scholarly journals Measuring Digital Competence: An Exploratory Study Mapping Digital Competence Profiles of Sri Lankan English Language Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-112
Author(s):  
A. Sajani Karunaweera ◽  
Kean Wah Lee
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Digital Competence ◽  
The Public ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Digital Competency ◽  
Minor Improvement

The overall vision for 21st century learning has incorporated digitalisation as a key focus in teaching and learning practices. In Sri Lanka, however, despite major initiatives taken to improve digital competency of teachers, only minor improvement was noted. Using the DigCompEdu assessment tool, this study investigates to what extent Sri Lankan English language teachers are digitally competent. The results aim to inform national initiatives to facilitate the shift towards a bottom-up process, informed by actual realities based on skills and competences. The DigCompEdu 22-item quantitative survey was used to sample 40 English language teachers working within the public education system. Overall, the study finds that not even 50% of the sample is at one competency band. It is recommended that for substantial changes to occur, a more varied and individualised teacher-training is recommended, using the DigCompEdu as a diagnostic guide.

scholarly journals Measuring Digital Competence and ICT Literacy: An Exploratory Study of In-Service English Language Teachers in the Context of Saudi Arabia

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdulteeef M. Al Khateeb
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ict Literacy ◽  
Digital Competence ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
English Language Teachers

The purpose of this research is to measure in-service English language teachers' digital competence, particularly for the enhancement of teaching English as a second/foreign language in schools in Saudi Arabia. Information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge is currently considered as a vital skill for foreign language teachers in addition to their linguistic competence. Recently, there has been a focus on digital competence, since it can be regarded as a gateway for enriching knowledge, economies, societies and individuals. There is also a massive need for teachers to assess their own digital competence according to non-conventional norms (i.e., having the ability to share content and manage information). In light of this rationale, this paper investigates the following research question: to what extent are English language teachers in Saudi Arabia digitally competent and in what aspects? This study used a standardized questionnaire that was constructed using a validated comprehensive framework. This instrument was designed to assess the professional capability of English language teachers in terms of their willingness and readiness to use ICTs along with their current digital competence used throughout their teaching and educational practices. The research included a diverse range of participants who come from various backgrounds, genders and experiences. The study was concluded with a presentation of useful recommendations and key research questions for future research.

Corpus-Based Vocabulary Analysis of English Podcasts

RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822097931
Author(s):  
Ulugbek Nurmukhamedov ◽  
Shoaziz Sharakhimov
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Television Programs ◽  
University Professors ◽  
Word Families ◽  
Proper Nouns ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Ted Talks

In addition to movies, television programs, and TED Talks presentations, podcasts are an increasingly popular form of media that promotes authentic public discourse for diverse audiences, including university professors and students. However, English language teachers in the English as a second language/English as a foreign language contexts might wonder: “How do I know that my students can handle the vocabulary demands of podcasts?” To answer that question, we have analyzed a 1,137,163-word corpus comprising transcripts from 170 podcast episodes derived from the following popular podcasts: Freakonomics; Fresh Air; Invisibilia; Hidden Brain; How I Built This; Radiolab; TED Radio Hour; This American Life; and Today Explained. The results showed that knowledge about the most frequent 3000 word families plus proper nouns (PN), marginal words (MW), transparent compounds (TC), and acronyms (AC) provided 96.75% coverage, and knowledge about the most frequent 5000 word families, including PN, MW, TC, and AC provided 98.26% coverage. The analysis also showed that there is some variation in coverage among podcast types. The pedagogical implications for teaching and learning vocabulary via podcasts are discussed.

scholarly journals THE EFFECTIVENESS AND THE PROBLEMS FACED IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN A SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM IN MALAYSIA

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunasegaran Karuppannan ◽  
Muhantha Paramalingam ◽  
Fazal Mohamed Mohamed Sultan ◽  
Hatnin Duari
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Effective Teaching ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Effective Teaching Strategies ◽  
Lesson Delivery ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Document Review

