scholarly journals Autonomous Learning Levels of Students Majoring in EFL and the Role of their Teachers in Developing Autonomous Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 724
Author(s):  
Anwar Abdelrazeq
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Autonomous Learning ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
University Instructors ◽  
English Majors ◽  
High Level ◽  
The University ◽  
English Students

Learning a foreign language is greatly enhanced when learners are autonomous and enjoy a high level of autonomy in a myriad of activities. The current study investigated the levels of autonomy among senior non-native English students and the role of their university instructors in promoting autonomous learning. More specifically, the study examined the autonomous learning levels of 4th year non-native English majors and the role that the university instructors are playing in developing these non-native English majors’ autonomous levels from students' perspectives. The data was gathered by  semi-structured interviews. The sample of the study consists of 30 out of 100 students. Data collected were analyzed qualitatively using the thematic analysis method. The results of the study showed that generally non-native English majors enjoy a high level of autonomy in some activities ranging from the beginning to intermediate level. Pertaining to their instructors’ roles in developing and improving their level of autonomy, the results showed that some students do not consider it a teacher’s responsibility, whereas  others indicated that it is incumbent upon the instructors to guide and train students on how to be autonomous and improve their level of autonomy. The reasons behind the results of the study, implications and recommendations for non-native English majors and university instructors are discussed.

Tertiary English-majored Students’ Perceptions toward the Role of Pronunciation in English Language Learning and their Practicing Strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-279
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
The University

Accurate pronunciation has a vital role in English language learning as it can help learners to avoid misunderstanding in communication. However, EFL learners in many contexts, especially at the University of Phan Thiet, still encounter many difficulties in pronouncing English correctly. Therefore, this study endeavors to explore English-majored students’ perceptions towards the role of pronunciation in English language learning and examine their pronunciation practicing strategies (PPS). It involved 155 English-majored students at the University of Phan Thiet who answered closed-ended questionnaires and 18 English-majored students who participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that students strongly believed in the important role of pronunciation in English language learning; however, they sometimes employed PPS for their pronunciation improvement. Furthermore, the results showed that participants tended to use naturalistic practicing strategies and formal practicing strategies with sounds, but they overlooked strategies such as asking for help and cooperating with peers. Such findings could contribute further to the understanding of how students perceive the role of pronunciation and their PPS use in the research’s context and other similar ones. Received 10th June 2019; Revised 12th March 2020; Accepted 12th April 2020

scholarly journals Mobilizing foreign language students for multilingual crisis translation in Shanghai

Multilingua ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 587-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongyan Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Local Community ◽  
University Student ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Close Collaboration ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Student Volunteers ◽  
The University

AbstractThis paper examines the multilingual translation efforts of a group of university student volunteers during the COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of the volunteer team leader, team members, and a local community health worker. Findings identified time constraints, limited language proficiency, and limited technical knowledge as the major challenges confronting the university volunteers. In order to overcome the challenges, they worked in close collaboration and used translingual and network strategies to facilitate prompt and high-quality crisis translation. Findings suggest that foreign language university students in local universities may serve as readily available multilingual resources and can be mobilized in prompt response to the grassroots multilingual needs of the local community in times of crisis. The paper ends with implications for measures and strategies to enhance effective emergency language service and crisis communication for global multilingual cities.

The Changing Role of the Teacher in ICT-Supported Foreign Language Instruction

2020 ◽  
pp. 333-349
Author(s):  
Saša Podgoršek
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Foreign Language Instruction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
The Impact

This chapter aims to explore the teacher´s role in foreign language instruction (FLI) supported by information and communication technology (ICT). The recent research on the impact of ICT on the teacher´s role in FLI indicates changes in the role of the teacher. However, there has been little empirical evidence on the nature of this change in foreign language classes. To fill this research gap, a multiple-case study of three teachers and 78 students in three secondary school classes in Slovenia was conducted. This chapter presents an in-depth analysis of sections of semi-structured interviews and class observations exploring the five categories of change of the teacher role identified by Podgoršek. The findings confirm these categories in general, but they also show which sub-categories of change are hard to achieve in real school environment.

