PROS AND CONS OF LEARNING STYLE: AN IMPLICATION FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Author(s):  
Aji Budi Rinekso

Learning style becomes a familiar theory for many English language teachers. With the hypothesis of matching instructions and learning styles resulting on an effective learning, many of the English language teachers apply the learning style theory within their teaching practices. However, recent studies found that learning style is a myth since there were flaws appeared in the learning style instruments and hypothesis. This study presents in-depth discussions about the pros and cons of learning styles. Detailed descriptions about the implication for English language teachers entailed in the end of the discussions. This study concluded that English language teachers may focus on (1) assessing students’ background knowledge and interests, (2) identifying students’ lacks and necessities, (3) provide more engaged teaching media and learning materials, (4) boosting students’ autonomy rather than merely getting involved in the raging debates of learning style.

Author(s):  
Dr. Liaqat Iqbal ◽  
Sahibzada Aurangzeb ◽  
Farooq Shah

Researches often endorse discussion, dialogues, and other learning tasks for the promotion of fluency, critical thinking, reasoning, and ability to evaluate and justifying. Keeping in view the Pakistani context, especially, the local context, it is not clear what type of classroom practices prevail in the region and what reflections teachers have about the use of such practices. Taking Bakhtin's and Vygotsky's ideas of dialogism and learning as a social entity, the present study aimed at knowing the teaching practices of English language teachers from the perspective of dialogic teaching and also at exploring how do teachers reflect on such a teaching approach. For this purpose, English Language Centers of district Mardan were taken as data sources where twenty classrooms were observed for classroom practices and the concerned teachers were interviewed for their reflections. It was found that the teachers use of dialogic teaching having positive and negative impacts. The positive impacts of dialogic teaching include creativity, thinking ability, confidence building, and other social impacts. It has little negative impacts that include challenges for the teachers in terms of behavior problems and control of talks.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
AbdulRahman Al Asmari ◽  
Choudhary Zahid Javid

This empirical survey investigates the perceptions of English language teachers towards the role of content schemata in reading comprehension among Saudi EFL learners. Furthermore, it also attempts to explore the use of appropriate classroom strategies employed by English language teachers to activate content schemata to enhance learners’ reading comprehension. A modified Likert-scale strongly-agree to strongly-disagree questionnaire was administered to 61 male and female EFL faculty from English Language Center (ELC), Taif University to generate data. The findings have reinforced that background knowledge of Saudi EFL learners help them significantly in reading faster with better understanding. It has also been reported that pre-reading strategies of brainstorming, classroom discussions about the topic and questioning are the most favored ones to activate Saudi EFL learners’ background knowledge. It has also been learnt that while-reading strategies of directing the students’ attention to signal words, main idea, important phrases, titles, subtitles and effectively linking the target text to their students’ cultural and social experiences also contribute towards reading comprehension. The findings have also revealed that English language teachers consider low English language proficiency and poor reading skills of Saudi ELF leaners as well as the lack of appropriate teaching aids as the major obstacles in activating the content schemata. Several recommendations have been forwarded which have significant pedagogical implications in materializing much sought-after goal of effective ELT in the KSA by ensuring better reading skills among Saudi EFL learners.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar Lucero ◽  
Katherin Roncancio-Castellanos

This article discusses English language pre-service teachers’ pedagogical practicum experiences. We compiled, from their teacher journals and group talks, the lived teaching experiences of a group of 34 pre-service teachers who were majoring in English language education at a private university in Bogota, Colombia. The analysis of their stories makes us realize that their first practicum experiences are full of feelings and emotions, and that their first teaching practices are based on their mentor teachers’ pieces of advice. These first experiences, in turn, develop the foundation upon which they build themselves as English language teachers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 106
Author(s):  
Iman Al-Khalidi

Nowadays, technology is considered as an integral rather than a supplementary aspect of high-quality education within the area of TESOL. Accordingly, English language teachers need to be equipped with effective ways to integrate technology into instructional practices not only for enhancing academic outcomes but for confronting the challenges of dealing with the digital native students as well. The purpose of this case study is to examine teachers’ beliefs on technology integration into pedagogy based on the measurement of the SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) model. Results of data analysis show teachers’ high frequency of technology integration at the Substitution and Augmentation levels compared to the advanced levels of Modification and Redefinition. The study resulted in a recommended SAMR based framework that may help English language teachers move towards effective technology integration that may lead to a more effective learning environment. 


