Influence of prestudy on foreign language learning attitude

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismail Hakki Mirici
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Learning Attitude ◽  
Target Unit ◽  
Reading Activities

In this experimental study, based on qualitative and quantitative data collection from an experimental and a control group, the influence of 2 different ways of prestudy on foreign language learning attitude of the upper-intermediate level of English language learners was investigated. One prestudy program was based on specially designed familiarization handout-materials comprising topic-related reading activities, the other program entailed using a dictionary focusing on the words used in the target unit. Students who worked with the handout were significantly more motivated, active, and interactive than those who worked with a dictionary. In addition, teachers felt that students who did prestudy using handouts found the unit more meaningful and developed a better attitude towards learning a foreign language than did those who relied on a dictionary.

Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games as English as a Foreign Language Learning Environments

2019 ◽  
pp. 162-182
Author(s):  
Hélder Fanha Martins
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Role Playing Games

The objective of this chapter is to gain a better understanding of the usefulness of massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) for promoting English as a foreign language (EFL) acquisition. To accomplish this goal, the author analyzed specific categories of interaction occurring between English language learners while playing an online game entitled Eve Online. Previous research has proved that there are positive outcomes on EFL acquisition from the interaction that takes place while playing video games known as MMORPGs. These games immerse players in virtual worlds that are inhabited by hundreds and even thousands of other players, and all are partaking in the game in real time. Learners who choose to play the game in a foreign language are exposed to target language input in a context-rich environment where they can interact with native-speakers and other language learners.

scholarly journals The Effects of YouTube in Multimedia Instruction for Vocabulary Learning: Perceptions of EFL Students and Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raniah Kabooha ◽  
Tariq Elyas
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Vocabulary Comprehension ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Reading Activities

The present study sought to examine the improvement in vocabulary comprehension and retention of Saudi English as foreign language female students at King Abdul Aziz University as a result of integrating YouTube in their reading classes. The study also investigated the perceptions of both students as well as teachers towards the inclusion of YouTube on the development of vocabulary. One hundred female intermediate level students aged between 18-20 years old participated in the study. Students were divided into two groups: an experimental group who watched YouTube during the reading activities and a control group who was not exposed to the videos. Data were collected using pre-tests and post-tests in addition to questionnaires. The findings of the study reveal that the group who viewed the YouTube clips outperformed the group who was not exposed to YouTube videos in the posttest. The results clearly show that YouTube provided statistically significant effects on the students' vocabulary acquisition. The findings of the study indicate that the participants positively viewed the use of YouTube in their lessons. The findings also revealed significant improvement in the students’ vocabulary achievement. The implications of the findings are discussed within the context of foreign language learning and teaching.

scholarly journals The Sources of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety of Iranian English Language Learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Firooz Sadighi ◽  
Mehdi Dastpak
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Speaking Anxiety ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Affective Factors

Foreign language learning anxiety is one of the affective factors which influence language learning negatively. It has several sources and different types. The present study aimed at investigating the sources of foreign language speaking anxiety of Iranian EFL learners. To do so, 154 EFL learners participated in the study. They were required to fill out a foreign language anxiety questionnaire which was developed based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986). The results of the study indicated that “fear of making mistakes”, “fear of negative evaluation”, and “lack of vocabulary knowledge” were the main factors which caused anxiety among students. Some strategies are recommended for the students to use in order to cope with the anxiety-provoking factors. 

scholarly journals A study of retrospective and concurrent foreign language learning experiences: A comparative interview study in Hungary

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-246
Author(s):  
Kata Csizér ◽  
Csaba Kálmán
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
English Language Teachers

Despite the fact that the influence of learning experiences on foreign language learning motivation has been widely acknowledged and emphasised, there are hardly any studies concentrating on these learning experiences. Hence, the aim of this study is to map the language learning experiences of former and current language learners in order to provide a detailed account of the possible components of the foreign language learning experience. Data were collected with the help of a qualitative interview schedule involving 22 language learners in two subsamples. Ten participants are English language teachers as former foreign language learners, while 12 students, current learners of English, have also been recruited. The most important result of our study is that foreign language learning experience seems to be a complex construct including immediate and present aspects as well as self-related components and attributions. Language learning success, the teacher’s personality, contact experiences, as well as attitudes towards the L2 seem to stand out as important components for both groups of learners. Apart from discussing the differences and similarities between retrospective and concurrent experiences, we will provide pedagogical and research-related implications as well.

Going glocal: The impact of CLIL on English Language Learners’ multilingual Identities and Attitudes in the Balearic Islands

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Estefania López-Deflory ◽  
Maria Juan-Garau
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Balearic Islands ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
Attitudes And Beliefs ◽  
The Impact

AbstractLanguages are a defining identity component, intrinsic to all individuals and societies. Identities are not fixed but ever fluctuating, hence the process of learning a second or foreign language may entail a negotiation of shifting identities, modifying positioning, attitudes and beliefs. Departing from this premise, in multilingual contexts the potential of education in shaping multilingual identities should be addressed.This study contrasts the attitudes of two groups of secondary education students (n=73), partaking in two different language learning programmes in the Balearic Islands (formal instruction in English as a Foreign Language –EFL, and Content and Language Integrated Learning –CLIL), where the introduction of English as a medium of instruction may be perceived as a threat to the unbalanced coexistence of Spanish and Catalan as the majority and minority languages, respectively. A 31-item questionnaire quantified the values ascribed to multilingualism, Spanish, Catalan, and English, the internationalisation of the latter, and the perception of the classroom as a genuine community of language practice. Qualitative data were collected through an essay eliciting students’ metalinguistic reflection on the position of different languages in their future imagined communities.The results shed light on the relevance of teaching methodologies in the development of identities, ascertaining the positive impact of integrative approaches such as CLIL on the construction of summative multilingualism.

