scholarly journals Students’ Perceptions of the Use of Blogs in English Language Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Miftachudin Miftachudin

This study aims to provide understanding about students’ perceptions of the benefits of blogs in English language learning and their challenges in authoring blogs. Unlike standard websites, blogs provide free and simple platforms that can be used by students without knowledge of computer language. Blogs can be considered as a new authentic English language learning environment in which reflection and collaboration take place. In addition, this study explores the benefits of blogs in English language learning. Furthermore, it investigates the challenges in authoring blogs that potentially define the gaps between students’ perceptions and blogging practice in English language learning. This study involves three undergraduate students at the State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga. It is conducted by using two stages of semi-structured interviews through Skype. The findings from the data analysis outline that the students perceive blogs as a beneficial application for English language learning in the areas of writing, reading and communication. However, they also admit that challenges remain in authoring blogs, such as performance fluctuation, self-confidence and aspects of technology. From the findings, there is a suggestion to formulate strategies in order to counteract the challenges. Thus, the use of blogs improves the quality of English language learning in any future practice.   

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Miftachudin Miftachudin

This study aims to provide understanding about students’ perceptions of the benefits of blogs in English language learning and their challenges in authoring blogs. Unlike standard websites, blogs provide free and simple platforms that can be used by students without knowledge of computer language. Blogs can be considered as a new authentic English language learning environment in which reflection and collaboration take place. In addition, this study explores the benefits of blogs in English language learning. Furthermore, it investigates the challenges in authoring blogs that potentially define the gaps between students’ perceptions and blogging practice in English language learning. This study involves three undergraduate students at the State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga. It is conducted by using two stages of semi-structured interviews through Skype. The findings from the data analysis outline that the students perceive blogs as a beneficial application for English language learning in the areas of writing, reading and communication. However, they also admit that challenges remain in authoring blogs, such as performance fluctuation, self-confidence and aspects of technology. From the findings, there is a suggestion to formulate strategies in order to counteract the challenges. Thus, the use of blogs improves the quality of English language learning in any future practice.   


Accurate pronunciation has a vital role in English language learning as it can help learners to avoid misunderstanding in communication. However, EFL learners in many contexts, especially at the University of Phan Thiet, still encounter many difficulties in pronouncing English correctly. Therefore, this study endeavors to explore English-majored students’ perceptions towards the role of pronunciation in English language learning and examine their pronunciation practicing strategies (PPS). It involved 155 English-majored students at the University of Phan Thiet who answered closed-ended questionnaires and 18 English-majored students who participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that students strongly believed in the important role of pronunciation in English language learning; however, they sometimes employed PPS for their pronunciation improvement. Furthermore, the results showed that participants tended to use naturalistic practicing strategies and formal practicing strategies with sounds, but they overlooked strategies such as asking for help and cooperating with peers. Such findings could contribute further to the understanding of how students perceive the role of pronunciation and their PPS use in the research’s context and other similar ones. Received 10th June 2019; Revised 12th March 2020; Accepted 12th April 2020


BELTA Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-104
Author(s):  
Mohammed Rashel Uddin ◽  
Sharmin Hena ◽  
Ariful Hoq Shanil

This research focuses on the effect of reinforcement during English Language Learning (ELL) classroom activities of Bangladeshi primary level education. The findings of the research indicate that teachers follow both positive and negative reinforcement as part of their teaching-learning activities depending on the actual situation of the class. Positive reinforcement helps students to enhance their mental growth and also boost their learning behaviour. There are some negative influences on students’ behaviour when the teacher treats them with any kind of negative reinforcement. Although all the teachers believe that positive reinforcement helps to improve motivation, self-confidence, classroom participation, teacher-student relationship and effective learning of students during ELL classroom activities, a few teachers still use negative phrases which demotivate students towards learning rather than creating the eagerness to learn.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Ketvalee Porkaew ◽  
Ariyadhorn Fongpaiboon

An exposure to free choice of inspiring reading materials among Thai students has not been largely promoted in English language class, affecting negative language learning attitudes and development of a reading habit. This present study examined the effects of extensive reading (ER) on Thai university students. To measure their attitudes towards comfort, anxiety, intellectual value, practical value and linguistic value before and after 15-week extensive reading. 68 undergraduate students were asked to complete the 5-point Likert scale questionnaire of 23 items adopted from Yamashita (2013). A semi-structure interview was also employed. The results revealed students had positive feelings in which ER increased their comfort and decreased their anxiety at the significance level of 0.05. They also had positive beliefs about the intellectual benefits. However, the practical value that ER might bring advantages to students’ study or future career was lower in the posttest. There was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest in their beliefs about English language study benefits. Qualitative data from the semi-structured interviews showed that students satisfied with their own choice of reading preference. The findings suggested the use of ER approach in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes to increase students’ positive attitudes, decrease their negative ones towards reading, and develop good reading habits through their reading engagement.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Tran Quoc Thao ◽  
Nguyen Hoang Chau Long

