scholarly journals Diversity in Utilization of Reading Strategies: A Cross Gender Study on Iranian EFL Learners

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 172
Author(s):  
Saeedeh Karbalaee Kamran
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Reading Strategy ◽  
Demographic Information ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Efl Teacher ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Insight Into

Current study aims to examine whether any statistically significant difference existed between Iranian<br />male and female English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' reading strategy utilization. The data<br />was collected employing three instruments of Survey of Reading Strategy (SORS), a reading test, and a<br />questionnaire on demographic information. Several analyses of independent samples t-test were<br />executed to answer the research questions. The findings revealed no statistically significant difference<br />between male and female participants on their overall reading strategy use. No gender impact was<br />sought in use of global and support subscales of reading strategies; however, female participants were<br />found to outperform their male counterparts in use of problem solving subscale of reading strategies.<br />Implications were provided for EFL teacher and researchers to upgrade their insight into nuance<br />differences between male and female readers' interaction with a text.

scholarly journals Effects of Bilingualism on Reading Fluency: An Analysis of Pausing Patterns of Iranian Learners of English as a Third Language

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Zahra Banitalebi ◽  
Ali Akbar Jabbari ◽  
Shouket Ahmad Tilwani ◽  
Mohammad Hasan Razmi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Oral Proficiency ◽  
Bilingual Learners ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Third Language ◽  
English Reading ◽  
Significant Difference

Fluency is one of the most important components of oral proficiency, which can be affected by a number of variables including frequency, duration, and place of pause phenomena. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of bilingualism on learning a foreign language from the angle of fluency and pausing patterns by comparing the pausing patterns of monolingual (Persian speakers) and bilingual (Iranian Turkish speakers; L1: Turkish and L2: Persian) EFL learners. To this end, a sample of 40 male and female advanced EFL learners were selected from Yazd University and several English-language institutes. An English reading passage test was used to measure students’ fluency in terms of their pausing patterns in prepared mode of speech. As learners started to read the passage, their speeches were recorded. The collected data were analyzed by Praat software. The statistical analyses revealed a significant difference between monolingual and bilingual learners in the frequency, duration, and placement of the pauses they had produced while they were reading the English passage. The results showed that bilingual learners outperformed monolingual participants, suggesting the superiority of bilinguals in their pausing patterns. The implications are discussed.

scholarly journals The Effects of Collaborative and Non- Collaborative Approaches to Teaching Reading Strategies on Iranian efl Learners’ Reading Comprehension and Attitude toward Reading

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-73
Author(s):  
Azadeh Rajaei ◽  
Seyed Hassan Talebi ◽  
Shirin Abadikhah
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Strategy Instruction ◽  
Reading Strategy ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Teaching Reading ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Reading Strategy Instruction ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Experimental Group

In an EFL context reading is a very important skill in language learning. This study aims at finding if instruction of reading strategies in two different collaborative and non-collaborative approaches affects reading comprehension and attitude toward reading differently. Forty-five Iranian adult female EFL learners at pre-intermediate general English proficiency level in Iran Language Institute (ili) were selected and divided into three groups of 15 students. One group functioning as the control group did not receive any strategy instruction; the second group, as the first experimental group, received reading strategy instruction in collaborative groups (Collaborative Strategic Reading or csr), and the third group considered as the second experimental group received reading strategy instruction in a non-collaborative way. A reading comprehension test and a reading attitude questionnaire were given to all three groups at the beginning of the term as pretests and after the experiment as posttests. The results obtained through one-way anova indicated that though both experimental groups outperformed the control group, there was no significant difference between the two experimental groups in reading comprehension and attitude toward reading. Therefore, it is up to teachers to weigh the advantages of using the collaborative approach to teaching reading against its disadvantages.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Reading Strategy Use and EFL Test Performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 39-52
Author(s):  
Saraswati Dawadi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Cognitive Strategies ◽  
Reading Strategy ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Reading Test ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English Reading ◽  
The Relationship

