scholarly journals The Practicality of Critical Pedagogy: A Case Study of Iranian EFL Learners’ Motivation

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Hossein Abdollahzadeh ◽  
Mehry Haddad Narafshan
Keyword(s):  
Critical Pedagogy ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Personal Interest ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
The People ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

<p><em>The most basic goal of education besides enhancing students’ educational success is to improve their social skills; this goal is achieved only if learners are trained to become critical thinkers and responsible ones for their own social change.</em><em> Consequently,</em><em> this study is focused on the impact of critical pedagogy on EFL learners’ motivation. In this study, 54 students were randomly and equally assigned to the experimental and control groups (27 students in each group). The instrument applied in this study was a motivation questionnaire. The questionnaire was given to the students in both control and experimental group (as the pre and post questionnaire).</em><em> The results revealed that </em><em>the critical approach to the teaching of English as a foreign language increases the learners’ motivation reflecting a sincere and personal interest in the people and culture represented by the other group.</em></p>

scholarly journals The Impact of Smartboard on Preparatory Year EFL Learners’ Motivation at a Saudi University

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 172
Author(s):  
Waqar Ahmad ◽  
Zuraina Ali ◽  
Muhammad Aslam Sipra ◽  
Imtiaz Hassan Taj
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Preparatory Year ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

Smartboards, which are now widely used in the teaching and learning process in Saudi Arabia, have turned the traditional environments of the classrooms, especially the EFL classrooms to be more interesting and encouraging. Literature reviews suggest that Saudi students usually lack motivation for studying English as a foreign language. This study tends to investigate the impact of Smartboards on preparatory year EFL learners motivation at a Saudi university. Two intact groups were selected, in which one was termed as experimental and the second as control group. The experimental group was taught using the Smartboard while the control group was taught with the traditional whiteboard, pen and book method. The treatment was given for seven weeks. A questionnaire was administered to both the groups at the beginning and the end of the study. The data was analysed using the SPSS and the results showed that there was significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of motivation.  

scholarly journals The Impact of Text Messaging on Iranian University Students as an English as a Foreign Language Instructional Tool to Enhance Learner Autonomy and Perception

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 184-202
Author(s):  
Behnam Behforouz ◽  
Anca Daniela Frumuselu
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Instructional Tool ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

This paper investigates the efficiency of text messaging as an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructional tool to enhance learner autonomy and perception at the Islamic Azad University-South Tehran Branch, Iran. The study considers seventy-four learners to participate in the study after the administration of an Oxford Placement Test to measure their proficiency level. Participants are randomly assigned in experimental and control groups, including 37 participants each. A questionnaire is used as a pretest and posttest to measure learners` autonomy. Participants from the experimental group use text messaging (the treatment) to receive instructions, whereas those from the control group receive traditional classroom instructions in a face-to-face channel. A semi-structured interview is also used to collect date on experimental group participants` perception in using MALL in classrooms. The results reveal remarkable differences between the experimental and control groups’ means on their learner autonomy scores. However, the impact of the independent samples t-test has shown that there is no statistically meaningful gender difference among the learners regarding their autonomy scores. The findings based on the semi-structured interview showed complimentary views on MALL. The current study is beneficial since its outcomes could be relevant for EFL curriculum developers and English language teachers in the use of mobile learning and text messaging in the English classroom.

scholarly journals The Impact of Teaching Vocabulary through “Kik” Application on Improving Intermediate EFL Learner’s Vocabulary Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeedeh Rajayi ◽  
Mahpareh Poorahmadi ◽  
Mahpare Poorahmadi
Keyword(s):  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Instruction ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Considerable Body ◽  
Experimental Group

A considerable body of research has been conducted on effective vocabulary instruction to improve vocabularylearning. However, no research has been done to empirically document the link between teaching vocabulary through“Kik’ application and vocabulary learning. Thus, this study was conducted to fill this gap in research related to thisphenomenon. To this effect, 61 intermediate EFL learners from Joyandegan language institute were selected throughconvenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups; experimental and control group. In this pretest, posttestexperimental study, only the experimental group received training through “Kik” application. The comparison of thescores of Teacher Made Vocabulary Test showed that the scores of experimental group were higher than those of thecontrol group. The comparison of the scores of Teacher Made Vocabulary Test showed that the scores ofexperimental group were higher than those of the control group. This provided a statistically significant relationshipbetween the independent variable, teaching vocabulary through “Kik” application, and vocabulary learning which isthe dependent variable. The results of this study point to a probability that on using of “Kik” for teaching vocabularyand the results of this study showed that using “Kik” for teaching can have a significant impact on EFL learners’vocabulary learning.

