scholarly journals English language teaching to young learners in the socially distanced classroom

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syeda Noorie Banu ◽  
Vijayababu Palukuri ◽  
Suresh Mutyala ◽  
K. Vinay Kumar
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Technical Equipment ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Academic Communities ◽  
Common Space ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Young Students

It is understood by the academic communities that they take responsibility for their online learning with the help of the necessary technical equipment during the lockdown times, and manage their schedules. They have no choice but to find a solution to their problems on their own when their classmates and their language teachers are around. As the detention is partially lifted in some places, young students are starting to attend their language classes. In a way, they are released from the sense of isolation they felt at home during this time of Lockdown that was coming to an end. But things have changed. Now they find the common space of the classroom again, but in the socially distant classroom and also referred by some as a virtual classroom. This is a challenging time for an English teacher too. The communicative classroom has changed. How it would be possible to regain the enthusiasm of students who work together and share broad and meaningful interaction? Group discussions and pairwork can be very difficult, and young students may need to find new ways to combine these activities.

scholarly journals Supervising English Teachers: Saudi Principals and the English Language Barrier

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Jwahir Alzamil
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Female Principals ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Supervisory Practices

Principals’ supervision has been an important aspect of school leadership, which has aimed to improve the overall quality of teaching in schools by improving the work of individual teachers. This study has identified a need to fill an existing gap in the teaching supervision literature, as researchers have overlooked the possibility that principals’ mastery of the English language may affect the supervision of English language teachers. It therefore examines whether Saudi female principals who did not major in English language face difficulties supervising English language teaching in secondary schools. This study was carried out over a week. The data was collected from five female principals working in secondary schools by means of semi-structured interviews. The results showed that the main obstacle faced by principals supervising English language classes was understanding the English language itself. Data collected by the study show the need for Saudi Arabian principals to be aware of their limitations in understanding English when supervising English language teachers; having this information can be crucial for improving supervision and planning successful supervisory practices. Moreover, it can help principals evaluate themselves and review the way they supervise English language teachers.

scholarly journals Limitations and Advantages in Implementing MALL in the Tertiary ESL Classrooms: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 27-32
Author(s):  
D Praveen Sam ◽  
R Shalini
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Classroom Context ◽  
Mobile Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Primary Focus

Technology-assisted facilities have taken English Language Teaching (ELT) to a different level where Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has become an indispensable feature of leaning a language. Recently, in the current day context of ELT, both learners and teachers are experiencing a positive shift from CALL to another more efficient platform called Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL). This paper explores the fundamentals of MALL and its application in ELT. Moreover, it sheds light on the various advantages and limitations in implementing MALL devices like mobile phones, smartphones, kindles and so on in the regular as well as virtual classroom context. It discusses theories on technology-enabled learning and MALL. The primary focus of this paper is to shed light on the perspective of employing MALL in the language classes at the tertiary level.

scholarly journals Female English Teachers Perceptions and Experience of Continuing Professional Development in Qatar

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 160
Author(s):  
Saba Qadhi ◽  
Alan Floyd
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching

The Qatari government views English language learning as crucial to the country’s future success. Anecdotal evidence suggests, however, that English language teachers (ELTs) employed in Qatar may not necessarily have the appropriate training, qualifications, and experience to enable them to teach successfully. Despite growing research and interest in the continuing professional development (CPD) experiences and needs of ELTs in Western contexts, there remains a lack of research in Middle Eastern countries in general and in Qatar in particular. The aim of this study was to address this gap by exploring female ELTs’ perceptions and experiences of CPD in Qatar in order to develop new practical and theoretical insights into our understanding of this area. The study draws on data from life history interviews undertaken with 16 female ELTs with at least 3 years of teaching experience in Qatari schools. The study found that the participants had very different experiences of CPD based on their personal and professional characteristics. This suggests that for it to be perceived as a positive experience, the current model of professional development for ELTs may need revising. We propose a paradigm shift from a traditional “one size fits all” CPD model towards a more dynamic and interactive style of teacher development that facilitates both personal reflection and professional discourse among teachers. It is argued that such a shift would prove a considerable step forward for English language teaching in this country.

scholarly journals MULTIMODALITY, MASS MIGRATION AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 595-622
Author(s):  
Vanderlei J. Zacchi
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
English Teaching ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Mass Migration ◽  
Important Means ◽  
English Language Teachers

