scholarly journals Teachers and Students’ Perceptions on the Effectiveness of the Writing Task in the Foundation Year at the ELI

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 360
Author(s):  
Reem Alsanie ◽  
Wafa’a AlRezqi ◽  
Danyah Al-Sayeud ◽  
Nadia Shukri
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Writing Classes ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
Preparatory Year ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
Writing Task

<p><em>The current study investigated the perceptions of Saudi female teachers and their preparatory year students on the Writing Task (WT) used in the English Language Institute (ELI) at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, KSA. To obtain a deeper insight, mixed methods were used through quantitative questionnaires and qualitative semi-structured interviews. While quantitative data were analysed using a descriptive SPSS analysis, qualitative data were analysed using a thematic analysis by NVivo. The sample consisted of 50 students (mean age: 19) and 6 teachers with different qualifications and years of experience. First, a questionnaire was distributed to elicit student’s perceptions</em><strong> </strong><em>on the WT then the 6 teachers were interviewed. The results indicated that the students had negative perceptions towards the effectiveness of the WT and that it was not beneficial in developing their writing skills, unlike some of the teachers who expressed positive views towards the WT. The findings offer future instructional implications that will help in enhancing the WT of the ELI. Some of these implications indicate that extensive writing classes must be given to students to improve their writing skills and that the writing topics must be contextualised and taken from the students’ daily life to keep them interested.</em></p>

scholarly journals Exploring EFL Writing Teaching Through the Integrated Skills Approach: A Case Study in the Saudi Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 800-809
Author(s):  
Waad Aljahdali ◽  
Abdullah Alshakhi
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Writing Classes ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Diary Writing ◽  
Preparatory Year

This study aims to explore the teaching practices of EFL writing that employ the integrated skills approach. It investigates the benefits and challenges associated with teaching writing that uses the integrated skills approach. The study also aims to provide solutions to the challenges faced by the EFL teachers in teaching writing skills. This study uses a qualitative approach by utilizing two instruments: diary writing of event logs in the first phase, and semi-structured interviews in the second phase. The data were collected in a Saudi university at a Preparatory Year Program (PYP). The sample included four general track teachers. After the analysis of the data, the findings revealed that the integrated skills approach can facilitate students’ output; however, students’ lower-level of proficiency, a large number of students in writing classes, and time constraints can negatively affect the teaching practices. Suggestive measures were proposed to eliminate the negative aspects that might hinder the implementation of the integrated skills approach while teaching writing skills. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications and directions for future research have been put forward.

scholarly journals Using Movies in EFL Classrooms: A Study Conducted at the English Language Institute (ELI), King Abdul-Aziz University

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raniah Hassen Kabooha
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Reflective Journals ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Preparatory Year ◽  
English Language Institute

<p>The present study sought to examine the attitudes of Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) learners as well as teachers towards the integration of English movies in their classes as a tool to develop students’ language skills. Fifty female intermediate level students studying English in their Preparatory Year Program (PYP) in the English Language Institute (ELI) at King Abdul-Aziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, participated in the study. Questionnaires were administered to the students to investigate their perceptions towards the integration of English movies in their classes to develop their language skills. The researcher also conducted semi-structured interviews with both students and teachers to explore their perceptions towards the use of movies in their classes. In addition, teachers were required to write reflective journals regarding the use of movies in their classes. The findings of the study indicate that both students as well as teachers had positive attitudes towards the use of movies in their classes to improve students’ language skills. The study offers pedagogical implications for EFL instructors with respect to the integration of films in their classrooms to improve students’ language learning. Well-selected movie materials could enhance students’ language learning process and increase their motivation to learn the target language.</p>

scholarly journals Mentoring Matters in Workplace: The Impact of Formal Mentoring Program on EFL Instructors’ Performance at ELI, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Aishah Khojah ◽  
Fariha Asif
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Culture ◽  
Formal Mentoring ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Formal Mentoring Program

An unprecedented acceleration in globalization, cross-culture integration and intensified innovation are a few elements that have triggered the need for availability of mentoring as the professional identity of any institution of higher learning. It has got the status of a foundation stone of mutual accomplishments between universities in the provision of teacher development. Therefore, this research study was carried out to evaluate the experiences of faculty members who participated in a formal mentoring program organized by the English Language Institute (ELI) at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) from 2017 to 2019. In this mixed-method study, a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data in order to respond to questions connected to the effectiveness of the mentoring program for mentors and mentees. The study particularly sought to discover the character of the work issues discussed and the worth judged by participants as emerging from their contribution to a programmed mentoring correlation. Data analysis transpired that mentoring promoted all of those who participated in the program. The study concluded that mentoring could assist in constructing capability in two ways: featured and standardized mentoring of trainee teachers through overt mentoring practices, and demonstrating and deconstructing teaching methods and practices for mentors&#39; pedagogical progression. This study emphasizes the worth and value of the formal mentoring program as a valued and fitting professional development approach.&nbsp;

scholarly journals Perceptions of EFL Teachers at King Abdulaziz University Regarding the Effectiveness of Cambridge University Press’s Train the Trainer Course

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Catherine Karen Roy ◽  
Sabitha Rahim ◽  
Aishah Yaqoub Khojah
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
English Language ◽  
Main Question ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cambridge University ◽  
Train The Trainer ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
English Language Institute