TBLT in Business English Communication

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Business English ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Research on the use of task-based language teaching (TBLT) with digital technologies has increased over the last few years but few studies have focused specifically on its use with blended learning involving international undergraduate learners studying in a UK higher education context. This paper explores the role of a task-based approach with international students learning business communication in English with a focus on the use of two collaborative digital technologies to aid blended learning: the video conferencing software Adobe Connect and the virtual world of Second Life. The study was guided by two research questions: What are the strengths and challenges presented by each application in terms of aiding authentic task completion? How can the applications be used to support task-based learning in a blended format? A year-long study with students at a UK university utilised semi-structured interviews, observations and in-world ethnography. The research highlights the importance of a number of design principles necessary for effective task-based learning in a blended approach and calls for more research on the type of support required by international undergraduates to aid them fulfil their potential in foreign language environments.

scholarly journals Blackboard as a Motivator for Saudi EFL Students: A Psycholinguistic Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 144
Author(s):  
Jamal Kaid Mohammed Ali
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Virtual Classes ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Methods Of Learning ◽  
Motivating Factor ◽  
The University ◽  
English Students

Blackboard is a learning management system (LMS) that provides students with an opportunity to access the course at their convenience. Blackboard makes it possible for students to do online activities, interact with other students and their teachers, review instructional materials, and listen to the recorded classes. Students can also attend live lectures and discussion via virtual classes (collaborative blackboard) from homes, cafés, or from anywhere they choose. All of these features can be accessed by students anytime and anywhere. This facility might motivate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students to study effectively and efficiently. The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of Blackboard system in teaching and learning and evaluate its influence on motivating Saudi English students. It looks at the role of Blackboard on English students’ motivation from their own point of view and tries to determine whether or not students encounter issues that affect their motivation. El-Seoud et al. (2014, p. 2) believe that “the success or failure of online instruction is perhaps related to student motivation”. This study is conducted at the University of Bisha in Saudi Arabia. The sample consisted of 80 students from the English Department. This is a mixed method study of the students who use Blackboard for online learning. The study found that using Blackboard motivated students to work harder and learn better than traditional methods of learning. It also found that students believe that Blackboard is a motivating factor. Some demotivating factors have also been identified in this study.

Features of teaching a foreign language in the digital educational environment of the University

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-57
Author(s):  
Tat'yana Tancura
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Language Competence ◽  
Electronic Learning ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

The article examines the impact of the digitalization process on the creation and use of modern electronic tools and technologies for teaching a foreign language in higher education. The article presents the main electronic tools and technologies that are used in the Financial University during the educational process of teaching a foreign language. The author notes the effectiveness of the implementation of the personality-oriented approach, which is provided by individualization and differentiation of training using the Bank of test tasks created by university teachers, and the electronic educational platform Rosetta Stone Advanced. The use of electronic learning tools and digital technologies allows to develop self-organization of the student. Changing the role of the teacher to the role of the manager of educational activities contributes to the formation of the ability to constant self-studying the student throughout his professional and social life. The effectiveness of the electronic learning tools use is proved by the high level of students’ foreign language competence and their assessment of the foreign language teachers’ pedagogical activity with the results of the survey "Students’ view on teachers".

The Role of Intercultural Approach in Teaching Foreign Languages at the University

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 65-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Л. Иванова ◽  
L. Ivanova ◽  
Е. Лукомская ◽  
E. Lukomskaya
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Modern Language ◽  
Cultural Approach ◽  
The University ◽  
Different Cultures

The article deals with a new trend in foreign language teaching based on the cross-cultural approach. The challenge for teachers today is to develop students common, communicative and language competences which are essential conditions for the realization of such a task of modern language policy as the establishment of mutual understanding between different cultures. The components of communicative competence are established. The development of communicative competence is considered to be an obligatory condition for mutual understanding between nations in modern world.

scholarly journals Entry barriers and “Glass Roof” in University Management in Colombia

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (65) ◽  
pp. 18-30
Author(s):  
Cristian Bedoya Dorado ◽  
Mónica García-Solarte ◽  
Juan Sebastián Peña-Zúñiga ◽  
Steven Alejandro Piñeros Buriticá
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
University Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Social ◽  
Management Positions ◽  
The University ◽  
The Relationship

Management in the context of higher education has been characterized by the predominance of male participation, mainly in senior management positions. As a result, women’s low participation is mainly concentrated in lower management positions, and their chances of escalating hierarchical positions are mediated by various factors ranging from subjective to socially naturalized. The objective of this research is to analyze the barriers women face to enter and escalate positions in university management in Colombia. Under a qualitative design, 26 semi-structured interviews were applied to university managers from different institutions of higher education in Colombia. The transcripts were analyzed using discourse analysis through three categories: individual, internal, and external barriers of the university. It was found that women face entry and promotion barriers marked by experiences, and conditions of inequality and discrimination in a male-dominated context. These barriers are conditioned by personal elements, organizational culture, and the social role of women. In addition, women’s trajectories involve mediation between professional development and family life. The study reveals experiences that contribute to understanding the research phenomenon from the webbing of senses and meanings. It is posited that the “glass ceiling” is mediated by variables in the internal order, and by the relationship between universities and their context.

scholarly journals Didattica delle lingue a distanza durante l’emergenza Covid-19: il quadro generale