This qualitative case study investigated the effectiveness of lesson delivery and sequence of content and learning expectations of two English Language attached to a special education (Integration programme) school in Petaling Jaya. Malaysia. It also focused on the teaching and learning problems encountered in the particular classrooms. This study brings broader understanding of strategies for effective teaching of English in a special education classroom in Malaysia. The rationale for the study stems from the need to gain greater perspective of the teaching of English learners in a special education classroom. Results reflect analysis of classroom observation, face to face interview with two English Language and document review. Emerging from the data are some effective teaching strategies and profound problems that special education English Language teachers can add to their repertoire. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0876/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER IN THE FORMATION OF THE STUDENT - CITIZEN WITHIN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL IN HIGH SCHOOL: A REFLECTION DONE FROM EXPERIENCES AS A RESIDENT IN THE PEDAGOGICAL RESIDENCE PROGRAM

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Especial-2) ◽  
pp. 136-138
Author(s):  
Miliane Moreira Cardoso Vieira ◽  
Abimael Junior Souza Santos ◽  
Jaiara Martins Aguiar Monteiro
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Public School ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
The Public ◽  
English Language Teachers

This work brings experiences lived in an Elementary School and High School, exposing the main difficulties in learning a new language and the challenges that English language teachers need to face in the exercise of the function, under the resident's gaze.

scholarly journals Teaching and Learning Vocabulary: What English Language Learners Perceive to Be Effective and Ineffective Strategies

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Seyyed Hatam Tamimi Sa’d ◽  
Fereshte Rajabi
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Strategy Training ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English Language Teachers

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. 

scholarly journals The Dichotomy of Specialization: Is a Literature Teacher Necessarily a Language Teacher?

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-133
Author(s):  
Mariam Anana
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Literary Criticism ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Oral Literature ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

This study investigates the dichotomy of specialization in Literature and English language. In many primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, many teachers who teach Literature are the same teachers who teach English Language. This is responsible for lack of ultimate successes in academic performance, foundational establishment and progressive developments in Literature and English language. Set against the backdrop of the inseparability and non-specialization in individual subjects in question, the study examines the need for a dichotomy of specialization in English Language and Literature with a view to reducing the rate of errors and students’ failures in both subjects. Adopting the simple randomisation, the researcher uses selected primary and secondary schools in Lagos State as the case study; the paper raises four questions and these are: Can English Language teachers effectively teach poetic devices? Are segmental phonemes easily taught by Literature teachers? Can English Language teachers proficiently teach oral literature, literary criticism and non-African literature? Can Literature teachers competently teach stress and intonation? This research uses a qualitative approach and adopts The Speech Act Theory as its theoretical framework. Questionnaire of fifteen (15) items was used for data collection and the simple percentage was applied for data analysis. The researcher discovered that: It is not possible for English Languageteachers to effectively teach poetic devices. Segmental phonemes cannot be easily taught by Literature teachers. Students would lag behind in areas where teachers are not proficient in the subjects they teach. Also, it is not possible for a teacher to place equal emphasis on both English Language and Literature in classrooms. The study therefore recommends the need for a dichotomy of specialization in the two subjects so as to ensure effective teaching and learning of these subjects.

Supporting the development of primary in-service teacher educators

ELT Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 428-437
Author(s):  
Laura Grassick
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
State School ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
University Lecturers ◽  
School Curricula

Abstract English language as a compulsory component of primary state school curricula is a growing phenomenon around the world. One of the challenges of this lies in training the vast numbers of teachers required. To date there has been little consideration of how those tasked with facilitating the professional development of primary English language teachers might be supported and the kind of knowledge, skills, and understanding they might need. This paper explores the experiences of primary teachers and university lecturers learning to become in-service teacher educators in the context of primary ELT curriculum change in Vietnam. The findings provide insights into the participants’ understanding of primary English language teaching and learning and the new curriculum, their awareness of the classroom contexts in which primary teachers work, and their ability to support teachers in implementing the innovation. The implications of this beyond the context of the study are highlighted.

scholarly journals Use of Mobile Dictionary in University Students’ Class: A Study of Teachers’ Perspective in Pakistan

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Muhammad Din
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
College Teachers ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English Class ◽  
English Language Teachers

