Environmental Aspects of Successful English Language Teaching Practices in Rural Sabah Low Enrolment Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Norazrina Ag-Ahmad ◽  
Bernadette Peter Lidadun
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Environmental Aspects

This study explores the environmental aspects or concepts underlying successful English Language Teaching (ELT) as well as the support needed and the challenges that are faced by a group of primary school teachers in the context of a low enrolment school in a rural area in Sabah, Malaysia. This study adopted an exploratory qualitative approach which involved seven English language teachers who have had more than five years of teaching experience. A set of semi-structured interview questions were formulated to elicit data on the  concepts and the conditions that could either help or hinder the incorporation of those concepts in ELT. Qualitative analysis of participants’ interview data indicated that exposure to the target language, motivation and goals were the environmental aspects of language teaching practices that   affect students’ success in second language acquisition. Support from   parents, teachers and school authorities were essential in     assimilating these aspects in the teaching practices. It was found that the participants expressed tension between what they believed to be good practices and what they were restricted to do due to contextual barriers. Among the main barriers identified in this study were changes in education policy, insufficient financial support and infrastructure as well as lack of monitoring of the execution of activities in schools. Findings in this study have important implications to policy makers and curriculum developers.

scholarly journals University teachers’ perspectives on the use of mother tongue in ELT

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 80-93
Author(s):  
Trilok Datt Tiwari
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
L1 Use

The use of mother tongue (L1) in teaching English has always been a debatable issue as there are multiple opinions of the teachers regarding it. They are not sure to either use mother tongue in English language teaching or avoid it for effective teaching. The primary purpose of this phenomenological study of qualitative research was to find out the university teachers' perception on the use of mother tongue along with their effectiveness of L1 use at undergraduate level of Far Western University in Nepal. The participants of this study were four English language teachers teaching in the same university having more than ten years of teaching experience. The researcher used semi-structured interview and classroom observation for collecting data. The findings demonstrated that most of the teachers supported the judicious use of mother tongue in English language teaching classes based on their own experiences. The study also showed that overuse of L1 in second language (L2) classes might have some harm. It concludes that judicious use of L1 is a better way to deal with the students having poor proficiency in English language and enhance students' participation. The study recommends that teachers can make use of the students’ mother tongue purposefully whenever they think it is necessary to do in their classes.

scholarly journals Implications of Selected Use of Learner’s First Language in English Language Teaching

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Kang
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
First Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Social Functions ◽  
Limited Effect ◽  
Negative Impacts

This academic essay is an assessed coursework in Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching for taught postgraduate in School of Languages, Linguistics, Queen Mary University of London. This essay seeks to identify the necessity of inclusion of First Language  in foreign language teaching and its following positive and negative impacts. Involving Target Language in language lessons is a bright idea due to its cognitive, communicative and social functions, though it might cause a few problems, such as the limited effect on elite students, the inefficient and time- consuming learning process, student’s over-reliance of L1. In the end, the essay provides a few teaching suggestions for language teachers.

scholarly journals English language teaching professionals' trajectories within the context of learning organisations

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-65
Author(s):  
Beatrix Price
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Language Pedagogy ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
Context Of Learning

AbstractEnglish as a foreign language teachers' associations (henceforth ELTAs) act as empowering platforms for English Language Teaching (ELT) professionals (Lamb, 2012), and yet the contributions of ELTA leaders have not been widely investigated in the fields of second language acquisition and language pedagogy. In order to fill this niche, a qualitative interview study explored the professional trajectories of successful teacher trainers. The paper gives an account of the motivation for continuing professional development (CPD) through the turning points in these professionals' early careers. The findings suggest that there are some similarities behind the motivating factors for CPD and the increasing participation in social spheres (Lave & Wenger, 1991) leads to professional growth. Moving from the periphery towards the centre in a Community of Practice (CoP) the participants of CoPs become knowledge providers. The results reveal that after members have reached their own plateau and can no longer grow professionally in a particular CoP, they either move on to a different, often more challenging CoP and often belong to different CoPs and even end up as the leaders of ELTAs. Limitations and further research suggestions are included at the end of the paper.

scholarly journals Improving EFL Learners’ Oral Production through Reasoning-gap Tasks Enhanced with Critical Thinking Standards: Developing and Implementing a Critical TBLT Model, Pre-Task Plan, and Speaking Rubric

