scholarly journals The effect of vocabulary size in oral productions on the speaking proficiency of EFL learners

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 150-154
Author(s):  
Ehsan Kazemi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Oral Proficiency ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Oral Proficiency Interview ◽  
Speaking Proficiency ◽  
Freshman Students ◽  
Listening And Speaking ◽  
Experimental Group

This study investigates the effect of using a bigger vocabulary size in oral classroom presentations on the speaking proficiency of students in English as a foreign language. The study was conducted with 30 freshman students doing their listening and speaking course in Semnan University. For the entire course of 12 weeks, the students in the experimental group were asked to present their productions in terms of the vocabulary they employed, which was also the focus of the teacher’s evaluation in each session. At the end of the course, they were interviewed for their proficiency in speaking. The descriptive and inferential calculations were done based on a modified version of an oral proficiency interview scale suggested by Penny Ur. The answers were recorded and their fluency and accuracy were graded. The results suggest that students with a vocabulary-rich production improved their speaking proficiency in English more than other students did.   Keywords: Vocabulary size, speaking proficiency, production, fluency, accuracy, interview.    

scholarly journals The impact of applying the FonF practice model on developing L2 listening and speaking with a focus on intentional and incidental vocabulary acquisition in CALL context

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akbar Bahari
Keyword(s):  
Vocabulary Acquisition ◽  
Dynamic Systems Theory ◽  
Practice Model ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Speaking Proficiency ◽  
Incidental Vocabulary ◽  
L2 Listening ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Listening And Speaking ◽  
Experimental Group

<p class="Default">Drawing on dynamic systems theory, FonF practice model was contextualized with respect to its impact on L2 learners’ incidental and intentional vocabulary acquisition in CALL context. To this end,<strong> </strong>a mixed methods approach was conducted on a sample of 93 intermediate EFL learners in CALL setting in keeping with the FonF practice model. Comparing incidental and intentional acquisition was the target of the study. The obtained results confirmed the effectiveness of the FonF practice model via form-, meaning-, and communication-oriented strategies to develop listening and speaking proficiency as well as incidental and intentional vocabulary acquisition among the experimental group. The main educational implication of the study is the effectiveness of FonF practice model at recruiting the potential behind CALL affordances towards developing listening-speaking proficiency and developing intentional and incidental vocabulary while catering for nonlinear dynamic motivational factors at individual L2 learner level.</p><p class="Default"> </p>

N-gram use in EFL learners’ retelling and monologic tasks

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaopeng Zhang ◽  
Baoshan Zhao ◽  
Wenwen Li
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Association Strength ◽  
College Level ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Oral Production ◽  
Speaking Proficiency ◽  
N Gram

Abstract This study examined n-gram use in oral production by Chinese college-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners at four distinct proficiency levels. Thirty indices regarding range, frequency, and association strength of bi- and tri-grams obtained from retelling and monologic samples were analyzed. Results suggest that, i) the four proficiency levels differed in measures for frequency and association strength of bi- and tri-grams, ii) academic bi- and tri-gram proportions and association strength (captured by MI- and t-scores) were predictive of EFL speaking proficiency for both the retelling and monologic samples but the effects were small, and iii) EFL learners used more well-attested bi- and tri-grams in monologues than in retelling, demonstrating that higher rated samples tended to contain more strongly-associated bi- and tri-grams, a greater proportion of frequent attested academic tri-grams, and that EFL n-gram use was task-sensitive. These findings help enrich our understanding on EFL development of multi-word sequences and have potentially useful implications for EFL pedagogy.

scholarly journals Effects of Bilingualism on Reading Fluency: An Analysis of Pausing Patterns of Iranian Learners of English as a Third Language

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Zahra Banitalebi ◽  
Ali Akbar Jabbari ◽  
Shouket Ahmad Tilwani ◽  
Mohammad Hasan Razmi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Oral Proficiency ◽  
Bilingual Learners ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Third Language ◽  
English Reading ◽  
Significant Difference