The Effect of Collaborative Prewriting Discussions on L2 Writing: Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency (CAF)

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 18-30
Author(s):  
Mohammad Naghavi ◽  
Mahboubeh Nakhleh
Keyword(s):  
Control Group ◽  
Essay Writing ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Assessment Measure ◽  
Writing Complexity ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

The present study essayed to investigate the impact of collaborative pre-writing discussions on three aspects of writing skill namely, complexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF). To reach this goal, 60 intermediate male EFL learners ranging from 22 to 28 years at Shahid Beheshti Language Center in Tehran, Iran participated in the study. For the purpose of homogeneity, the standardized English Proficiency Test (Preliminary English Test) was administered to 88 students and they were divided into two intact experimental and control groups. The experimental group, which was divided into six groups of five was exposed to and performed on a-40- minute essay writing tasks held two sessions per week lasting ninety-minutes for ten weeks with collaborative pre-writing discussions. Moreover, the students in experimental group were required to complete a questionnaire at the end of the study to find out about their feelings regarding prewriting discussions prior to writing in L2. The control group received the same materials and teacher as experimental group, except for, there was no collaborative pre-writing discussions to write the essays. After the raters were trained and familiarized with the rating process, the essays by both groups were collected and scored holistically based on the assessment measure provided to the two raters. In order to provide plausible answers to the research questions posed above, a series of one way ANOVA was employed to evaluate the participants' overall performance in the two conditions. The results indicated that collaborative pre-writing discussions were superior to mainstream methods. Thus, the findings can have an immediate implication for EFL teachers and practitioners who are searching for cutting edge ways of developing EFL learners' writing performance.

scholarly journals Quizzes in Every Other Session Improve Undergraduate EFL Learners' Pronunciation Achievement

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Mohammad Reza Ghorbani
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Training Program ◽  
English Literature ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English Teaching ◽  
And Control ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Experimental Group

The proponents of frequent quizzes claim that they stimulate students and have a positive effect on their learning, while the opponents argue that too frequent quizzes might frustrate students and hinder their learning. This study examined the effect of frequent quizzes on Iranian undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ pronunciation achievement. The nonequivalent group, pretest-posttest design was employed to study two classes of English literature and English teaching students, who were taking the Phonology Course, at Kosar University of Bojnord (KUB) as the experimental group (EG) and control group (CG) respectively. Two 40-item pronunciation tests were developed based on the 3rd edition of the book Ship or Sheep written by Baker (2006). The reliability of the tests was estimated 0.78 and 0.81 respectively through KR-21 formula. After the pretest administration, both groups were exposed to the same activities; however, only the EG took the quizzes every other session. At the end of the training program, the pretests were rearranged and used as the posttests. The results of the independent samples t-tests from the posttests revealed that the EG had a better performance than the CG suggesting that EFL learners’ pronunciation achievement can improve if quizzes are used every other session.

scholarly journals The Impact of Individualized Homework Assignment on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Motivation

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Hamed Abbasi Mojdehi ◽  
Davood Taghipour Bazargani
Keyword(s):  
Learning Style ◽  
American English ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Private Language ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Age Range ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of applying individualized homework assignments on Iranian intermediate level EFL learners’ motivation. To achieve this objective, 60 learners in the 16-21 age range who were studying at two private language institutes in Rasht, Iran, were selected from 122 participants based on their performance on QPT. The participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. A pretest piloted before with an accepted reliability index was administered to both groups. Next, the experimental group received the treatment for 20 sessions (doing homework materials specifically designed based on each learner’s interests and preferred learning style). Meanwhile, the control group received a placebo which was the use of exercises in the workbook of the coursebook American English File 3 (Second Edition) as homework assignments. The posttest of motivation was then administered to both groups. The results showed significantly higher scores on motivation test for experimental group at the end of the course. Based on the findings of this study, language teachers can utilize individualized homework assignments to motivate their learners for doing their homework more willingly.

scholarly journals What Happened to the Public Spaces of the Arab World? From Colonisation to Revolution: The Case of Lebanon

2021 ◽  
pp. 203-214
Author(s):  
Tarek Fouani
Keyword(s):  
Arab World ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
The Public ◽  
The People ◽  
The Future ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
The Impact

