Investigating Attitude And Motivation Of Iranian University Learners Toward English As A Foreign Language

This Paper discusses the attitudes and motivation Iranian learners have toward learning EFL at their university level. Although research of a similar nature has been done in other countries, the present study complements others by following 500 university learners and it provides another avenue for examining the language situation in Iran. To achieve this goal, Gardner’s socio-educational model and the significance of motivation as a contributing factor in second/foreign language (SL/FL) learning are taken into consideration. The questions to be addressed in this paper are: · What are the university learners’ attitudes for learning EFL?· What are the university learners’ motivations for learning EFL?· Does gender influence attitudes of Iranian learners for learning English as a foreign language?· Does gender influence motivation of Iranian learners for learning English as a foreign language?· Does a major course of the study influence attitudes of Iranian learners for learning English as a foreign language?· Does major course of the study influence motivation of Iranian learners for learning English as a foreign language? The investigation also demonstrates that Iranian learners learn English for ‘instrumental’ reasons and it concludes that ‘integrative motivation’ is the dominant motivational orientation for the Iranian learners to learn English as EFL. This study will possibly provide additional insights in better identifying the existing motivational challenges and in taking a more realistic perspective about the English Language Teaching (ELT) situation in the country. Finally, some recommendations on future directions for this research area in Iran have been highlighted.

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Attitudes and Motivation of Turkish Undergraduate EFL Students towards Learning English Language

Studies in English Language Teaching ◽

10.22158/selt.v2n3p314 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 314 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Fatma Tokoz Goktepe

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

English Language ◽

Motivational Orientation ◽

Family Influence ◽

Background Information ◽

First Year ◽

Integrative Motivation ◽

First Year University ◽

Learning English

The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitudes and motivation of first-year Turkish undergraduates toward English language learning as a foreign language. The study was carried out with 90 students majoring in business studies at Cag University, Mersin in Turkey by administering a survey designed on a five-point Likert scale with 43 items including demographic questions about the learners’ background information such as gender, age, and how long they have been learning English. The items on the survey were chosen from Dörnyei and Csizér (2006) in a variety of Hungarian researches and from a recently designed questionnaire by Ryan (2005). The domains used for the purpose of the study were: integrativeness, attitudes to L2 community, cultural interest, attitudes to learning English, criterion measures, ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, family influence, instrumentality (promotion and prevention), and fear of assimilation. The data collected were analysed through descriptive statistics in SPSS statistical program. The results revealed that Turkish first-year university students learn English as a foreign language mostly for instrumental reasons, and it also showed that integrative motivation is dominant motivational orientation for the participants in some degree.

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Problems of Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language in South Yemen: A Case Study of Lahj Governorate

ELS Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities ◽

10.34050/els-jish.v2i4.7458 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 485-492

Author(s):

Sabri Thabit Saleh Ahmed ◽

Bushra Thabit Ahmed Qasem

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

English Language ◽

Language Teaching ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Teaching Aids ◽

Proficiency Level ◽

Efl Teaching ◽

Learning English ◽

Language Teaching And Learning

The task of teaching and learning English as a foreign language is not an easy task as there are many factors that may contribute positively or negatively to its success. In the context of this study, most school-leavers have very poor English, especially when looking at their oral skills. This indicates that there are some problems that EFL learning and teaching encounter, and then such problems are reflected in students’ proficiency level. This study, therefore, explored the problems encountering EFL teaching and learning in Lahj primary and secondary schools to identify such problems and suggest some solutions that may help in improving English language teaching and learning in the concerned schools. Data were collected from 32 EFL senior teachers and supervisors of Lahj governorate. Findings showed that large classes, lack of teaching aids, teachers’ low proficiency in English, teachers’ limited experience with communicative language teaching, late beginning of learning English, lack of focus on oral communicative English, use of mother tongue in classroom, students’ low motivation and interference between English and Arabic are considered as major problems encountering English language teaching and learning in the concerned South Yemeni schools and contribute negatively to students’ proficiency level. The study has provided some recommendations that may help in improving EFL teaching and learning in the concerned schools and in Yemeni schools generally.