Abstract: This paper aims to discuss the use of multimodality in English language teaching. The corpus consists of a set of activities based on a series of pictures related to the seizure of two trucks carrying US-bound migrants in 2011. Two different groups, comprised of pre-service and in-service English language teachers, took part in the research. The first part of the activity involved loose interpretations of the pictures and a discussion about migration nowadays. Afterwards, other activities were carried out based on Luke and Freebody's four-resources model (1990). Some preliminary analyses lead us to conclude that the reading of images is very much culturally sensitive and that multimodal ways of meaning making are becoming more powerful in the globalized, digital era, turning them into an important means for English teaching nowadays.

scholarly journals Kuwaiti Instructors' Beliefs about English Language Teaching and Their Awareness of Global English

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Ahmad F. Alnwaiem ◽  
Abdullah M. Alazemi ◽  
Abdullah A. Alenezi
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Global English ◽  
English Language Teachers

The beliefs of EFL teachers are an essential term perceived in a number of educational fields. Especially in teacher education and behavioural research, this term is usually related to teachers' habits and practices in classes, considering their impact on each other. The aim of this study is to add to prior studies on the subject of teachers' beliefs and to concentrate on English language teachers (ELT). The objective is to merge the theory of instructors' beliefs with Global English (GE). The research question 'what are the Kuwaiti instructors' beliefs about ELT and their awareness of Global English?' formalizes these aims. To accomplish the research: To discover teachers' beliefs about ELT and their awareness of Global English. This research concentrates on English language teachers at the university level. The collection of data has been conducted over two months. For data collection and interpretation, this study adopted a qualitative research methodology. Surveys were chosen as the instrument for data collection. The study used qualitative content analysis in relation to the data analysis method. Moreover, the findings were evaluated based on a deductive and inductive approach to qualitative data analysis. Results indicated various kinds of teachers' beliefs about ELT. Including views about the English language, ELT in relation to the standards, ELT with regard to the GE context. English-language beliefs played a central role in shaping two other views, which were considered secondary beliefs. Except for the content of teachers' beliefs, the study's findings have shown two significant categories of influences: internal and external, that affect the development and application of teachers' beliefs in classrooms. In this study, the internal factor referred mainly to English-language teaching beliefs based on its ability to influence other cognitive constructs (i.e., different convictions, behaviours, sensitivity) and teaching practices. As far as external factors are concerned, the teachers' diverse experiences with individuals (e.g., parents and retired teachers) and administrative legislation (e.g., policy and curriculum) are the main factors. Finally, it was possible to conclude the findings of this analysis in the same manner as previous studies, which combined teacher cognition theory with the field of GE. In other words, teacher beliefs play a crucial part in the teacher's cognitive system as a decisive role in their teaching practice. This study proposes further research to reinforce the results of contemporary research in this area.

scholarly journals An Investigation into Teachers Practices of Teaching Early Reading and Practical problems in Its Implementation

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Minwuyelet Andualem Desta
Keyword(s):  
Phonemic Awareness ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Early Reading ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Oral Fluency ◽  
West Gojjam ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
West Gojjam Zone

The purpose of this study was to investigate practices of teaching early reading, and challenges teachers face in its implementation at the Ethiopian primary schools. The study was carried out in 224 grade two government primary schools found in the Amhara National regional State, west Gojjam zone, Ethiopia, in 2019/2020 academic year. To attain this objective, a descriptive research design was employed. The participants of the study were 112 English language teachers enrolled in the primary schools at Dembecha woreda, Jiga woreda, Jabitehinan woreda, and Bure woreda in west Gojjam zone. Interview, questionnaire, and observation were used to gather data. The findings revealed that teachers failed to practice the teaching of early reading in line with the purposes and principles of teaching early reading. Teachers used traditional way of teaching approach in teaching reading. The study also showed that teachers are deficiently trained regarding phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, reading comprehension, oral fluency, vocabulary, and phonemic awareness. Besides, lack of teachers training, lack of materials, and unrelated educational qualification were major impediments of teachers while implementing teaching early reading. Finally, it was recommended that teachers be given trainings about methods of English language teaching in general, and teaching early reading in particular.

scholarly journals Language Teachers’ Emergency Remote Teaching Experiences During the COVID-19 Confinement