Fluency is one of the most important components of oral proficiency, which can be affected by a number of variables including frequency, duration, and place of pause phenomena. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of bilingualism on learning a foreign language from the angle of fluency and pausing patterns by comparing the pausing patterns of monolingual (Persian speakers) and bilingual (Iranian Turkish speakers; L1: Turkish and L2: Persian) EFL learners. To this end, a sample of 40 male and female advanced EFL learners were selected from Yazd University and several English-language institutes. An English reading passage test was used to measure students’ fluency in terms of their pausing patterns in prepared mode of speech. As learners started to read the passage, their speeches were recorded. The collected data were analyzed by Praat software. The statistical analyses revealed a significant difference between monolingual and bilingual learners in the frequency, duration, and placement of the pauses they had produced while they were reading the English passage. The results showed that bilingual learners outperformed monolingual participants, suggesting the superiority of bilinguals in their pausing patterns. The implications are discussed.

scholarly journals The Effect of Humor-Integrated Pictures Using Quizlet on Vocabulary Learning of EFL Learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Mehdi Solhi Andarab
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Acquisition ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Shed Light

The recent improvements in technology and their integration in language learning have played a facilitating role invocabulary acquisition. Quizlet, an online teacher-/student-friendly tool, is one of the leading applications invocabulary acquisition. Along with the effectiveness of visualization in acquiring vocabulary, humor has been alsoextensively indicated to carry a significant role in language learning. With all its facilitating features, the integrationof technology, humor, and vocabulary can be achieved via Quizlet. In this study, the visual integration of humoraccompanying vocabulary on Quizlet was taken into scrutiny to see to what extent humor-integrated pictures onQuizlet account for the retention of vocabulary acquisition. With this purpose, this study examined the effect ofhumor-integrated pictures on vocabulary acquisition of 45 intermediate English as a foreign language (EFL) learnerson Quizlet. In so doing, the experimental group received a series of unknown vocabulary items for which theintegrated pictures were humorous, while the vocabulary items assigned for the control group were identical, but innon-humorous contexts. At the end, an independent samples t-test applied on the scores achieved from a posttestindicated a significant difference in scores of the control group and that of the experimental group. In fact, thelearners in the experimental group significantly outperformed their counterparts in the control group. The resultsindicated that linking vocabulary items with humorous pictures is more effective than using non-humorous context inlearning vocabulary. Apparently, as the results indicate, the significant effectiveness of technology in vocabularylearning can be boosted with the help of humorous context. The findings shed light on the importance of technologyin language learning and its linking with humor in vocabulary learning.

The Efficacy of Novel Pre-activity Tasks on Macroskills: The Case of Group Discussion on Reading Comprehension

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 794
Author(s):  
Hooshang Khoshsima ◽  
Mahboobeh Khosravani
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Spss Software ◽  
Experimental Group

The main concern of most researchers in the field of second and foreign language teaching is lessening the problems and eliminating the hinders on the way of learning a language. The importance of reading skill in the process of teaching and learning different languages is undeniable for everyone. The main aim of this study was to examine the effects of group discussion strategy as a pre- activity task on reading ability. To this aim, 27 Iranian EFL learners, who were at the same level –intermediate- studying at Shokuh and Safir Institutes, Birjand, Iran were chosen. Two groups- one control and one experimental group- were studied. In control group the conventional method was used in teaching reading, while in experimental group, group discussion pre-activity task was administered. Both groups met the same level -Intermediate. At the end, the obtained data of the tests was analyzed by SPSS software. According to the obtained data, it can be strongly concluded that group discussion has no significant effect on reading comprehension. This study can help teachers and syllabus designers in choosing and applying an effective pre-activity task which really help the learners in reading classes.