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Blogs as Powerful Learning Tools: The Perception from EFL Students in Indonesia

10.31227/osf.io/chmaf ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Budianto Hamuddin ◽

Indah Muzdalifah ◽

[email protected]

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Alternative Media ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Learning Tools ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

English As Foreign Language ◽

Publishing Article ◽

Efl Students ◽

Learning English

This post print paper presented in ICHaS 2017. Promoting the potential value of blogs in English Language Teaching (ELT) for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Students is the focus of this present study. It's aimed to explain in a quantitative way the perceptions from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in using blogs. The students from PBIG FKIP Universitas Lancang Kuning in the province of Riau, Indonesia was selected based on the increasing trends of the blog used as alternative media to learn English during these two years. The analysis of this present study based its data from online questionnaire as the main instrument to collect the data. The online questionnaire was open from August 2016-February 2017 (6 months) and filled up by 161 students from English Department of FKIP Unilak who enroll in 6 different blog-based classes at PBIG FKIP Unilak. The analysis showing that the majority of the students had a positive perception that blog can be used as powerful tools to promote English language skills especially reading and writing. The data also reveals that using the blog as a learning journal can raise students’ motivation in learning English and publishing article. These positive results somehow showing that blog can be promoted as an alternative media of learning English for English as Foreign Language Students at PBIG FKIP Unilak or in other institutions around the globe that teach English as a Foreign language

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Teaching in the Garden: School Gardens as a Space for Environmental and English Learning

Ecozon@: European Journal of Literature, Culture and Environment ◽

10.37536/ecozona.2021.12.1.4007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 83-106

Author(s):

Baerbel Turner-Hill ◽

Christian Ludwig ◽

Lena Böttger

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Environmental Literacy ◽

School Gardens ◽

School Garden ◽

Learning Groups ◽

Diverse Learning ◽

Efl Teacher ◽

The University ◽

Learning English

School gardens as settings for learning outside the classroom are becoming increasingly popular. They allow students to learn in an authentic way as they engage in a variety of activities and materials. More importantly, they also represent a powerful place and tool for environmental education as students are not only exposed to nature but also gain positive environmental experiences. This paper examines school gardens as a place for both enhancing students’ English language competences and fostering critical environmental literacy. The first section of the paper focuses on garden-based education as a type of learning outside the classroom. The ensuing section then provides a brief discussion of school gardens as learning spaces across the curriculum, arguing that school gardens are far more than places for learning about nutrition and healthy living. Following this, the next section then argues for using school gardens also for learning English as a foreign language. Here Gardner’s multiple intelligences model serves to illustrate the potential of school gardens for differentiated instruction regarding content, processes, and products in today’s increasingly diverse learning groups. The main part of the paper then concentrates on garden-based education in the context of EFL teacher training. At the University of Education Karlsruhe (Germany) students have the opportunity to attend a school garden-based seminar which allows them to experience first hand the benefits of learning English as a foreign language in the school garden. The paper concludes by taking a glimpse into the future of school garden learning by reporting on the authors’ experiences with using technology in the context of garden-based education.

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THE EFFECT OF READING STRATEGIES ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE READING SKILLS OF STUDENTS

Social and Natural Sciences Journal ◽

10.12955/snsj.v7i2.418 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Vasilika Rraku

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

English Language ◽

Reading Skills ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Foreign Language Reading ◽

Language Studies ◽

Noticeable Improvement ◽

Second Year ◽

The University

The purpose of this article is to emphasize the effect that the use of reading strategies can have on the improvement of foreign language reading skills. To indicate the effect of reading strategies on reading skills a study was carried out with university students, respectively eleven students of the second year and twelve students of the third year pursuing their English language studies at the University of Tirana. To this purpose, the students were introduced to different kinds of Reading texts and Close exercises in two different sessions. During the first session students were asked to do the exercises relying on their own knowledge about language and reading, and afterwards they were introduced to different kinds of reading strategies which they practiced for nearly a month. During the second session students were asked to do the new exercises based on the reading strategies they had learned. The results of the study pointed to a noticeable improvement of students’ reading skills once they had used reading strategies to do their exercises. As a conclusion, the article aims to point out that reading strategies are essential for the improvement of reading skills and they should be promoted in English language teaching.