Reading plays a vital role in improving second/foreign language learning as it can encourage the development of autonomous learners. Furthermore, ESL/EFL learners’ use of reading strategies can be affected by their learning motivation, which can result in the high or low frequent use of reading strategies in reading comprehension. The present study, therefore, investigated the motivation in English language learning and the use of reading strategies among English-majored freshmen at a university in Bac Lieu province, Vietnam. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 English-majored freshmen, six of whom took part in semi-structured interviews. The results showed that participants had a high level of motivation in English language learning, and their metacognitive strategies worked better with their reading comprehension than their cognitive and social/affective strategies. The study further unraveled that the more participants were motivated in English language learning, the more they employed metacognitive and cognitive strategies in reading comprehension.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-515
Author(s):  
Ashim Kumar Paul

This study aims to explore Bangladeshi college students’ attitude, perception, interests and challenges with regard to the application of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in learning English. A mixed method research was designed and administered to obtain the purposes of the present study. One hundred undergraduate students (52 male and 48 female) of English Department studying at a government college in Bangladesh participated in the questionnaire survey while twenty students (11 male and 09 female) were purposively chosen for the semi-structured interview section. The collected data of quantitative part were analysed by SPSS software and the responses of the qualitative part were thematically analysed. The findings revealed that students showed positive attitude towards the integration of CALL in English language learning and teaching process. Nonetheless, the Chi-square value revealed that there is no significant relationship between gender variation and the attitude to CALL. The results also revealed that students face some difficulties in using computer and other relevant technological equipment for English Language learning. The results provide concepts and suggestions to the future researchers for further investigations in relation to CALL for the benefits of learners and learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-72
Author(s):  
Roselle M. Soriano ◽  
Christian N. Escario ◽  
Pilipina B. Cagurangan ◽  
Annalene Grace E. Co ◽  
Chleo G. Pascual ◽  
...  

Numerous studies have found a positive connection between learners’ motivation towards foreign language and foreign language achievement. Drawn upon semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions among students, this study sheds light on the significant impact of motivation in English language learning. Further, this study explores the lived experiences of students and the factors influencing their motivation in learning the English Language. Purposeful sampling was to select participants in the different courses of Quirino State University, Cabarroguis Campus, Philippines. The results revealed that the teacher's influence, enjoyment in learning, desire to learn, parental influence, and classroom environment were the factors influencing students' motivation in learning the English Language. Thus, this study suggests that teachers should be aware of these factors of inspiration in their classrooms and consider these as significant parts in developing an English Language Intervention Program to motivate the students and improve their proficiency in learning the English Language.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athar Yousef Abdullah Al-Garawi

This study aimed to investigate the benefits and barriers of using Instagram in English language learning. The sample of this study consisted of 151 randomly-selected female students enrolled in the department of English at the College of Languages and Translation at Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in the academic year 1436/1437– 2015/2016 in the first semester. The researcher used both a five-point Likert scale questionnaire as a quantitative instrument and semi-structured interviews withstudents as a qualitative instrument to collect the data of the study. Those instruments were validated by ten university professors. Similarly, the reliability of the questionnaire was achieved by calculating Cronbach Alpha formula. The findings of the study revealed that the most important benefits of using Instagram in learning English were as follows: improving the reading, writing, and listening skills, providing enjoyable learning experiences, enriching vocabulary, improving oral communication skills, and enjoying a sense of freedom of time and place. Furthermore, the results of the study unveiled the following challenges of using Instagram in English learning: distracting attention, lack of direction from the syllabuses, lack of encouragement from instructors, embarrassment, lack of immediate feedback, the cost of Internet access, and the difficulty of writing long passages. Finally, the findings of the study presented the following solutions to Instagram barriers in English language learning: creating learning accounts and posting important things in the lecture, following only specialized accounts for learning English.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Mohd Hafizuddin Mohamed Jamrus ◽  
Abu Bakar Razali

A very important element of formative assessment is giving and receiving feedback. However, most teachers face difficulty in giving students feedback due to various reasons, such as the large number of students in class that makes it time consuming for them to do so. Fortunately, students themselves can be excellent sources of feedback through self-assessment, through which the students would reflect on the quality of their work, judge the degree to which their work reflects explicitly stated goals or criteria, and revise their work if necessary. Under the right conditions, student self-assessment can provide accurate, useful information to promote learning. Self-assessment can also be effective in English language learning, such as: motivating students to learn and reflect on their own English learning; promote critical thinking and reflective practices in learning English; scaffold knowledge of English learning from different English language skills; develop a sense of autonomy in their own learning English; and foster commitment in learning English among many others. This conceptual paper thus seeks to explore the potentials of using self-assessment in English language learning. In this paper, the concept and underlying principles of self-assessment will be introduced. Next, the review of past studies on self-assessment in the context of teaching and learning English as a second or English as a foreign language (ESL/EFL) will be explained. Later, the advantages and disadvantages of using self-assessment in the classroom will be discussed. In the final section, recommendations will be given for the implementation of self-assessment in learning English as a second language (ESL) classrooms.


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