scholarly journals Factors affecting male and female Indonesian EFL students’ writing anxiety

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hairus Salikin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Writing Anxiety ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Language Writing ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Anxiety Levels

This study is aimed at investigating the writing anxiety levels of foreign language learners and factors affecting the foreign language writing anxiety levels on the learners based on the gender variable. It applies close-ended questionnaires as instruments to collect the data, adopted from Cheng (2004) about Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI), and Causes of Writing Anxiety Inventory (CWAI) questionnaire adopted from Younas (2014). The results of the study show that Indonesian English learners suffered a mediocre level of English writing anxiety, especially cognitive anxiety as preference. In relation to gender, female students tend to have significantly higher anxiety level than male in terms of writing English compositions. The study reports that both male and female learners suffered from anxiety due to lack of linguistic competence.

scholarly journals Developing Students’ Intercultural Competence among Moroccan EFL students: Focus on raising their Cross-cultural Awareness

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-56
Author(s):  
Driss Benattabou
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Communication Course ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Deep Culture ◽  
Efl Students

         The goal of this paper is to consider alternative ways to incorporate an intercultural communication course as an integral part of the curriculum designed for Moroccan learners of EFL. Some aspects of what comes to be dubbed as ‘deep culture’ should find room in the contents of the EFL course so as to alert Moroccan learners about the potential intercultural barriers they are far more likely to face. It is proposed that for an effective intercultural communication to take place, the English course should help foreign language learners explicitly understand what target linguistic forms might be and how their meanings may differ across cultures. The analysis of some instances of intercultural misunderstandings may surely give more credence to the vital importance of implementing a multicultural approach to education. This paper offers some teaching strategies to assist Moroccan learners of EFL overcome these intercultural barriers.

scholarly journals Using Tongue Twister to Improve Students’ Pronunciation

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-115
Author(s):  
Dewi Lutfiani
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Oral Communication ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Correct Pronunciation ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Tongue Twister ◽  
Basic Ability ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Teaching Pronunciation

peaking skill comprises five components; pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar,fluency and accuracy, which are very essential in delivering messages orinformation clearly. As one of the five components of speaking, pronunciationis an essential component in oral communication and a basic ability of speakingEnglish. Since English is a foreign language, correct pronunciation becomesa crucial matter to avoid misunderstanding between a speaker and a listener.Therefore, teaching pronunciation to EFL students is very essential, and it is notan easy task for English teachers. The main reason is that English pronunciationis difficult for most foreign language learners since what is written is differentfrom what is spoken. Regarding the difficulty of the students, teachers shouldbe creative to select a technique of teaching pronunciation. One techniquethat is suitable for teaching pronunciation is tongue twister. This techniquewas applied to the eleventh grade of SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Jember in the2015/2016 academic year. The results of the classroom action research whichwas done in two cycles showed 77.14% students got score ≥75 and 77.13% ofthe students were active in teaching learning process. The results had met thecriteria of success of the research.

scholarly journals Reflecting on the Japan-Chile Task-Based Telecollaboration Project for Beginner-Level Learners

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
B. Greg Dunne
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Teachers ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Collaboration Project

Using O’Dowd and Ritter’s (2006) Inventory of Reasons for Failed Communication in Telecollaborative Projects as a barometer, this article details the considerations and procedures followed in a task-based, asynchronous email tele-collaboration project between EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners in Japan and Chile. In a climate where current research surrounding telecollaboration continues to gravitate toward the dual foci of intercultural communicative competence and multimodal technology, this article exemplifies how the adoption of a task-based framework can greatly assist the induction of beginner-level EFL students into a telecollaborative learning environment. It also encourages EFL and ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers throughout the world to seek task designs that will help them do the same. The project experienced its share of logistical and technical challenges but by adopting the currently unconventional stance of designing tasks that highlight individual identity and downplay cultural identity the project appeared to minimize intercultural tension, unmanageable levels of incomprehensibility and inability to arrive at task outcomes.Utilisant l’article de O’Dowd et Ritter (2006) Inventory of Reasons for Failed Communication in Telecollaborative Projects comme baromètre, cet article décrit en détail les considérations et les procédures d’un projet de télécollaboration asynchrone, par courriel et basé sur les tâches entre des apprenants d’anglais langue étrangère (ALE) au Japon et au Chili. Dans le climat actuel où la recherche portant sur la télécollaboration continue à se tourner vers la compétence communicative interculturelle et la technologie multimodale, cet article démontre les bienfaits significatifs d’adopter un cadre basé sur les tâches pour accueillir les élèves débutants en ALE dans un milieu d’apprentissage télécollaboratif. L’article encourage également les enseignants d’ALE et d’ALS partout au monde à rechercher des tâches qui les aideront à en faire autant. Le projet a connu sa part de défis logistiques et techniques, mais en adoptant la position originale de concevoir des tâches qui soulignent l’identité individuelle et diminuent l’identité culturelle, il semble avoir minimisé la tension interculturelle, l’incompréhensibilité et l’incapacité à arriver aux résultats voulus.

