity to obtain relevant knowledge from foreign language sources, and the freedom to communicate and exchange experience with colleagues, regardless of which language they are native speakers. Learning online increases the responsibility of the future railway specialist for the result of mastering a foreign language, conscientiousness in organizing his own educational activities, and independence in completing assignments. The importance of learning a foreign language for railway students during a pandemic remains extremely high. With an eye on quarantine measures, we note that the inability of live communication with people is compensated by online communication channels. The greater number of tools future specialists possess, the more successful they are in coping with the current problems. A foreign language (especially English as a working language of business communication) is one of these tools. The quarantine did not prevent railway specialists from contacting their foreign colleagues, actively sharing their experience, thus being able to cope with a stressful environment in a much better way. Those specialists who switched to online mode and had to communicate with clients using communication tools also noted tangible advantages in knowing a foreign language. In case of forced physical isolation, USURT teachers use productive forms and methods, making foreign language learning no less interesting than in university classrooms. In this article, the author provides a comparative analysis of the capabilities of various online platforms and makes arguments in favor of choosing the Blackboard digital platform. Particular attention is paid to the organization of remote control over training and the forms of influence on the motivational sphere of students.

Prospective EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Using CALL in the Classroom

2018 ◽  
pp. 1405-1418
Author(s):  
Anil Rakicioglu-Soylemez ◽  
Sedat Akayoglu
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Efl Teacher Education

The study focuses on prospective English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' perspectives on the use of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) resources in teaching English as a foreign language context. In addition to examining prospective teachers' perceptions, the similarities and differences in their perceptions and factors affecting their beliefs about using CALL resources will be addressed. The study aimed to identify the prospective EFL teachers' perceptions of their existing skills to integrate CALL into their future professional practices. The perceived factors that will facilitate and inhibit their future teaching practices by using CALL resources and their expectations from the teacher education program in terms of providing the necessary training to use CALL resources in their teaching practices were examined. The perceived benefits and challenges of using CALL in EFL teaching contexts will be addressed from the participants' perspectives. Finally, the study provides implications for further research in addition to recommendations for EFL teacher education programs.

The Business of Pragmatics. The Case of Discourse Markers in The Speech of Students of Business English and English Linguistics

2011 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 10-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lieven Buysse
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Discourse Markers ◽  
Business English ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Native Speech

Abstract This paper investigates how foreign language learners use discourse markers (such as so, well, you know, I mean) in English speech. These small words that do not contribute much, if anything at all, to the propositional content of a message but modify it in subtle ways, are often considered among the last elements acquired in a foreign language. This contribution reports on close scrutiny of a corpus of English-spoken interviews with Belgian native speakers of Dutch, half of whom are undergraduates majoring in Commercial Sciences and half of whom are majoring in English Linguistics, and sets it off against a comparable native speaker corpus. The investigation shows that the language learners exhibit a clear preference for “operative discourse markers” and neglect or avoid “involvement discourse markers”. It is argued that in learner speech the former take on functions typically fulfilled by the latter to a greater extent than in native speech, and that in some cases the learners revert to a code-switching strategy to cater for their pragmatic needs, bringing markers from Dutch into their English speech. Finally, questions are raised as to the place of such pragmatic devices in foreign language learning.

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