There has been a steady interest in investigating the relationship between strategy use and English as a foreign language (EFL) test performance. Despite numerous studies on strategy use, the relationship between the two is still not clear. This paper reports on a study that investigated the use of reading strategies in the Secondary Education Examination English reading test and the relationship between reading strategy use and the test performance. A sample of 312 EFL learners studying at Grade 10 in Nepal participated in this study. They were asked to take the test and then respond to a reading strategy questionnaire. The quantitative software SPSS (version 20) was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that participants were active strategy users, and they used cognitive strategies more frequently than metacognitive strategies. A significant relationship was identified between reading strategy use and EFL proficiency; high-proficiency learners reported significantly higher use of reading strategies than moderate-proficiency learners, who in turn reported higher use of those strategies than their low-proficiency peers. Implications of these findings for EFL teaching and recommendations for further research are discussed.Journal of NELTA ,  Vol. 22, No. 1-2, 2017 December, Page: 39-52

Am I bilingual? Reporting on the self-reflections of Japanese EFL learners

2021 ◽  
pp. 136700692110194
Author(s):  
Blake Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Emergent Bilingual ◽  
Bilingual Speakers ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Emerging Themes ◽  
Linguistic Approach ◽  
Insight Into

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions: Through use of a written questionnaire, this article examines the personal opinions of tertiary-level Japanese intermediate EFL students regarding the definition and process of becoming bilingual. Design/methodology/approach: This article takes a critical applied linguistic approach to examining the perspectives of emergent bilingual Japanese EFL learners regarding their own status as bilingual speakers in Japan. Data and analysis: This study employed a questionnaire involving both Likert and open perspective questions. The subsequent data analysis involved quantitative analysis of the Likert questions and qualitative analysis of the open-ended questions, according to emerging themes. Findings/conclusions: The results suggest that most of the Japanese emergent bilingual participants did not view themselves as being bilingual, and instead considered the notion of bilingualism to be an out-of-reach goal at their current level. This article suggests the need to educate foreign language (FL) learners of their emergent bilingual status so they may dismiss the idea of attaining native-like competence and embrace their status as competent emergent bilinguals. Originality: Whereas many studies examine (emergent) bilingualism from the perspective of minorities learning a majority language, this article has expanded upon the current body of bilingualism literature by investigating the perspectives of bilingualism from speakers of a majority language learning a minority language, as is the case in all FL education environments. Significance/implications: This article provides an insight into the issue of FL learners’ lack of recognition of their own emergent bilingualism. It brings attention to the need for FL teachers to inform students of their emergent bilingual status to leverage their bilingual languaging strategies so that they can make meaning, express themselves, and learn in their ever-increasing bilingual worlds.

scholarly journals Foreign language reading strategy use of intermediate level adult Turkish EFL learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Fatma Aydin ◽  
Ozgur Yildirim
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Reading Strategy ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Reading

<p>The purpose of this study was to investigate foreign language reading strategy use of a group of intermediate level adult Turkish EFL learners. The participants of the study were 87 Turkish first-year university students who were taking intermediate level English courses at a state university in Turkey. The main instrument of the study was a reading strategies survey which consisted of 30 items with three sub-scales: global or metacognitive reading strategies, problem-solving or cognitive reading strategies, and support reading strategies. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to support the quantitative data. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequencies, percentages) and one-way ANOVA with repeated measures. As for the analysis of the qualitative data, tape-recorded interviews were first transcribed and then analyzed by grouping each interviewee’s response according to the sub-scales of the survey. Results of the study indicated that intermediate-level adult Turkish EFL learners show the moderate overall use of reading strategies; problem-solving strategies are the most favored strategies, and they are followed by global reading strategies and supplementary reading strategies.</p>

scholarly journals A Comparison Between Teacher-Led and Online Text-to-Speech Dictation for Students’ Vocabulary Performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Hui-Hua Chiang
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Text To Speech ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Significant Difference

Researchers have long supported the use of dictation as a test for language learners (Fountain &amp; Nation, 2000), and dictation has been used as a test for learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). With the advantages of productive learning and reinforcing short-term memory, dictation is a commonly used technique to develop language skills, and it can be considered to be an assessment of foreign language learning (Kazazoğlu, 2013). However, the previous research has not fully explored how technology, such as text-to-speech (TTS), can be used in EFL classrooms. To address this issue, the researcher explored the use of traditional teacher-led dictation (TLD) and TTS dictation to compare the vocabulary performance of EFL learners. Forty-two college students participated in the study. The results indicated a significant difference between TTS and TLD on the participants&rsquo; vocabulary performance. Additionally, there was a correlation between the scores with TTS and TLD: the students who performed better with TLD also obtained higher grades with TTS. Based on the results, future studies and pedagogical suggestions are presented.