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Possible Motivations for Learning English amongst Kurdish EFL Undergraduate Learners at the University Level

Journal of University of Human Development ◽

10.21928/juhd.v7n1y2021.pp35-42 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 35

Author(s):

Farhad Majeed Hama ◽

Diaman Abdulrahman Ismael ◽

Aram Kamil Noori

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Kurdistan Region ◽

University Environment ◽

Iraqi Kurdistan ◽

Different Types ◽

Communication Goals ◽

Integrative Motivation ◽

University Level ◽

The University ◽

Learning English

It can be argued that integrative and instrumental kinds of motivation are two prominent factors in learning new languages. Each kind of motivation works differently in various contexts. Besides, several studies have been investigated in EFL (English as a foreign language), and ESL (English as a second language) settings. There are also external factors that have impacts on different types of motivation and learners. There are also obvious reasons for learning English as a foreign language. This study focused on integrative and instrumental kinds of motivation amongst Kurdish EFL undergraduate learners at the University of Sulaimani in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. The finding showed that getting a job is a major motivator for learning English amongst learners. However, cultural and communication goals were two other important goals that encouraged learners to learn English. In general, the results revealed that instrumental motivation was more significant than integrative motivation. Additionally, some elements affected and increased learner's motivation such as parental aids, teachers, social, personality, and university environment.

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English as a Foreign Language: Insights from a Public University in Bangladesh

International Journal of Linguistics Literature & Translation ◽

10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.1.24 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 234-237

Author(s):

Mohammad Afzal Hossain

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Public University ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Survey Questionnaire ◽

Data Collection And Analysis ◽

The University ◽

Structured Questionnaire

This study intends to examine the perspective of learners from a public university regarding English Language Teaching (ELT) syllabus and pedagogy. The learners in this study are studying Masters (MA) in ELT at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University (MBSTU). MBSTU is a public university situated in Tangail, Bangladesh. Being their direct teacher, I thought it would be interesting to find out how my students are perceiving ELT courses, in fact the process of data collection and analysis has been an important learning experience for myself, allowing me to delve into the loopholes and strengths of the current ELT curriculum. The survey questionnaire was sent to thirty of the currently enrolled MA students but fourteen responses were obtained due to the current Corona virus pandemic situation. It is worthwhile to mention that this is the first cohort of students for the MA in ELT program at MBSTU. The MA in ELT program was introduced in the university in 2019. This study was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire, and data was analyzed qualitatively. The findings from the study suggest that the students prioritize speaking English fluently and pronouncing English vocabulary correctly. The MA syllabus was highly commended by students as it focuses on pronunciation through the course of Phonetics and Phonology.

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Doing It by the Book: Training Student Teachers at the Faculty of Letters, the University of Porto (FLUP) to Evaluate English Language Teaching (ELT) Materials

e-TEALS ◽

10.1515/eteals-2016-0001 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 1-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nic Hurst

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Student Teachers ◽

English Language ◽

Language Teaching ◽

Bologna Process ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Training Courses ◽

The University ◽

The Bologna Process ◽

Pre Service Teacher

Abstract Understanding what the use of a coursebook implies is at the heart of any consideration of how ELT instruction in Portugal operates and, as such, should also be central to any pre-service teacher education. Since the curricular reorganization prompted by the ‘Bologna Process’, the Faculty of Letters, the University of Porto (FLUP) has included within its ‘Masters in English and other Foreign Language Teaching’ course (Mestrado em Ensino de Inglês e de Alemão / Francês / Espanhol no 3.º ciclo do Ensino Básico e no Ensino Secundário) an optional, one semester subject called the “Production of Didactic Materials”. This talk will demonstrate and discuss how, in this case, training student teachers to develop a criteria based framework for evaluating FL teaching materials, and applying that same framework, can be considered a way of re-focusing the traditionally, largely theoretical, lecture-based training courses typical of the Portuguese paradigm.