scholarly journals Reading Skills in English using Jolly Phonics at a Chinese Primary School

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ha Mei Ling ◽  
Fitri Suraya Mohamad
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
English Language ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Teaching Reading ◽  
English Classes ◽  
Chinese School

This study investigates the viability of using a phonics programme for Primary One students who are studying at a National Type Chinese School in Sarawak, Malaysia.  Jolly Phonics is a Synthetic Phonics Programme that is used to address common reading problems. In this study, Primary One students who learn Mandarin as their main language in school, while learning English and Malay Languages at the same time. The phonics consists of teaching reading with five skills, namely learning the letter sounds, letter formation, blending, segmenting and tricky words.  39 students participated in the study. Two groups were formed to compare performances between those who used the phonic programme and those who attended the regular English classes. Data was collected on pre and post-test achievements for both the experimental and control group. Findings revealed that the phonics programme did not significantly impact the students’ reading ability when compared with performances of those who attended regular lessons which used existing methods of teaching reading skills for English language learning at the Chinese medium school.      Keywords: Night reading ability; non-native English language learners; phonics; Chinese school; foreign language learning

scholarly journals Motivational Factors that Influence English as a Foreign Language Learners at Quality Leadership University, Panama City, Panama

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 543
Author(s):  
Ricardo Roman Jr. ◽  
Aixa M. Nunez
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Instrumental Motivation ◽  
Learning English

Research in second language acquisition took off in the early 1970s. This study on integrative and instrumental motivation examined the correlation between the two forms in terms of second language acquisition, and the interest it has generated through continued research efforts in language learning. Research to date suggests a possible relationship between motivation and second language learning. The results obtained by this research were determined by two basic types of motivation which play a relevant role in second language acquisition, it also revealed which was the most prevalent motivational factor that influences students in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at Quality Leadership University, Panama. Our objective was to prove that instrumental motivation is more prevalent among students learning English as a Foreign Language in Panama. Although cultural awareness is very much present in the EFL classroom, it too plays a major role with English Language Learners (ELLs). This is a quantitative research study which includes a questionnaire classifying twenty motivational statements into two types of motivation, integrative and instrumental. The study revealed that instrumental motivation was more prevalent among English language learners at Quality Leadership University, Panama. Albiet learning about new cultures has been the driving force with which students approach language learning and students in Panama are not the exception. We can thus conclude that instrumental motivation has been acknowledged as the significant factor by students surveyed and the interest in specific language learning for career advancement, whereas integrative motivation is linked to more general second language acquisition for the benefit of cultural integration.

scholarly journals Analysis for finding the effect of mind mapping technique on the iranian English as Foreign Language learning’ writing skills

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-116
Author(s):  
Bita Naghmeh-Abbaspour ◽  
Vahideh Rastgoo
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Mapping Technique ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mind Mapping ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Experimental Group

Instructors are always interested in creating environments that motivate students to engage dynamically in their learning process. Mind mapping is one of the teaching and learning strategies that has emerged in this regard. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mind mapping technique on the development of the organization of writing and learning of intermediate English as Foreign Language (EFL) language learners in Iran. Accordingly, thirty female intermediate English language learners were selected from a well-known institute in a small city as the participants of the study. They were randomly allocated to a control as well as an experimental group each consisting of 15 subjects. The control group was provided with the usual training, while the experimental group was presented with the intervention twice a week during the summer of 2019. Pretest and posttest were applied for both groups in this experimental study and the results were then compared. Based on the research findings application of mind mapping in teaching writing could improve the learners’ writing organization. However, it didn’t show any significant effects on their writing style. As the results of the statistical analyses indicated, an application of mind mapping in writing classes would help the learners to organize their writings in more effective ways..

scholarly journals THE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 224
Author(s):  
Venny Eka Meidasari
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Instructional Program ◽  
Assessment And Evaluation ◽  
Essential Components

This article is focusing on assessment and evaluation of English as a foreign language learning (EFL). These are essential components teaching and learning in English language arts. Both assessment and evaluation are the critical parts of effective literacy development; therefore, it is important for classroom teachers to know how to evaluate English language learners� progress. Without an effective evaluation program it is impossible to know whether students have learned, whether teaching has been effective, or how best to address student learning needs. The overall goal of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment should always be viewed as information to improve student achievement. One could look at assessment and evaluation as the journey (assessment) versus the snapshot (evaluation). The assessment and evaluation literacy needs from the learner�s perspective is also an important part of an instructional program. The needs of assessment and evaluation process can be used as the basis for developing curricula and classroom practice that are responsive to learners� needs. It encompasses both what learners know and can do and what they want to learn and be able to do. Learners need opportunities to evaluate their progress toward meeting goals they have set for themselves in learning English.Keywords: assessment, evaluation, foreign language learning, teaching, curriculum

Beliefs about Language Learning: Indonesian Learners' Perspectives, and Some Implications for Classroom Practices

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erlenawati
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Beliefs About Language Learning ◽  
Learning And Instruction

Language learners hold a set of beliefs concerning language learning and these beliefs may influence the ways they learn, even though the beliefs are not always explicitly stated. This paper, part of the researcher's on-going research project, investigates the beliefs held by three Indonesian learners undertaking an English course in an English language centre at an Australian university. Data were gathered through questionnaire and interview. The findings reveal that the learners indeed held preconceived ideas about how English should best be learnt. Despite some misconceptions, learners' beliefs were on the whole realistic. The paper aims to sensitise teachers in the English as a foreign language and in second language environments to the types of beliefs learners may hold, and to the possible consequences of these beliefs for second or foreign language learning and instruction.

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