scholarly journals Communication Strategies Used by Iranian EFL Learners and English Native Speakers: Gender in Focus

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Layla Hajiesmaeli ◽  
Laya Heidari Darani
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Numerical Data ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
The Difference

<p>This article was intended to explore the frequency and order of communication strategies used by Iranian male and female EFL earners as well as English native speakers while facing communication breakdowns. Furthermore, it was aimed to investigate the difference between native speakers and non-native speakers of English in their use of communication strategies. In addition, it was probed whether gender had any effects on the use of these strategies among native and non-native speakers. To this end, the data were collected through the communication strategy questionnaire distributed among 30 male and female Iranian intermediate EFL learners and 15 English native speakers. The design of this study was a quantitative one in which the questionnaire and thus numerical data were applied. To analyze the data, Cronbach alpha and independent-samples t-tests were used. The results indicated that non-verbal and social affective strategies were the most frequent strategies used by non-native speakers and native speakers of English, respectively. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between male and female Iranian EFL learners, but a significant difference between male and female English native speakers were seen. It can be concluded that language proficiency can contribute to the type and frequency of communications strategies which are used non-native speakers; likewise, it can play a significant role in gender differences in language use.<em></em></p>

scholarly journals The Effect of Humor-Integrated Pictures Using Quizlet on Vocabulary Learning of EFL Learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Mehdi Solhi Andarab
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Acquisition ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Shed Light

The recent improvements in technology and their integration in language learning have played a facilitating role invocabulary acquisition. Quizlet, an online teacher-/student-friendly tool, is one of the leading applications invocabulary acquisition. Along with the effectiveness of visualization in acquiring vocabulary, humor has been alsoextensively indicated to carry a significant role in language learning. With all its facilitating features, the integrationof technology, humor, and vocabulary can be achieved via Quizlet. In this study, the visual integration of humoraccompanying vocabulary on Quizlet was taken into scrutiny to see to what extent humor-integrated pictures onQuizlet account for the retention of vocabulary acquisition. With this purpose, this study examined the effect ofhumor-integrated pictures on vocabulary acquisition of 45 intermediate English as a foreign language (EFL) learnerson Quizlet. In so doing, the experimental group received a series of unknown vocabulary items for which theintegrated pictures were humorous, while the vocabulary items assigned for the control group were identical, but innon-humorous contexts. At the end, an independent samples t-test applied on the scores achieved from a posttestindicated a significant difference in scores of the control group and that of the experimental group. In fact, thelearners in the experimental group significantly outperformed their counterparts in the control group. The resultsindicated that linking vocabulary items with humorous pictures is more effective than using non-humorous context inlearning vocabulary. Apparently, as the results indicate, the significant effectiveness of technology in vocabularylearning can be boosted with the help of humorous context. The findings shed light on the importance of technologyin language learning and its linking with humor in vocabulary learning.

scholarly journals The Effect of Dictogloss on Listening Comprehension: Focus on Metacognitive Strategies and Gender

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Mina Taheri ◽  
Saeed Taki
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Listening Comprehension ◽  
Standard Test ◽  
Metacognitive Strategies ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Listening Strategies ◽  
Experimental Group

This study aimed at investigating the effect of dictogloss on EFL learners’ listening comprehension as well as on their use of metacognitive listening strategies with a focus on the effects on male and female learners. To this end, a total number of 50 female and male Iranian EFL learners, aged between 12 and 15 years old, at the intermediate proficiency level in a private language school in Iran were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups with 25 male and female learners in each group. Dictogloss was employed to teach the learners in the experimental group for an instruction period of 12 sessions. Participants’ listening comprehension was determined through a pre/posttest which was adapted from the listening section of the standard test of PET and their use of metacognitive listening strategies via the MALQ, a questionnaire developed by Vandergrift et al. (2006). The data obtained were submitted to the t-test and results revealed significant improvement in the experimental group’s listening comprehension with no significant difference between male and female learners. Finally, the results showed that the listeners in the experimental group made noticeable gains in their choice of metacognitive strategies through using the dictogloss technique.  Findings are discussed in light of recent theories of language learning and teaching.  

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