scholarly journals ELLs in Higher Education: Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Goal Orientation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Benati ◽  
HONG SHI ◽  
Hassan Mohebbi

Abstract The present study aims to investigate the self-efficacy and goal orientation of college-level English Language Learners (ELLs). It further explores the relationship between self-efficacy and goal orientation. The data was collected from 198 ELLs by using an English Language Learning Survey. The participants had positive self-efficacy towards their English learning. ELLs who were more than 25 years old had a higher level of self-efficacy than those who were less than 25 years old. Moreover, females had a greater mastery goal orientation tendency than males. We also witnessed a positive correlation between self-efficacy and mastery goals, whereas self-efficacy was negatively correlated with performance-avoidance goals. Based on the findings of this study, teachers are encouraged to provide scaffolding and set assessment focus on ELLs improvement and mastery of content to enhance their self-efficacy and facilitate adopting mastery goals.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-82
Author(s):  
Hong Shi

The present study aims to investigate the self-efficacy and goal orientation of college-level English Language Learners (ELLs). It further explored the relationship between self-efficacy and goal orientation. The data were collected from 198 ELLs by using an English Language Learning Survey. Participants had positive self-efficacy toward their English learning. ELLs who were 25 years old and above had a higher level of self-efficacy than those who were less than 25 years old. Females had a greater mastery goal orientation tendency than males. There was a positive correlation between self-efficacy and mastery goals, whereas self-efficacy was negatively correlated with performance-avoidance goals. Teachers are encouraged to provide scaffolding and set assessment focus on ELLs improvement and mastery of content to enhance their self-efficacy and facilitate adopting mastery goals.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Hong Shi

The purpose of this study is to examine English Language Learners’ (ELLs) self-efficacy belief, language learning strategies and goal orientations in university settings. It also explored the relationships among self-efficacy, learning strategies and goal orientation of ELLs. A survey was used to collect data. The participants were 77 ELLs in a southeastern university in America. It was found that ELLs in this study had positive self-efficacy beliefs. ELLs often use language learning strategies in their learning process. There were significant positive relationships between self-efficacy and language learning strategies, between language learning strategies and mastery goal orientations. Mastery goals mostly predicted strategy use for ELLs. Implications were provided for language educators to assess ELLs’ self-efficacy and goal orientations. This study identified instructional suggestions for language educators as well as provided useful information for related discussions from an ELL perspective in university classrooms.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 724-741
Author(s):  
Hong Shi

This study examined self-efficacy and language strategy use of college-level English Language Learners (ELLs) at a southeastern university in the United States. It analyzed the relationship between self-efficacy and strategy use. An English Language Learning Survey was used to collect data from 198 college-level ELLs. Participants had positive self-efficacy toward their English learning and the most often used strategies were compensation, social and metacognitive strategies. Self-efficacy was positively correlated with cognitive, compensation, memory, metacognitive, and social strategy. The study suggested that teachers provide scaffolding for ELLs through strategy instruction. Teachers can teach self-regulated learning strategies and focus on ELLs’ improvement and mastery of content to enhance their self-efficacy, language proficiency and learning autonomy required for their academic courses learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Hong Shi

This study aims to analyze the relationships among self-efficacy, strategies, and goal orientations of college-level English Language Learners (ELLs). Participants who were more than 25 years old had a lower level of strategy use than those who were less than 25 years old. Greater strategy use could result in higher level of self-efficacy and goal orientations. When mastery goals increased, use of overall strategy, compensation, cognitive, metacognitive strategy and social strategy increased. Teachers are suggested to use scaffolding, set goals and adopt assessment methods to promote ELLs’ ability and mastery of class content instead of external evaluation to improve learners’ self-efficacy and confidence.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan E. Strawsine ◽  
Lisa Y. Flores ◽  
Patton O. Garriott ◽  
Marlen Kanagui ◽  
Karina Ramos