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-135
Author(s):  
Catalina Juárez-Díaz ◽  
Moisés Perales
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Teaching Experiences ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Digital Gap ◽  
Negative Feelings

This study describes 26 English language teaching faculty members’ and 32 preservice English as a foreign language teachers’ emergency remote teaching experiences and emotions. Verbal data gathered through an online questionnaire with open questions were analyzed using semidirected content analysis. Most faculty and all students reported negative feelings, which were connected with some faculty members’ focus on delivering content without interaction and with insufficient Internet access. Some students’ autonomy allowed them to overcome the first of these challenges. Teachers with online education training reported better experiences. Thus, universities and the State must provide more training and equipment to close the digital gap and ensure effective emergency remote teaching.

scholarly journals Teachers’ Beliefs, Praxes, and Post-method Pedagogy in English Language Teaching

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-102
Author(s):  
Remedios C Bacus
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Quantitative Design ◽  
Language Teaching Methods ◽  
Personal Assessment

To address the challenge of identifying an effective English language teaching pedagogy, this study explored the Grade 10 teachers (n=50) and students’ (n=2,221) beliefs of effective language teaching methods and the teachers’ classroom practices. It further investigated the convergence and divergence of the teachers’ and students’ beliefs and the teachers’ practices along with the pedagogic parameters of practicality and particularity. Using the descriptive quantitative design, the findings revealed the convergence of responses between (a) teachers’ and students’ beliefs of effective language methods, and (b) teachers’ beliefs and their practices. Analysis of responses also revealed the pedagogic parameters of practicality and particularity in the conduct of their English language classes. Teachers continually engage in the cycle of personal assessment to increase their autonomy in formulating enlightened choices responsive to the students’ needs. It is imperative that English teachers be engaged in programs that support their awareness of local exigencies to strengthen their belief systems on post-method pedagogy.

scholarly journals The development of an online game-based simulation for the training of English language teachers in virtual environments

2020 ◽  
pp. 334-341
Author(s):  
Areti Vasmatzoglou ◽  
Neasa Ní Chiaráin
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Practice Experience ◽  
Speakers Of Other Languages ◽  
Practice Opportunities

Virtual simulation training has gained in usage in various educational fields and offers the potential to support and reinforce learning goals when practical experience is not possible. Teaching practice experience in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom is critical, yet frequently unobtainable for students in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)/English Language Teaching (ELT) Masters programmes. This paper describes the design, development, and evaluation of a gamified simulation prototype, Virtual EFL Classroom, that was built to offer teaching practice opportunities to students in such programmes. Eleven Masters students enrolled in the ELT programme at Trinity College Dublin took part in this study. Findings indicate that participants enjoyed active experimentation in Virtual EFL Classroom and that it has the potential to enhance student-teachers’ decision-making skills, flexibility, and adaptability in planning and teaching learner-centred lessons.

scholarly journals An Empirical Evaluation of Two College English Textbooks in China Based on the China Standards English Framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-337
Author(s):  
Xinying Li ◽  
Marilyn Fernandez Deocampo
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Comparable Data ◽  
College English ◽  
Textbook Evaluation ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
Local Students

It is generally known that textbook is the first and the most vital tool for teachers to proceed with successful English language teaching activities. Hence, it is indispensable for all language teachers to evaluate books critically and choose a suitable textbook. This article aimed to explore the different features of two famous college English textbooks utilized in the researcher’s school of Wenshan University, Yunnan, China, in alignment with the China Standards English framework, and whether the two books satisfied local students’ needs and proficiency. It is hoped to provide an empirical example of textbook evaluation from a Chinese context and inspire local teachers to make possible improvements during evaluating and selecting a textbook. To achieve the objective, a checklist aligned with the framework and a questionnaire was utilized for the collection of comparable data. Moreover, content analysis and percentage were used during the analysis of the two textbooks and students’ perception about the textbooks, respectively. Results of the evaluation indicated that the two books are not aligned with the China Standards English framework suggested levels. Both textbook levels tend to be lower than the framework demanded levels, namely level five and six. Students also implied that the textbooks are accessible and seem not to help their language skills improvement. The recommendation is that these textbooks need to be adapted and modified for the English educational practices to suit local students’ needs and English proficiency to achieve the China Standards English suggested levels.

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