scholarly journals An Analysis of Errors in English Essays Written by Thai Non-English Major Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Prathomwat Suraprajit
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Writing ◽  
Verb Agreement ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Language Writing ◽  
English Major ◽  
Main Verb ◽  
Subject Pronoun ◽  
The Subject

Writing is one of the vital skills for EFL learners. However, they still face some difficulties while processing a task. The present study aimed to analyze the errors that occurred on sixty English essays made by Thai University non-English major students who enrolled in the fundamental English course. The Surface Strategy Taxonomy (Dulay, Burt, & Krashen, 1982) was adopted to explore the errors of omission, addition, misformation, and misordering together with those that were excluded in the taxonomy. According to the framework of Surface Strategy Taxonomy, the findings revealed the most common errors involving omission of articles, followed by the addition of the preposition, the omission of the preposition, the omission of the subject, and misformation of subject pronoun, respectively. Then, according to the errors which were out of the stated taxonomy, the errors in subject-verb agreement were the highest detected error, followed by tense errors, ambiguous sentences, a direct translation from L1 to L2, misformation of object pronoun, misformation of using an adjective as the main verb, the addition of verb to be, and addition of conjunction, respectively. By investigating the errors in foreign language writing, the results would trigger foreign language learners to aware of the error of English writing that might occur. And the benefit also goes to the pedagogy in developing the teaching materials together with teaching strategies.

scholarly journals Rapid Changes in Foreign Language Learning Anxiety Caused by a Multiplicity of Topics: An Idiodynamic Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-102
Author(s):  
Khatereh Saghafi ◽  
Majid Elahi Shirvan
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Anxiety ◽  
Topic Familiarity ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Major Factors

Considering the dynamicnature of foreign language anxiety (FLA), we applied an idiodynamic method to explore topic-based variations of FLA. Before the study was conducted, a class of 20 female intermediate English as foreign language learners were assessed using the foreign language classroom anxiety scale (FLCAS). Two low-anxiety learners and two high-anxiety learners were selected to participate in this study. The idiodynamic method involved videotaping the participants’ responses to four topic-based questions, their self-ratings of fluctuations in FLA while answering the questions, and drawing attributions for topic-based changes in FLA. The results demonstrated both within-individual and between-individual stability and variation in FLA. Linguistic block, topic familiarity, topic interest, and topic-related emotional loading were revealed as the major factors affecting the dynamics of FLA. The pedagogical implications of the findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Interculturalidade, representação e identidade em contextos de aprendizagem de língua estrangeira via teletandem

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-33
Author(s):  
Adriana Celia Alves
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Dynamic Relations ◽  
Interactional Process

RESUMO: Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as representações que emergiram das interações de teletandementre os aprendizes de línguas estrangeiras quanto aos aspectos histórico-políticos de seus países. Discutem-se as negociações dessas representações no processo interacional em diálogo com o outro interagente. Os dados analisados foram extraídos das interações em português, realizadas entre estudantes de graduação norte-americanos, aprendizes de português e estudantes de graduação brasileiros, aprendizes de língua inglesa. Apoia-se nas discussões de Bronckart (2012) sobre representação, de sujeito na pós-modernidade,de Hall (2002), e no conceito de cultura conforme proposto por Welsch (1999), sendo ela transcultural, um processo híbrido e heterogêneo fundado em relações dinâmicas entre culturas. Por meio de uma análise interpretativa qualitativa, foi observado que o contexto de aprendizagem de teletandem constituiu importante locus para o contato intercultural. Assim, verificou-se que as representações foram enunciadas a partir de posições político-ideológicas e contextuais. Desse modo, é importante uma discussão reflexiva dessas representações, para que elas não se tornem um conhecimento fossilizado. Entende-se, também, que as identidades dos participantes se constroem em processos dinâmicos e são caracterizadas pela fluidez e heterogeneidade. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: ensino-aprendizagem de língua estrangeira; teletandem; interculturalidade; representações.   ABSTRACT: The main objective of this work is aimed to analyze the representations that emerged from the teletandem interactions among foreign language learners, regarding the historical-political aspects of their countries, discussing the negotiations of these representations in the interactional process in dialogue with the other interacting agent. The data analyzed were extracted from the interactions in Portuguese, carried out among North American undergraduates, Portuguese learners and Brazilian undergraduate students, English learners. It is based on Bronckart's (2012) discussion of representation, subject in the postmodernity of Hall (2002) and in the concept of culture as proposed by Welsch (1999), cross-cultural, hybrid and heterogeneous process based on dynamic relations among cultures. Through a qualitative interpretative analysis, it was observed that the teletandem learning context constituted an important locus for intercultural contact. Therefore, it was verified that the representations were enunciated from political-ideological and contextual positions, thus, a reflexive discussion of these representations is important, in order that not to become a fossilized knowledge. Finally, the identities of the participants are also built in dynamic processes and are characterized by fluidity and heterogeneity. KEYWORDS: teaching and learning a foreign language; teletandem; interculturalism; representations.