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badia Muntazer Hakim

Classroom anxiety is a recurrent phenomenon for language learners. There are various factors that cause language anxiety, the most common of which include learners’ excessive self-consciousness and self-awareness concerning their oral reproduction and performance and their peculiar, and quite often misplaced and mistaken, views and beliefs regarding different approaches. Other potential reasons for this problem could include the fear, and the consequent deterrence occasioned thereof, of encountering difficulties in language learning, specifically learners’ individual problems regarding the culture of the target language and the varying social statuses of speakers. The most important fear is, perhaps, the deterrent fear of causing damage to one’s self-identity. Therefore, while needing to paying special attention to language learners’ anxiety reactions, language teachers have a crucial role in helping their students achieve the expected performance goals in the target language. Another factor that could potentially lead to language anxiety is simply the poor command of the target language. This problem could be attributed to linguistic barriers and obstacles language learners encounter in learning and using the target language. In the current study, using a qualitative, semi-structured interview and the focus-group discussion technique, the researcher aims to investigate the factors that contribute to language anxiety among Arab language learners. It focuses on learners both within the classroom setting and without, i.e. in the social context, and recommends a number of approaches to manage and overcome this problem.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-295
Author(s):  
Elnaz Zariholhosseini ◽  
Ehsan Namaziandost ◽  
Mehdi Nasri

Purpose of the study: This article report’s findings from a study on the differences and similarities between experienced and novice English language learners with regards to their personal use of VLS. Methodology: Closed questionnaire and semi-structure interviews were applied to collect the data. The questionnaire was distributed among 60 (30 experienced learners and 30 novice learners). In addition, 20 learners (10 experienced learners and 10 novice learners) were asked to answer the questions in the interview. Therefore, descriptive statistics, U Mann Whitney test, and independent-sample t-test were run to compare and analyzed the data. Main Findings: The finding showed that there were significant differences between experienced and novice learners’ thoughts towards vocabulary learning strategies and experienced learners used vocabulary learning strategies while learning new words in English language learning. Applications of this study: If the learners are taught how to use each strategy correctly, their understanding of the language can naturally be improved. Moreover, VLS is beneficial throughout the process of vocabulary learning which makes learners more independent and allows teachers to focus on other things as well. Novelty/Originality of this study: To the best of researchers’ knowledge, no study has been done on investigating Iranian experienced and novice English language learners` perceptions towards most useful vocabulary learning strategies (VLS).


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Seyyed Hatam Tamimi Sa’d ◽  
Fereshte Rajabi

Vocabulary constitutes an essential part of every language-learning endeavour and deserves scholarly attention. The objective of the present study was three-fold: 1) exploring Iranian English language learners’Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs), 2) examining language learners’ perceptions of vocabulary learning, and 3) exploring Iranian English language teachers’ Vocabulary Teaching Strategies (VTSs). In total, 145  intermediate learners of English as a foreign language, consisting of 114 males and 31 females aged 15 to 27, participated in the study. The triangulated data were collected using three tools: questionnaires, interviews, and class observations. Sixty-seven learners (31 females and 36 males) filled out a 56-statement questionnaire, adopted and adapted from Takač (2008) and translated into Persian. The questionnaire comprised two parts, enquiring as to the learners’ VLSs and the teachers’ VTSs. The findings indicated that females and males differed significantly in their reported VLSs and their teachers’ use of various VTSs. Additionally, 78 learners were interviewed as to their perceptions of effective and ineffective VLSs as well as VTSs. The findings revealed that the most effective VLSs were reported to be: a) reciting, repeating and listening to words, b) using words, and c) memorising words while the most effective VTSs revolved around: a) explanation, b) repetition, and c) dictation. The observations also confirmed the findings obtained via the questionnaire and interviews. In general, the findings are indicative of the limited repertoire of vocabulary acquisition techniques employed by Iranian EFL learners, hence the need for strategy training in how to acquire vocabulary. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
Durga Bhusal

Language Learning Strategies (LLSs) are specific actions, behaviors, steps, or techniques that the learners use them to improve their performance which is important for L2/FL learning and teaching. These strategies are as affecting factors on success or failure of the language learning process. Hence, this paper explores the English language learners’ learning strategies to develop their communicative competence within the theoretical stance of Oxford’s 1990 Language Learning Strategies (LLSs). The study is qualitative in nature where four participants were interviewed to understand their ontological perspectives and practices of different LLSs to enhance their communicative ability in English. The findings show the learners seemed to be usual strategy users. However, social, affective, and metacognitive strategies frequent strategies for developing their communicative competence. It further depicts learners are not always aware of the influence of consciously using language learning strategies for making their learning quicker and more effective. Thus, the teachers need to be the one who helps their students develop the awareness of language learning strategies and enable them to use a wider range of appropriate strategies for further success in their communicative competence.


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