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Conti
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Digital Format ◽  
Palabras Clave ◽  
High Level ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

IT In seguito allo spostamento delle attività didattiche online al fine di contenere la diffusione della malattia da nuovo Coronavirus, il Gruppo di Ricerca e azione sull’Apprendimento delle Lingue ha diffuso un questionario volto a valutare l’impatto della didattica a distanza sull’insegnamento delle lingue straniere durante. All’indagine hanno partecipato 136 docenti e 241 studenti, sia universitari che di scuola secondaria. Scopo del presente contributo è quello di descrivere la composizione del questionario e del campione dei rispondenti, e di riportare i principali risultati. In particolare, dall’indagine sono emersi: (i) una mancanza di chiare direttive da parte delle istituzioni scolastiche, sintomo del carattere emergenziale delle misure intraprese; (ii) una generale resistenza a sperimentare formati didattici inediti e più adeguati al mezzo digitale; (iii) il maggiore svantaggio nello sviluppo delle abilità interazionali e di produzione orale; (iv) un alto grado di criticità nel garantire l’affidabilità e l’integrità delle prove di valutazione. Parole chiave: DIDATTICA A DISTANZA; COVID-19; DIDATTICA DELLE LINGUE STRANIERE EN The shift to online teaching aimed at containing the spread of Coronavirus has led the group of Research and Action on Foreign Language Teaching to release a survey with the purpose of assessing the impact of remote instruction on foreign language teaching. 136 teachers and 241 students at both the university and secondary level have participated in this survey. The aim of this article is to describe the content of the survey and the make-up of the participants and to present the main findings. Of particular note from this survey is (i) the lack of clear directives from their educational institutions, which is a symptom of the immediate nature of the measures put into place; (ii) a generalized resistance to experiment with new pedagogical resources that are better suited for the digital format; (iii) the greatest challenge in developing the ability to interact and to communicate orally; (iv) a high level of difficulty in guaranteeing the trustworthiness and the integrity of the assessments. Key words: REMOTE TEACHING; COVID-19; FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING ES El cambio a la enseñanza en línea que se ha producido para contener la propagación del Coronavirus ha llevado al Grupo de Investigación y Acción sobre la Enseñanza de Lenguas Extranjeras a publicar una encuesta con el objetivo de evaluar el impacto de la instrucción a distancia en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras. En dicha encuesta participaron 136 profesores y 241 estudiantes de nivel universitario y secundario. El objetivo de este artículo es describir el contenido de la encuesta y la composición de la muestra, así como presentar los principales hallazgos. De esta encuesta cabe destacar (i) la falta de directrices claras por parte de las instituciones educativas, lo que es un síntoma del carácter contingente de las medidas implementadas; (ii) una resistencia generalizada a experimentar con nuevos recursos pedagógicos mejor adaptados al formato digital; (iii) una gran desventaja en el desarrollo de la capacidad de interacción y comunicación orales; (iv) un alto nivel de dificultad para garantizar la fiabilidad y la integridad de las evaluaciones. Palabras clave: ENSEÑANZA A DISTANCIA; COVID-19; ENSEÑANZA DE LENGUAS EXTRANJERAS

scholarly journals TO IDENTIFY THE READINESS OF STUDENTS OF TEHRAN UNIVERSITY TO PROJECT ACTIVITIES IN TEACHING RUSSIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

2020 ◽  
pp. 257-263
Author(s):  
Джоландан Нахид Шейхи ◽  
Мина Зангане
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Theoretical Knowledge ◽  
Project Method ◽  
Iranian Students ◽  
The University

Проведено эмпирическое исследование по определению уровня теоретических знаний студентов Тегеранского университета, изучающих русский язык, об основных понятиях и сущности метода проектов, его типологиях и этапах работы над проектом, необходимых умениях при выполнении проектов на уроках и вне уроков. С помощью анкетирования выявлена степень знакомства иранских студентов с проектным методом, а также их готовность к проектной деятельности. Показаны ожидания студентов разных курсов перед выполнением творческих и игровых типов проектов, их представления о роли преподавателя при выборе и реализации проектов. Предложено применение проектного метода при обучении русскому языку как иностранному в Иране для повышения мотивации студентов к изучению русского языка. An empirical study was conducted to determine the level of theoretical knowledge of students of the University of Tehran studying Russian, about the main concepts and essence of the project method, its typologies and stages of work on the project, the necessary skills when performing projects in the classroom and outside the classroom. The survey revealed the degree of familiarity of Iranian students with the project method, as well as their readiness for project activities. The expectations of students of different courses before performing creative and game types of projects, their ideas about the role of the teacher in the selection and implementation of projects are shown. Russian Russian as a foreign language in Iran is proposed to use the project method to increase the motivation of students to learn Russian.

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