scholarly journals The Opinions and Attitudes of the Foreign Language Learners and Teachers Related to the Traditional and Digital Games

2014 ◽  
pp. 689-708
Author(s):  
Levent Uzun ◽  
M. Tugba Yildiz Ekin ◽  
Erdogan Kartal
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Educational Games ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
New Generation

The present study aimed at investigating the differences between the teachers and the ‘new generation' of learners, their opinions about which language skills would benefit more from games, and the nuances of the two genders (male and female), while also revealing the profiles and tendencies of different age groups in relation to their fascination with playing traditional or digital games. The subjects were 131 foreign language learners or teachers from five different age groups, ranging between 7 and 50. The data were collected and analysed through both qualitative and quantitative constructions. Results suggested that female subjects were mostly in favour of traditional games, and liked to play educational games more than their male counterparts, while also it was revealed that from among the six language skills, vocabulary seemed to have the potential to benefit most considerably from games.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationship Between Chinese EFL Students' Grit, Well-Being, and Classroom Enjoyment

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Yang
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Pearson Coefficient ◽  
Efl Students

It has been documented that grit plays an indispensable role in the process of language learning and teaching. It is postulated that gritty people are more able to become involved in classroom practice and remain motivated even in light of challenges; however, what remains vague is the interplay of grit, well-being, and classroom enjoyment. To this end, 335 male and female Chinese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners who were studying English in 28 universities took part in this study. They completed three questionnaires including the grit scale questionnaire (Grit-S), foreign language enjoyment scale, and PERMA well-being scale. The Pearson coefficient of correlation was run to investigate the first research question of the study while, after checking the preliminary assumptions, for the second research question a multiple regression analysis was used. The findings of the study demonstrated that there is a positive relationship between learners' grit and enjoyment, and high degrees of enjoyment were interrelated to high degrees of grit. The findings of the study also signified that grit significantly predicted students' well-being and was also a predictor of classroom enjoyment. Finally, some implications and recommendations have been offered for language teaching stakeholders in educational settings.

scholarly journals Gender-based Failure to Infer Implicatures from Pre-TOEFL Listening

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arifuddin Hasan ◽  
Susanto Susanto
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Interview Protocol ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Conversational Implicatures ◽  
Five Factors ◽  
Determining Factors ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
English Students

Inferring conversational implicatures could be difficult for foreign language learners. Some studies show that English proficiency of Indonesian English students, teachers and lecturers are low. Unfortunately, none of the studies dealt with factors which determine the learners’ failures to interpret each type of implicature questions on the basis of gender. The present study aimed at exploring types of implicature question of aural short conversations in Pre-TOEFL failed to be answered correctly and their causes experienced by a) males b) females students of EEPUM. Data were collected through  Part A Pre-TOEFL test, Inventory of Determining Factors of Failure, Interview Protocol, Recording  and Note-taking and analysed with  a cyclical qualitative analysis on the basis of  Brown & Yules’s theory,  Anderson’s model and Goh’s five factors affecting listening. Types of implicature questions failed to be answered correctly and their determining factors are shown. Key words: Inferring, Implicature, Proficiency, Gender, Failure.

scholarly journals The Acquisition of Mandarin Consonants by English Learners: The Relationship between Perception and Production

Languages ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Xinchun Wang ◽  
Jidong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Learning Models ◽  
Identification Task ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Speech Learning

This study investigates native English CFL (Chinese as a Foreign Language) learners’ difficulties with Mandarin consonants at the initial stage of learning and explores the relationship between second language (L2) speech perception and production. Twenty-five native English CFL learners read the eight Mandarin consonants (j/tɕ/, q /tɕʰ/, x /ɕ/, zh /tʂ/, ch /tʂʰ/, sh /ʂ/, z /ts/, and c /tsʰ/) in sentences and identified the target sounds in a forced-choice identification task. Native Mandarin listeners identified the consonants produced by the learners and rated the quality of each sound they identified along a scale of 1 (poor) to 7 (good). The learners’ mean percentage accuracy scores ranged from 29% to 80% for perception and 25% to 88% for production. Moderate correlations between the perception and production scores were found for two of the eight target sounds. The Mandarin retroflex, palatal, and dental fricatives and affricates, though all lack counterparts in English, pose different problems to the English CFL learners. The misperceived retroflex and palatal sounds were substituted with each other in perception but mis-produced palatal sounds were substituted with each other, not with retroflex sounds. The relationship between perception and production of L2 consonants is not straightforward. The findings are discussed in terms of current speech learning models.

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