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Zeynep Yaprak ◽  
Fatma Kaya
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Oral Performance ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Task Model ◽  
Significant Difference

This study aims to design and implement a speaking task model following the principles of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and Critical Thinking (CT). The study mainly investigated to what extent the use of critical thinking standards had an impact on the students’ oral performance with respect to the linguistic trilogy of fluency, accuracy, and complexity. Experimental research design was conducted to examine the differences in research foci between the non-treatment and treatment groups. Data were drawn from 16 students of the English Language Teaching department and collected through the designed task rubric, speech samples, and semi-structured interview protocols. The findings indicated that adherence to relevant intellectual standards in reasoning-gap tasks had a positive effect on the oral performance of the speakers of the target language. Additionally, concerning two linguistic dimensions of accuracy (p=.00) and complexity (p=.00), MANOVA results showed a statistically significant difference between two main research groups. Based on the semi-structured interview findings, all participants in the treatment group reported positive views regarding their learning experiences and oral performance supported with critically enhanced reasoning-gap tasks. This study proposes language teachers a synthesized TBLT model enhanced with critical thinking standards. With this task model, suggested pre-task plan, and speaking rubric, they can boost their students’ intellectual agility and make them more intellectually and linguistically active in their oral performance.

scholarly journals Teach Effectively or Guide Wisely? Discussing the Application of Wisdom Approach to Language Teaching in Thai Higher Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Hye Jaime Chung ◽  
Xiaoxia Wei
Keyword(s):  
Common Good ◽  
English Language ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
The Common Good ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
The Common

This study aimed to explore English language teachers’ perceptions and their classroom practices toward the application of teaching the ‘common good’ by incorporating a moral and ethical side of education to English Language Teaching (ELT). The data were collected by using a mixed-method approach consisting survey questionnaire, semi-structured interview, and class observations. Thirty teachers who taught English language at an international university located in Thailand participated in this study. The results revealed that the English language teachers do have a positive perception of the significance and value of cultivating students to achieve the common good in order to help them grow as virtuous citizens. However, their practices in classroom did not match the general perceptions as their behaviors were more focused towards linguistic effectiveness rather than wise guidance. It is recommended that language teachers raise awareness of the holistic aspect of education by valuing the social role of language in ELT.

scholarly journals The Relationship betwen Second Language Acquisition Process and English Language Teaching in Indonesia

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pritz Hutabarat
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
Teachers And Students

<p>English as a global language is learned worldwide and a plethora of methods and approaches have been developed and practiced in English classrooms by dedicated teachers and students. Understanding the underlying theories of second and foreign language acquisition and learning will help both teachers and students in learning and teaching a target language. There has not been many research conducted in the area, especially within Indonesian context. This research therefore attempts to fill in gaps in a way that it provides sufficient discussion of the theories and practice in English Language Teaching (ELT) in Indonesia in its conjunction with the second and foreign language acquisition theories. Twenty eight students specializing in teacher training participated in the research and two distinguished data collection methods were utilized; survey and interview. The results show that the students are not consistent with their opinions concerning the theories of second or foreign language acquisition and learning in relation to the mastery of English as a foreign language in Indonesia.</p><p> </p><p>Keywords: language learning, language acquisition, ELT</p>

scholarly journals Proletarianization of English Language Teaching: Iranian EFL teachers and their alternative role as transformative intellectuals

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvin Safari
Keyword(s):  
Critical Pedagogy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Transformation Process ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Context Change ◽  
The Status

In the field of English Language Teaching (ELT), attention has been shifted toward the alternative role of teachers as transformative intellectuals whereby transformation in teaching occurs from control and technical operations to criticism and intellectual reflection. This role enables teachers to focus on marginalized students’ lived experiences and worlds to transform them into active and critical citizens who are emancipated to develop their voices and question the status quo. Through critically examining the learning milieu that maintains injustice and inequality, students struggle to connect it to sociopolitical conditions in wider society, and eventually transform it to meet the desired ideologies and thinking. This paper attempts to scrutinize teachers’ role as transformative intellectuals and their challenges through the transformation process. Thus, the researcher used purposive sampling to select 26 teachers in four private language institutes of Tehran, Shiraz, and Yazd, Iran to adopt the role of transformative intellectuals based on theoretical principles and concepts of critical pedagogy. Semi-structured interview and an online focus group were used to collect data. Data analysis disclosed transformations and benefits as well as the challenges resulting from teachers becoming transformative intellectuals. The fruitful findings of this study are insightful, since this study is an example to show how language teachers can create transformation in the EFL context, change their fossilized role, and empower oppressed students within the institutionalized and oppressive system of schooling.

