scholarly journals Pre-teaching Vocabulary in Teaching Reading Skill: A Hindrance to Learner Autonomy?

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-132
Author(s):  
Takad Ahmed Chowdhury ◽  
Arjumand Ara
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Receptive Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teaching Reading ◽  
Reading Text

Pre-teaching vocabulary of unfamiliar words of a reading or listening lesson is a technique used by English language teachers where they define and explain unfamiliar but essential words of the text just before the start of the comprehension task.Conversely, learner autonomy is an educational practice that refers to the learners' responsibility for their own learning, both in terms of what they learn and how they learn. These two diametrical ideals in English Language Teaching (ELT) demand research to justify pre-teaching vocabulary in teaching receptive language skills. Accordingly, this review paper investigated the effectiveness of pre-teaching vocabulary in teaching reading skills to English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners by reviewing recent literature. It sheds light on the concepts of learner autonomy, strategies to teach vocabularies in reading, pre-teaching vocabulary, and the extent pre-teaching is justified. This paper concludes that, while the principle of vocabulary pre-instruction is generally in conflict with that of learner autonomy, this particular strategy in ELT cannot be entirely disregarded to facilitate comprehension of a reading text and thus in promoting the use of target language, and can selectively be used by the teachers in interesting and useful ways. The study will help teachers to better understand to what extent pre-teaching vocabulary is useful and what strategies of this teaching technique can help motivate students to read and comprehend a reading text. Scope for future research is provided

scholarly journals A Gender-based Investigation of the Perception of English Language Teachers at Saudi Universities Regarding the Factors Influencing Learner Autonomy

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eidah Abdullah Al-malki
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Empirical Survey ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Gender Based

Learner autonomy has been a focus of attention in the realm of English Language Teaching (ELT) research nowadays and the study in hand is an attempt to investigate learner autonomy in theory and practice from the perspective of English language teachers. It aims to identify gender-based perceptions of English language teachers from a Saudi university regarding the role of the textbooks, study material, support of English language teachers, the students’ learning strategies, students’ motivation and self-evaluation in enhancing learner autonomy. This empirical survey has involved 30 male and 30 female (n=60) English language teachers from English language center of Taif University, Saudi Arabia to record their insights and views about their perceptions and prospects of these pedagogical constructs in their teaching practices. The participants of the study responded to a 35-point Likert-scale modified questionnaire to generate data. Independent-samples T-test has been run to calculate percentages of their responses as well as to identify any statistically significant gender-based differences. The results revealed that only six items out of the total 35 have shown significant gender-based differences in the perceptions of the participants of the survey. The findings have revealed that the participants of this study bear extremely positive attitudes towards the pedagogical significance of learner autonomy and have exhibited encouraging trends about the implementation of this construct in the classrooms. Recommendations have been forwarded based on the results of this survey.

scholarly journals Promoting Learner Autonomy

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-167
Author(s):  
Said OUSSOU
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Know How ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers

Learner autonomy has been the concern of a number of researchers in English language teaching. The concept has begun life since the 1980s. It has been considered in the Moroccan EFL context among the priorities of education, which English language teachers try to implement in their classes. Studies revealed that there are correlations between learner autonomy and other variables related to learners, which makes autonomy a subject of interest and thus an ability that should be fostered. As such, the present study aims at investigating the extent to which secondary EFL teachers promote autonomy in their learners. To achieve this purpose, a quantitative research design was employed in the study, generating and analyzing quantitative data. Therefore, a sample of 96 (57 males and 39 females) EFL teachers completed the questionnaire. Drawing on the findings, it was found that EFL teachers promote learner autonomy to a great extent and that the results were conclusive among the teachers’ rates of levels of agreement and disagreement regarding the strategies for promoting learner autonomy. Thus, it is concluded that the study reported on the extent to which teachers employ a number of strategies to promote learner autonomy and that it does not necessarily mean that the study explained the degree to which teachers know how to implement those strategies, as this would be beyond the purpose of the present study.