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FROM STORYTELLING TO STORY WRITING: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF READING TO LEARN (R2L) PEDAGOGY TO TEACH ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN INDONESIA

Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics ◽

10.17509/ijal.v6i2.4870 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 232 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ika Lestari Damayanti

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

English Language ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Narrative Texts ◽

Written Narratives ◽

Before And After ◽

Context Of Learning ◽

Story Sharing ◽

Learning English

It is widely acknowledged that the use of stories supports the development of literacy in the context of learning English as a first language. However, it seems that there are a few studies investigating this issue in the context of teaching and learning English as a foreign language. This action-oriented case study aims to enhance students’ written narrative achievement through a pedagogical intervention that incorporates oral story sharing activities. In this paper, the intervention will be briefly described and the preliminary findings from the students’ written texts will be presented. This study which was conducted in a lower secondary school in Bandung Barat region, Indonesia implemented the intervention within eight learning periods. The intervention comprised the following stages: (1) preparing before reading (stories), (2) detailed reading, (3) joint rewriting, and (4) individual rewriting. Before and after the intervention, students’ narrative texts were collected and analysed in terms of how each text achieved its purpose, how it moved through stages and phases of meaning, the control of field, relationship with the reader and its coherence. The preliminary findings indicate that there is a shift in students’ ability from writing fragmented and spoken-like language to more literate written narratives. It is expected that this study which implemented R2L pedagogy in the Indonesian context will contribute to English language teaching in EFL contexts.

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STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES OF LEARNING ENGLISH IN INDONESIA: SOME EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE WAYS

Abjadia ◽

10.18860/abj.v3i2.6092 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 100

Author(s):

Azhar Aziz Lubis ◽

Nopriansah Nopriansah ◽

Abdul Halim ◽

Sukma Septian Nasution ◽

Muhammad Yusuf

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Teaching English ◽

Research Topics ◽

English Departments ◽

Effective Strategies ◽

Self Confidence ◽

History Of ◽

The University ◽

Learning English

Although the study of effective strategies for teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in Indonesia has become prominent research topics for decades, little attention is paid to the students’ experiences of learning English. This study aims at researching some of our students’ experiences of learning English both at their junior and senior high schools. The students reflecting the experience were participants of our course unit of General English, Introduction to linguistics, Structure 2, History of English language, and were both from non-English and English departments at the University of Bengkulu and Dehasen University, Bengkulu, Indonesia. Of the eight effective and fourteen ineffective ways to learn English, we found three main issues apparent in our study namely self-confidence and motivation, learning environment, and methods and media in teaching English as a foreign language. Further explication of each issue is discussed.على الرغم من أن دراسة الاستراتيجيات الفعالة لتدريس اللغة الإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية (TEFL) في إندونيسيا أصبحت موضوعات بحثية بارزة لعقود من الزمن، إلا أنه لم يتم إيلاء اهتمام كبير لخبرات الطلاب في تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية. تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى البحث في بعض تجارب طلابنا في تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية في مدارسهم الثانوية والإعدادية. كان الطلاب الذين يعكسون التجربة مشاركين في وحدة دوراتنا في اللغة الإنجليزية العامة، ومقدمة في اللغويات، والهيكل 2، وتاريخ اللغة الإنجليزية، وكانوا من أقسام غير الإنجليزية والإنجليزية في جامعة بنجكولو وجامعة ديهاسين، بنجكولو، إندونيسيا. من بين الطرق الثمانية الفعالة والأربعة عشر غير الفعالة لتعلم اللغة الإنجليزية، وجدنا ثلاث قضايا رئيسية واضحة في دراستنا وهي الثقة بالنفس والتحفيز، والبيئة التعليمية ، والأساليب ووسائل الإعلام في تدريس اللغة الإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية. مناقشة المزيد من شرح كل قضية.

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