Pushed output in a multi-stage dictogloss task

2015 ◽  
Vol 166 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-329
Author(s):  
María Basterrechea
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Target Feature ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Subsequent Exposure ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Experimental Group

The present study set out to determine how learners’ written production would affect their noticing and production of a specific language form (the English 3rd person singular present tense marker -s) upon receiving relevant input subsequently, in an attempt to contribute to the ongoing debate about how production affects noticing of linguistic forms. One hundred and eighteen (118) English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) learners (age range 15–6) in two educational contexts (Content and Language Integrated Learning and mainstream EFL) carried out a multi-stage dictogloss task. They followed the usual steps in this type of task (listen and jot down key words, text reconstruction). Then the experimental group (EG) listened to the text once again and compared it with their reconstructed version of the original passage. Their production of the target feature was compared to that of a control group (CG) who did not receive input after their own reconstruction. Results showed that the difference between the EG and the CG in the amount of instances of the target feature produced in the dictogloss task did not reach statistical significance. In other words, the act of producing and subsequent exposure to relevant input did not affect the noticing and production of the morpheme under study. In addition, no interaction between the pushed output condition and the educational context was found.

scholarly journals The speaking difficulties of Chinese EFL learners and their motivation towards speaking the English language

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-69
Author(s):  
Seth Amoah ◽  
Joyce Yeboah
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Oral Proficiency ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Grammar Rules ◽  
Integrative Motivation ◽  
English Major ◽  
Speaking Confidence ◽  
Oral Presentations

One of the most important skills to acquire in learning a foreign language is speaking. It is however, viewed as one of the most difficult. This study involved the observation of non-English major students in the foreign language department of Nanjing Tech University. Its aim was to assess critically the factors that affect the speaking performances of Chinese EFL Learners, find out their motivational levels and explore ways to improve EFL proficiency. Two survey questionnaires, as well as an interview item, were constructed. Seventy-five respondents were conveniently sampled for the Chinese EFL learner’s speaking difficulty questionnaire and, the English motivational scale, and ten out of the Seventy-five were randomly selected to respond to the interview. The factors that inhibit speaking performances were categorized as either linguistic or psychological. The outcome of the study revealed that Chinese EFL learners have speaking problems that relate more to psychological factors like anxiety, fear of mistakes, unwillingness, and fear of negative evaluation than linguistic factors such as lack of vocabulary, pronunciation, insufficient knowledge of grammar rules, reading and oral presentation. Furthermore, the researchers investigated the motivational levels of respondents toward speaking English as motivation is considered a fundamental element in achieving oral proficiency. The findings showed that Chinese EFL learner’s instrumental motivations are slightly dominant than their integrative motivation. The study recommends that instructors or teachers should create a conducive environment that will help reduce anxiety or shyness and gather adequate strategies like regular oral presentations or classroom debates to boost EFL learners' speaking confidence.

Getting Cinema into the Saudi EFL Classroom: Catering to Changing Learner Needs

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 3826-3843
Author(s):  
Arif Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Al-Ahdal ◽  
Addullah H. A. Alfauzan ◽  
Nasser Mohammed Saleh Al-Sa’egh
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Feature Films ◽  
Experimental Group

Objectives: The language proficiency of English as a foreign language (EFL, henceforth) learners at Qassim University is currently below the expected standards. Even with pedagogical innovations taking the place of conventional methods in the classrooms, and feature films being increasingly used as authentic language exposure, the inclusion of feature films for teaching English is not welcomed in Saudi Arabia though English films are quite popular with the EFL learners in other parts of the globe. Pilot studies, before the current research, demonstrated positive outcomes with using feature films in the EFL classrooms, the results of which prompted this study. The current study discusses the implications of using films in language teaching, using questionnaires for collecting data from students and teachers of English at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. The study spanned twelve weeks, during which time, an intervention was administered to the experimental group. At the end of the 12 weeks, the participants in the experimental group reported an increased communicative proficiency and engagement in the lessons when the teacher used films. The analysis of the students’ responses proved that the use of film-based language teaching is an effective and authentic means of language training. With enhanced communicative competence, EFL learners felt naturally confident to speak in English in real-world language situations. The results of the study would be beneficial to the EFL students, EFL teachers, schools, curriculum developers, and governments especially in terms of improved EFL instructions and improved economy, not only in Arabian but any foreign language learning context.

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