scholarly journals Learners’ Willingness to Communicate in a Foreign Language: The Role of Informal Digital Learning of English

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-133
Author(s):  
Arif Nugroho

The trend of online teaching and learning in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic has driven contemporary students to learn English in an informal context outside the classroom. Drawing on this issue, the present study is at the cutting edge of examining the role of Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) in affecting students’ willingness to communicate in a foreign language. A total of 156 (male=63; female=93) Indonesian EFL students participated in survey research upon invitation.  The data are obtained by means of an online questionnaire consisting of three parts: (1) willingness to communicate, (2) IDLE, and (3) demographic data. The hierarchical regression analysis results reveal that Frequency of IDLE, Receptive IDLE activity, and Productive IDLE activity are the positive predictors of EFL learners’ willingness to communicate in English as a foreign language. The results indicate that the Indonesian EFL learners are motivated to communicate in English when engaging in a range of IDLE activities. In other words, it is implied that IDLE activities (both productive and receptive) potentially build the communication behavior of Indonesian EFL learners, who learn English as a foreign language and possess a culturally homogeneous society. 

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-56
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ilyas

Some students in the university got some difficulties to express their ideas, especially expressing in foreign language such as English. How to start comunication and interaction sometime need someone to stimulate. The phenomenon often encountered in various levels of education even to the students college. The students tended to be very subjective towards topics, their peer or even partner. In the teaching and learning process, the teacher not only transfer the information to the students but also facilitate the students, stimulate to learn English and provide the technique suitable with the students’ need. Teaching English language might be carried out through several techniques, one of them was CLL (Community Language Learning). In this technique, students were treated as clients who could express their problems to the counselor as well as in the community. In addition, the teacher played the role of translator to help students express themselves using English. This means that learners had enough opportunities to speak without worrying about their limitations in using English. The results showed that CLL helped students to express ideas systematically. The ideas were organized well, understandable, and standardized. In addition, CLL improved the result of students’ score in speaking skill. The mean score increased from 54.74 in pre-test to 72.86 in post-test. It means that CLL gave good influence on students’ speaking skill.


Author(s):  
Nada Alqarni

Foreign language instruction has moved from face-to-face to online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore the extent to which Foreign Language Classroom Enjoyment (FLCE), Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) and demographic variables (i.e., age, gender, and course grades) are linked to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in English under two conditions: online learning and conventional (face-to-face) learning. The study sample consisted of 106 Saudi undergraduate EFL learners. The research instrument was an online questionnaire. The data were analysed quantitatively through t-tests, Pearson correlational tests, and a hierarchical regression analysis. The research findings indicated that: (1) higher levels of WTC were found in the online learning context than in the face-to-face context; (2) FLCE was a positive predictor, while FLSA was a negative predictor, of WTC in the online and face-to-face learning contexts; (3) a high course grade seemed to be a positive predictor of EFL learners’ WTC only in the online learning context. These findings imply that utilizing online-based learning, particularly in the context of developing speaking skills, may foster EFL learners’ communication in the foreign language. Therefore, it is recommended that language teachers should support their students in practicing L2 communication during online classes in a more supportive atmosphere.


Relay Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 228-235
Author(s):  
Paul J. Moore ◽  
Phil Murphy ◽  
Luann Pascucci ◽  
Scott Sustenance

This paper reports on an ongoing study into the affordances of free online machine translation for students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) at the tertiary level in Japan. The researchers are currently collecting data from a questionnaire, task performance, and interviews with 10-15 EFL learners in an English Language Institute in a university in Japan. The paper provides some background on the changing role of translation in language learning theory and pedagogy, before focusing literature related to technical developments in machine translation technology, and its application to foreign language learning. An overview of the research methodology is provided, along with some insights into potential findings. Findings will be presented in subsequent publications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 221258682110070
Author(s):  
Ka Ho Mok ◽  
Weiyan Xiong ◽  
Hamzah Nor Bin Aedy Rahman

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has forced online teaching and learning to be the primary instruction format in higher education globally. One of the worrying concerns about online learning is whether this method is effective, specifically when compared to face-to-face classes. This descriptive quantitative study investigates how students in higher education institutions in Hong Kong evaluated their online learning experiences during the pandemic, including the factors influencing their digital learning experiences. By analysing the survey responses from 1,227 university students in Hong Kong, this study found that most of the respondents felt dissatisfied with their online learning experiences and effectiveness. Meanwhile, this study confirms that respondents’ household income level and information technology literacy affected their online learning effectiveness. Moreover, this study highlights the significant contributions of the community of inquiry, which places social presence on the promotion of a whole person development that could not be achieved when relying mainly on online learning. Findings encourage university leaders and instructors to search for multiple course delivery modes to nurture students to become caring leaders with the 21st century skills and knowledge set.