Author(s):  
Aline Sanfelici ◽  
Eduardo Diniz de Figueiredo

This study addresses the need for more research into the education of English language teachers in PARFOR programs. Through the analysis of questionnaire and interview data, we investigate the perceptions and reported practices of teachers who were enrolled in a language and culture PARFOR course in 2012 (in a northern state) in relation to their teaching practices after completion of the program. The results indicate that since the end of the course, some participants have shown a growing level of awareness towards working with an intercultural approach, which has reflected upon their practices. However, others still seem to show more traditional, less interculturally-oriented approaches to teaching language and culture. Implications for teacher education are presented.


Author(s):  
Youssouf Laabidi ◽  
Hicham Laabidi

The implementation of technology in classrooms affords educators more opportunities to work better in their lessons. However, there are numerous distinctive barriers that might prevent teachers from making use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in their teaching practices. Admittedly, studying the obstacles to the integration of technology in schools would be an important step in developing the quality of teaching. The primary objective of this study is to discover the barriers that stop university language teachers from using ICT in teaching. In this study the questionnaire is employed as data collection instrument. The questionnaire addresses only university English language teachers. Forty-six university English language teachers are chosen from two universities: Moulay Ismail University Faculty of Arts and Humanities – Meknes and Sidi Mohamed Ben AbdellahDahr – El Mahraz – Fes as a case study. So as to analyze the data from the questionnaire, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 is employed. The research findings reveal that Moroccan university English language teachers face multiple barriers such as large classes, lack of computers, lack of Internet and insufficient technical support that prevent them from using ICT in their teaching practices.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Julia Sevy-Biloon

Due to the pandemic, classes have moved online for 2020-2021, and a return to face-to-face classes in the National University of Education (UNAE) in Ecuador is unknown. Students studying in the undergraduate program to be English language teachers are slowly adapting to this new form of E-learning, and some have found that they prefer online classes, while many are waiting for the day they return to classes. The objective of this study is to look at the pros and cons given by 69 students discussing why taking classes virtually or face to face is a better option for EFL and being an ELT professional in these turbulent times.  Some prefer online learning for various reasons such as safety, comfort, economic reasons, and having more time in general. While some find E-learning difficult and want to return to synchronous classes because they feel there is little interaction between classmates and teachers, cannot practice English authentically, cannot get clarification from the teacher, have a hard time concentrating online, and there are constant internet connection issues. In conclusion, this information has great importance for teachers today who are struggling to teach in this new medium and teach to the needs of their students to aid in their planning and will contribute to future teachers who will teach online. 


Author(s):  
Rabaa Mohammed Sulaiman Al - Eidi

The study aims to identify the level of classroom teaching practices of the English teachers of the primary stage in the Southern Mazar Directorate in Karak governorate and their impact on the gender variables and the teaching experience (short, medium and long). The study sample consisted of (43) teachers and teachers of the English language who studied the basic stage in the Directorate of Southern Mazar in Karak governorate were randomly selected cluster. To measure the classroom teaching practices of the sample members, a five-step questionnaire was used (19) after verifying its validity and stability. In order to answer the study questions, the arithmetical averages, the standard deviations of the study sample as well as the T-test and the ANOVA were calculated. The results of the study showed that the level of the teaching practices of the teachers in the English language came at the macro level, The results of the analysis of the binary variance showed that there were statistically significant differences due to the sex variable (male, female) and for the females, and there were no statistically significant differences due to the variable of teaching experience (short, medium or long).


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Mary Susan Anyiendah ◽  
Paul A. Odundo ◽  
Agnes W. Kibui

Background. Primary school learners in Vihiga County have been recording a lower mean score in English language examinations than their counterparts in neighbouring counties, with the score being lower in comprehension passage than in grammar sections. Few previous studies conducted in Kenya have investigated the issue from the instructional dimension, thereby limiting stakeholders’ understanding of the issue and delaying appropriate interventions. Aim. To determine how the deployment of learners’ background knowledge influences performance in reading comprehension passages. Method. Solomon Four-Group Design guided the study. Data were sourced in mid-2017 from standard six learners and English language teachers. Regression analysis generated two models, one for the experimental and control groups, each. Results. In both models, deployment of background knowledge had a significant positive effect on the performance in reading comprehension passages, which prompted rejection of the null hypothesis. However, the effect was stronger in the experimental group than in the control group. The variation was attributed to training provided to the experimental group teachers, which improved their skills in activating learners’ background knowledge. Conclusions. Activating learners’ background knowledge is a vital antecedent to better performance in reading comprehension passages and the English language. Although prereading vocabulary is vital for the activation of learners’ background knowledge, overreliance on a single strategy to activate learners’ background knowledge undermines optimal deployment of background knowledge skills in reading, albeit with implications on performance.


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