Revolutionary changes have been brought about in teaching and learning environment with the introduction of electronic formats in classrooms. Mobile dictionaries are potentially valuable learning tools today. This study has strived to get insight into the prospects of using mobile dictionary in an EFL classroom of university students of Pakistan with reference to teachers’ perspective. The aims of this study are to know foreign language teachers’ point of view regarding the use of mobile dictionary in English class, investigate the challenges in introducing this e-tool and explore the benefits EFL learners can have through the use of mobile dictionaries in English class. To achieve the objectives of this quantitative study, the researcher has got a questionnaire filled by fifty English language teachers working at different government colleges in Pakistan. The questionnaire which was used to collect data from college teachers consisted of two sections. The first section comprised of fifteen questionnaire items on five-point Likert scale the second section consisted of two open-ended questions. The reliability of the first part of the questionnaire was computed through SPSS (XX). It has been found that most of the college teachers are of the view that the use of mobile dictionary in an EFL class of university students will help them learn vocabulary, pronunciation of words and word origin. These EFL learners can also access authentic content and develop their language competence through the use of mobile phone dictionary in the class. Apart from this, the participants have also pointed out some problems which can be a hindrance in using mobile dictionary in an EFL classroom in the context of Pakistan.

scholarly journals English Language Teachers' Resource Centre: A Model for Developing Contexts

1970 ◽  
Vol 15 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 64-76
Author(s):  
Ram Ashish Giri
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Resources ◽  
Teaching Programme ◽  
Curricular Practices ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Poor Teaching

It is an irony that when the importance and demand of the English language in the developed as well as developing countries have increased several folds in the last five decades, the standards of its teaching and learning have decreased considerably. The deterioration of standards has been attributed to inadequate English language teaching (ELT) policy, poor teaching environment, inadequate infrastructure, or to ELT practitioners who in most countries are largely untrained. In order to address the problem, the respective countries have been engaged in modernising and improving their curricular practices and teacher preparation programmes for some time now. What is rarely considered is the fact that a good teaching programme requires adequate teaching resources. Central to the amelioration of English language teaching process is unarguably the resource that is available to support the teaching and learning processes. While it is necessary that the teachers are adequately trained, establishment of an English language teachers” resource centre to cater to the developing needs of the teachers (and learners)is essential. This article provides a rationale for the establishment of a teachers' resource centre, and, based on the experience in Nepal, suggests a model for its development and operation in other developing contexts. It discusses features as well as constraints of such a centre, and outlines ways in which it can, despite the constraints, be sustainable.Key words: English language teaching; ELT resource centre; Resource centre facility; Resource centre management; English language teachersJournal of NELTA Vol. 15 No. 1-2 December 2010Page: 64-76Uploaded date: 4 May, 2011DOI: 10.3126/nelta.v15i1-2.4611

scholarly journals Relationship between Teachers’ Competency Level in Teaching English Language and Students’ English Language Proficiency in Secondary Schools in Rwanda

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 104-122
Author(s):  
Girimbabazi Serge ◽  
◽  
Mrs Adegoke Oyebimpe ◽  
Dr. Hesbon Opiyo Andala ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
English Language Teachers

The improvement of students’ English proficiency depends on the level of teaching English language and the competency of teachers in teaching career. The purpose of this study therefore, was to investigate the relationship between teachers’ competency in English language and students’ English language proficiency within secondary schools of Karongi in Rwanda. The study adopted correlation research design research design. Data collection tools were questionnaire and interview guide. The target population was 1794 people comprised of 1560 students, 14 Sector Education Officers, 20 Head Teachers, 200 teachers. A simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to get a sample size of 395 respondents. The study findings revealed that majority of the students with a total of 290 (91.2%) agreed that in their school, teachers are not competent enough in English language. Moreover, almost 292 (91.8%) of the respondents agreed that in their school, students English reading, writing, listening and speaking proficiency level is low and 70 (90.9%) of key informants agreed that both in public and private secondary schools of Karongi District, students’ English language proficiency level in reading, writing, speaking and listening is low. The correlation results showed the association between between teachers’ inability to teach in English, teachers’ inability to read classroom interactions in English language, teachers’ incompetency in English language, teachers’ inability to express themselves in English language as well as teachers’ inability to develop English language educational materials) and dependent variables (students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening English language proficiency and students’ English language proficiency (reading, writing, speaking and listening English proficiency) is positive. The study recommended the Ministry of Education through Rwanda Basic Education Board to avail enough English teaching and learning materials, including charts, textbooks and dictionaries which are adequate in enhancing English language proficiency mastery among students at an early age. All stakeholders of the education sector are recommended to support English teaching and learning activities in Rwanda, as it is the only and one shortcut for making Rwandans master the English language. Keywords: Teachers’ competency, English Language, English proficiency, Rwanda

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