Author(s):  
Yilin Huang ◽  
◽  
Sohani Gandhioke ◽  

To solve the problem of Chinese EFL students’ passive and ineffective vocabulary learning, task-based language teaching (TBLT) methods were introduced to English classes at a university. With TBLT, students interacted with each other by using English, especially English words learnt, in order to fulfil the tasks designed by teachers. Based on second language acquisition theories, students were able to understand input and produce output during this process. This paper focuses on using TBLT in English vocabulary teaching in three non-English major classes of a Chinese university, involving the use of some word games. The word games’ features, organization, and a skill set built through those games, will be discussed. In terms of methodology, an online questionnaire survey was conducted among 93 university students from the three classes. Also, results of the students’ before-task and after-task word quizzes on Moodle platform and exam paper results were analysed. The research findings showed that students enjoyed playing word games in the English class and benefitted from it, in terms of language development and building skills. This paper recommends teachers to use TBLT in English vocabulary teaching and learning, as it is practical and can assist in EFL learners’ vocabulary acquisition.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (09) ◽  
pp. 65-84
Author(s):  
Aditi Gupta ◽  
◽  
Anshika Sharma ◽  
Prof. Patiraj Kumari ◽  
◽  
...  

The current situation of COVID 19 not only involves global health crisis but also economic and social crises. It has brought about a change in the system of education by conducting all academic activities online. Acc. to ILO, a world of universal distance education (as nearly 94% of learners have faced school closures) is created. Online education is a new concept for most Indians, creates room for incivility. Incivility is defined as a lack of manners, courteousness, and respect which deteriorates the decorum leading to disturbance in teaching and learning of the class. This study is focused on incivility in online teaching and learning. A total of 130 college students from around the country were asked to fill an open-ended online questionnaire to know their views on incivility in the online classroom. The overall thematic analysis resulted in the identification of three themes i.e. reported incidents, possible causes, and measures to reduce incivility in the online classrooms. In the time of pandemic where almost all the dissemination of education is done online to minimize the effect of the pandemic on the education system, incivility is a stumbling block. Therefore, it is important to bring incivility in online education in limelight as tackling incivility is the need of the hour.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Larssen ◽  
Ion Drew

This study aims to explore the influence of Lesson Study on the teaching of a 2nd grade English as a foreign language (EFL) picture book-based lesson conducted by a group of student teachers during teaching practice in Norway. Lesson Study is an investigative educational method originating in Japan. A group of teachers plan a research lesson which one of them teaches and the others observe, their attention focussing on a few selected pupils. The lesson is reviewed, re-planned and re-taught to a different class. The data presented here was collected through video-recordings of two lessons (a lesson taught and the same lesson re-planned and re-taught) and their corresponding pre-, mid-and post-supervision sessions. Lesson Study appeared to have had an influence on the activities, especially the type and number of questions being asked by the teacher, the timing of activities, and the use of the target language. It also appeared to have had an influence on the attitudes of both the mentors and students to using picture books with young EFL learners. Lesson Study has previously been little used and researched in foreign language teaching. This study demonstrates its potential to enhance teaching and learning in that context.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1405-1415
Author(s):  
Omar Jabak

The present study aimed to explore the role of English songs in Saudi students’ self-learning of English as a foreign language. The study employed one data collection tool which was an online questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 38 Saudi students at the Community College of King Saud University in the second semester of the academic year 2020. The examination and analysis of the data showed that listening to English songs motivated the Saudi students to learn English in a self-study mode, augmented their English vocabulary, improved their speaking skill and developed their spelling or writing skill to a considerable extent. It is, therefore, recommended that more large-scale quantitative or qualitative studies on the role of English songs in Saudi students’ self-learning of English as a foreign language be conducted to confirm the findings of the present study, challenge them or yield new ones.


Author(s):  
Oyarinde, Oluremi Noah ◽  
Komolafe, Olaide Gbemisola

The teaching and learning process is rapidly becoming technology driven with the integration of digital learning using of online learning platforms to facilitate instructional delivery. Google classroom learning platform is one of the effective ways of enhancing student active engagement in an online learning environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of Google classroom as an online learning delivery platform in secondary school during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. A mixed method approach was used in the study. Online questionnaire on Google Classroom Attitude Scale (GCAS) was used and online Semi-Structure Interview Guide (SSIG) developed by the researcher for data collection on the students’ perceptions on Google classroom. The researcher used Statistical Package of Social Science programme to calculate and analyse arithmetic mean, standard deviation and t-test. Content analysis was used for analysis of qualitative data. The participants were 140. The results showed that Google classroom platform as an online learning delivery positively affected students' academic achievement, attitudes and their perception during the pandemic in Nigeria’s secondary school. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that education stakeholders should effectively prepare students for the use of this platform for their learning activities during the pandemic. The platform is capable of assisting both students and teachers to connect, work together, create assignments, grade students and post learning materials. Likewise, students can also ask questions about the areas they do not understand. Hence, the advantages of the platform can be brought into usage for achieving quality in the teaching and learning process at all levels of education during the pandemic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-202
Author(s):  
Elias Bensalem

This paper reports on a study of how a group of tertiary level EFL teachers perceived and used mobile devices in their teaching and personal learning. One hundred and fifty teachers (66 female, 84 male) from public universities in Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire. Results showed that the majority of participants used mobile devices and applications in their teaching and learning. Survey data showed that the vast majority of teachers had positively perceived and frequently used mobile technologies in their teaching and personal learning. In addition, there was a correlation between teachers’ use of mobile technologies in their teaching and their use in learning. There was also a correlation between how teachers perceived the value of mobile technologies in learning, and how they use them in their teaching.


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