scholarly journals Principled Eclecticism in the Classroom: Exploring the use of Alternative Methodologies in ELT

2021 ◽  
pp. 212-228
Author(s):  
Thomas Brett
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Dynamic Learning ◽  
Eclectic Approach

For a century, English language teaching has, for the main part, discarded behaviorist-inspired methodologies such as the Audio-lingual method for constructivist approaches characterized by the Communicative Approach. Exploring the tension between behaviorist/constructivist dichotomies and searching for common ground between the two schools of thought can give rise to alternative approaches. A ‘Principled Eclectic Approach’ to language teaching is one way whereby a pluralism of methodologies is favored in the pursuit of more effective Second Language Acquisition. Using Brown’s Post-Method Principles (2002) and Mellow’s Two Dimensional Model and Centring Principle (2002) as a guide and point of reference, teachers can gauge their approach and effectiveness in a more dynamic learning environment. A two-part research study aimed to introduce a more Principled Eclectic Approach to academic English language instruction in higher education. Firstly, translation aimed to let students bring their mother tongue into the classroom. The rationale for this exercise being that the more meaningful the encounter with the target language, the better the acquisition. The second experiment looked to use music as a way to create a more relaxed learning environment during reading comprehension activities. The premise being that we acquire language better when we are relaxed. Feedback from the study revealed that the content was balanced, coherent, met the needs of the learner and the needs of the wider syllabus. Students were positive when taking part in the lessons as they believed that the methodologies tested helped them with their English acquisition. Subsequently, they wanted further exposure to these methodologies.

scholarly journals Error Analysis: A Methodological Exploration and Application

2020 ◽  
Vol 2019 (1) ◽  
pp. 461
Author(s):  
Leigh McDowell
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Error Analysis ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Microsoft Word ◽  
Technological Barriers ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Learner Language

Error Analysis (EA) was initially conceived in early Second Language Acquisition research in the 1960s to investigate the systems underlying learner language and has since gained wider application in English Language Teaching research. However, for many language teachers, the practical and technological barriers to employing EA in their professional practices remain restrictively high. This paper demonstrates a simple yet robust procedure for EA that can be applied by anyone with access to the commonly available tools of Microsoft Word and Excel. Additionally, by drawing on data from an EA of 18 texts written by Japanese materials scientists, the paper illustrates how this procedure can inform language teaching practices by identifying the most pressing grammatical needs within a population of L2 English users. 本来、誤答分析（Error Analysis）は、語学学習者の言語の根本にあるシステムを調査する為に1960年代の初期第二言語習得（SLA）研究中に提案されていて、その後英語教授法（ELT）研究に広く使われるようになった。しかし、多くの語学教師等にとっては、仕事に誤答分析を用いるには技術的な壁が未だに高い。本論文では、一般的に使われているワードやエクセル等によって簡単で確実に誤答分析が出来る方法を紹介する。また、18名の日本人の材料科学研究者の文章の誤答分析のデータを用いて、どのようにしてこの方法を使って言語教育法を明確に出来るかを、第二言語として英語を話すグループの課題となる文法の必要性を示しながら、を説明する。

Dogme ELT: A Liberal Perspective in English Language Teaching in the Post-Methods Era

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-184
Author(s):  
Quang Nguyen Nhat ◽  
Hung Bui Phi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
English Language Teachers

This paper aims to make a critical discussion of Dogme ELT, an innovative pedagogy in English language teaching first developed by Thornbury (2000). This paper first provides a comprehensive review of second language acquisition and pedagogical theories as well as post-methods era perspectives in English language teaching. After that, the authors discuss different aspects of Dogme ELT and figure out the room for Dogme ELT in English language teaching in the post-methods era. Dogme ELT is rooted in a conglomerate of compatible theories in second language learning and teaching. The most noticeable perspective may be that the language teachers should not rely mainly on prescribed coursebooks, but teach design tasks based on learners’ problems and interests. There should be more studies on various aspects of Dogme ELT, although it satisfies most, if not all, basic principles in English language teaching theoretically. The authors also figure out gaps in research and recommendations for English language teachers and learners.

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