Public spaces were first introduced into the Arab world through colonial authorities in a vision to “modernise” what was seen as “oriental cities”, since the 19th century until today. However, this process was brought under severe political, social, cultural, and economic circumstances. In the due date, the imported western models of public spaces were superimposed on the existing fabric, dismissing any of those components, which left public spaces to their tragic fate in the Arab cities. In that context, they were also snatched from their democratic and civic nature under the dictator regimes. The paper will be divided into five sections, starting with a look at the historical evolution of public spaces under colonisation, then it will take Beirut, Lebanon as a case study; a city that was torn by war and patched by western ideologies following the m­odernist movement. This will take a critical approach by looking at several players in the process of implementation of public spaces in Beirut. One of these being Solidere and its reconstruction plans of the city centre of Beirut after the civil war (1975-1990), which was heavily influenced by the western models of public spaces. In the third section, a comparative study between Piazza del Duomo in Italy and Martyrs’ Square in Lebanon will set a wider understanding of the product of this evolution. Eventually, the paper will analyse the impact of the Lebanese revolution (2019) on reclaiming the public spaces for the people, similar to other revolutions in the Arab world that date back to 2011, through examples like “The Egg”, Samir Kassir Garden and Martyr’s Square. By the hands of the revolutions, the people were able to domesticate what did not reflect their identity, culture or needs, and transform them into inclusive spaces for everyone from all races, classes and backgrounds as an opportunity to set a collective vision for the future. By that, a look and a recommendation for the future of the public spaces in the Arab world, especially Beirut, will take place through a concluding section.

scholarly journals Foreign Language Lessons as a Method of Developing Confident and Worthy Behavior of Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 93-96
Author(s):  
Darya Dmitrievna Trudnikova ◽  
Galina Veniaminovna Sorokoumova
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

The authors of the article emphasize that modern realities require the development of skills of confident and worthy behavior in all situations, etc. It is noted that skills must be developed in learning process using various methods and techniques in the classroom and off-hour work using various psychological trainings to create a psychologically safe and comfortable educational environment. The study of the impact of applying personal-oriented teaching methods in English language learning process on the formation of self-confidence, improving academic performance and increasing interest in a foreign language is described in the article. The purpose, hypothesis, tasks, methodological and theoretical basis of the research, methods and experimental base of the research are defined in the article; the results of the research of the summative, formative and control stages are analyzed. The method of Yakubovskaya P. was chosen as a diagnostic method at the summative and control stages of the study. P. Yakubovskaya's assessment test is aimed at the ability to distinguish between confident, insecure and aggressive behavior of an individual. The summative stage of the study showed that the majority of students do not see the line between confident and insecure behavior of the individual in situations that were taken as examples. It is mentioned that some guys couldn't tell the difference between confident and aggressive behavior. At the formative stage of the study, students in the control group studied using the classical method. For students of the experimental group, English lessons were developed and tested using specially designed tasks of a personality-oriented nature. During the control stage of the study, students who were part of the experimental group showed a significant increase in correct answers while doing the test. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the use of personality-oriented approach in the educational process positively affects the formation of self-confidence, improving academic performance and increasing interest in a foreign language in general, as well as contributing to the formation of a strong and self-confident personality.

The effect of second life on speaking achievement

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 236-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serhat Guzel ◽  
Selami Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Experimental Research ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Learning Tool ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Speaking Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

The number of studies that focus on the impact of Second Life (SL) as a virtual language learning tool on speaking achievements of EFL learners is quite limited. Thus, this paper aims to provide insight for SL’s effect on Turkish EFL learners’ speaking achievement levels. Forty-four EFL learners from Balikesir University participated in this experimental research. The participants were divided into two groups as an experimental group of 20 learners and a control group consisting of 24 students. An interview grading their speaking performance was administered to both groups as pre-test and post-tests. While the control group participants took traditional speaking classes, the experimental group did the same speaking activities on SL. Considering the interview scores, results indicated that learners who used SL had a better performance than the ones who participated in traditional activities.  Keywords: english as a foreign language, second life, speaking, achievement.

scholarly journals The effects of explicit pronunciation instruction on the degree of perceived foreign accent in the speech of EFL learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghazi Algethami
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Foreign Accent ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Pronunciation Instruction ◽  
Before And After ◽  
And Control ◽  
Experimental Group

This paper reports on a study that attempted to examine the effect of explicit pronunciation instruction of some English segments (individual sounds) on the degree of perceived foreign accent in EFL Arab learners’ speech. Nine Arab learners of English in an EFL (English as a foreign language) setting were assigned to two groups, experimental and control. Five utterances loaded with the taught segments were collected from both groups before and after instruction. While the experimental group received instruction on these segments, the control group did not. 13 native English listeners were recruited to rate all the elicited sentences for the degree of perceived foreign accent. The results did not show any effect of explicit pronunciation instruction on the degree of perceived foreign accent, as there were no differences between the ratings before and after the instruction.

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