This study adds to the current literature on ongoing in-house professional development for teachers by exploring how administrators, other faculty, and the English-language (EFL) teachers who participated in Cambridge University Press’s Train the Trainer course (TTT) at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Saudi Arabia, judged the TTT’s usefulness. To determine whether to support the TTT in the future, KAU wanted to identify how well its TTT graduates could provide professional development to their colleagues. This study’s aim is to discuss how positively those who were involved in the TTT, particularly the administration, the TTT graduate trainers themselves, and the other teachers who attended the workshops presented by first-year graduates of the ELI’s TTT responded to the course. The main question it addresses is how successful the implementation of such a TTT course can be at the English language institute of a Saudi university, like at KAU, so as to determine if the TTT should continue to be offered at KAU and more generally, taking the example of the ELI at KAU, if the TTT course should also be proposed at other English language institutes in Saudi Arabia. This study employed a Likert scale survey, semi-structured interviews, and open-ended questions with TTT participants, administrators, and other faculty to assess the TTT’s initial value. The main finding of this study is that so far, the TTT course was perceived as beneficial. However, future analyses should evaluate the longer-term effects of the TTT on teaching approaches and student learning.

scholarly journals Causes of Saudi Students’ Unwillingness to Communicate in the EFL Classrooms

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Rasha Fawzi Kadi ◽  
Abeer Ahmed Madini
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Preparatory Year ◽  
English Language Institute

It can be argued that the ultimate goal of ESL\EFL pedagogy is to enable students to have communicative competence. To achieve this, EFL teachers implement various techniques and strategies that aim to produce communicatively competent students. Nevertheless, one of the major challenges teachers encounter is that students are often passive, unresponsive and unwilling to speak in the classroom. Accordingly, the current study seeks to investigate the causes of Saudi students' unwillingness to communicate in the EFL classroom. A total of 136 Saudi female preparatory year students at the English Language Institute (ELI) in King Abdulaziz University (KAU) participated in this study. To gain a deeper understanding of the causes of this phenomenon, a mixed methods approach was adopted. Two data collection instruments were utilized in this study: an online questionnaire with 126 participants and semi-structured interviews with 10 participants. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data obtained from the questionnaire, and the qualitative data obtained from the interviews were analyzed thematically using NVivo. The findings of the study revealed that the unwillingness to communicate is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that can stem from multiple causes. The main causes reported by the participants were fear of making mistakes, low language proficiency, fear of negative evaluation, shyness, lack of self-confidence, inefficient school education, and teacher\classmates related factors. The study concluded by briefly stating some of the limitations, offering recommendations for future research, and providing valuable suggestions for English language practitioners and policymakers to enhance this communication obstacle

scholarly journals An Inquiry into Saudi EFL Teachers and Students’ Perceptions of EFL Virtual Classes and Its Relation to Learner Autonomy

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Abrar Khalawi ◽  
Maha Halabi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Virtual Classes ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
Academic Year

The purpose of this research paper is to explore Saudi foundation-year teachers and students’ perceptions of the use of virtual classes for teaching or learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the English Language Institute (ELI) in King Abdulaziz University (KAU). The data for this study was collected through questionnaires from a total of 20 teachers and 22 students. The survey was conducted during the second semester of the academic year 2019-2020, and the data was analyzed quantitatively. The overall results of the questionnaires demonstrate that the majority of teachers and students held positive attitudes towards EFL virtual classes, however, they prefer face-to-face classrooms. Additionally, some participants admitted the huge role virtual classes play in improving learners’ autonomy.

scholarly journals Evaluating ‘Q: Skills for Success’ from Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives at the English Language Institute- Yanbu (YELI)

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Huda Khalid Alshehri
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
English Language ◽  
Royal Commission ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Preparatory Year ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

This article aims to evaluate ‘Q: Skills for Success’ 1 and 2 from teachers’ and students’ perspectives in the English Language Institute (YELI), the Royal Commission Colleges and Institutes (Yanbu). One of the goals of this study is to check whether this newly introduced coursebook is fairly appropriate for the preparatory year at YELI by comparing the results of evaluating this coursebook with findings of evaluating similar coursebooks in similar contexts. In order to answer the research questions, two questionnaires are administered to convenience samples from both teachers and students in YELI. The data are then statistically analyzed with the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) are used. The study findings indicate that both teachers and students have highly positive attitudes towards both ‘Q: Skills for Success’ 1 and 2. Moreover, the findings shows that there is no significant difference between the participants’ perspectives according to gender difference. However, the results ofANOVA indicate that there are some significant differences between 001 and 002 students in their perspectives and attitudes towards the coursebook evaluated. Broadly, the study findings coincides with those of several similar/parallel studies in similar contexts. 

The Impact of Weblog on Omani Learners' Writing Skills in the English Language

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yahya Ashour Mohammed Alkhoudary
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Writing Quality ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of utilizing weblog on facilitating teaching writing at Buraimi University College (BUC) and to explore the extent to which a blog as a computer-mediated tool enhances learners' writing skills in English as a foreign language e(EFL), English as a second language (ESL). Vygotsky's model will be adopted in this study. Furthermore, a process approach is employed to involve students in writing. A mixed-method of qualitative and quantitative was embraced. Three instruments were used to answer the research questions of the study. The participants consisting of 60 students, were placed into two groups: 30 students for experimental group (Ex.G.) and 30 for the controlled group (Cont. G.). Also, 30 EFL teachers (15 males and 15 females) were selected randomly. Pre-and post-tests were assigned to both groups before and after incorporating weblog as a teaching tool. Questionnaires were distributed to (Ex. G) to check the effect of using a weblog on students' writing quality. Interviews were also conducted with both teachers and students. The findings reveal that the students of weblog group significantly outperform their counterparts. This study concludes that integrating weblogs in teaching is of paramount importance to language learners and a promising tool in higher education.

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