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 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 Do Admission Requirements Matter? A Comparison of the Requirements for Admission to the ELT programs in the Netherlands and Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Asmalı ◽  
Handan Çelik
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Admission Requirements ◽  
International English

Qualifications of language teachers affect their students' language development and proficiency. Turkish learners' low performance in international English proficiency indices requires an investigation of the qualifications of language teachers from a critical point of view. Without doubt, one of the crucial qualifications that language teachers need to possess is a high proficiency and competency in the target language. However, graduating from different programs in high schools, students are placed in English language teaching (ELT) programs with limited English proficiency. Considering the success of the Netherlands as the top country in international English proficiency indices, this study aims to find the admission requirements of the ELT programs in the Netherlands, to compare them with the ones in Turkey, and to suggest comprehensive admission requirements for ELT programs in Turkey. In this regard, a document analysis merging a detailed analysis of information regarding the admission requirements of the ELT programs in both countries and national and international statistics was conducted. Consequently, some recommendations regarding the likely changes to be made in the admission requirements to the ELT programs in Turkey are made.

scholarly journals Authoritative discourse in a locally-published ELT textbook in Thailand

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naratip Jindapitak ◽  
Yusop Boonsuk
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Future Research ◽  
English Teacher ◽  
Persuasive Discourse ◽  
Dominant Ideologies ◽  
Internally Persuasive Discourse ◽  
Authoritative Discourse

This study examines cultural contents in a locally-published English language teaching (ELT) textbook for primary 6 students in Thailand. It aims to investigate whether the locally-published textbook depicts sources and themes of cultures in a way that perpetuate and reproduce dominant ideologies and how cultural contents in the locally-published textbook were dealt with by an English teacher in the classroom. Grounded on Bakhtin’s notions of authoritative discourse and internally persuasive discourse, the findings revealed that there were mismatches between the cultural representation in the textbook and students’ lived experiences. Concerning how cultural contents were represented in the classroom, there was no evidence that the teacher assisted learners to forge effective linkages between authoritative discourse and their everyday life. The findings are discussed regarding how cultural contents are ideologically depicted in the textbook and how the cultural contents adversely affect students’ learning experience. Implications and recommendations for textbook authors, language teachers, and future research are presented.

scholarly journals Sustainable Development of EFL/ESL Learners’ Willingness to Communicate: The Effects of Teachers and Teaching Styles

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 396
Author(s):  
Xuemei Chen ◽  
Jean-Marc Dewaele ◽  
Tiefu Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Styles ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Willingness To Communicate ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Culture Of Learning

Willingness to communicate in a second or foreign language (L2 WTC) is an important individual difference variable that influences the target language learning process. To cultivate students’ communicative competence for sustainable development and help them become active citizens of the global world, language teachers and educators need to understand L2 WTC and find ways to promote it. The present study explores the effects of teachers and teaching styles (TTS) on L2 WTC of Chinese learners of English, through a comparison of a group of 148 students in mainland China and 73 Chinese students abroad. Respondents filled out online questionnaires concerning their attitudes and perceptions of TTS and self-reported L2 WTC inside and outside classrooms. Eight of them also participated in interviews. Results revealed significant differences in TTS between the two groups and a generally low WTC among them. TTS were linked more strongly to L2 WTC in the group in mainland China. The differences are attributed to the discrepancy in social expectations, culture of learning and the opportunity to use English outside the classroom while abroad. This study may provide insights into English language teaching pedagogy from the perspective of English as a pluricentric language.

scholarly journals Interaction In the English Language Classroom: A Review of Teacher Questions

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 513-520
Author(s):  
Bala Salisu Abubakar ◽  
Shamala A/P Paramasivam ◽  
Lee Geok Imm ◽  
Sharon Sharmini
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Question Type ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
English Classroom

Teachers' questions in the English language classroom are an essential way of teaching English. Teachers must be aware of the types of questions that can help students learn the target language. Students, on the other hand, did not actively participate in learning, especially when responding to questions from teachers. To address this issue, teachers must modify their questions using various techniques in order to elicit responses from students. This study examines twenty studies selected from the Google scholar on the role of teacher questioning pattern in motivating students' participation in English language classrooms, as well as the classification of modification questions used by teachers when teaching English. We examine current teachers' questioning patterns before reviewing previous research on the most common question type activity in the English classroom. According to the findings, display questions are frequently used by English language teachers as a better approach than referential and other questioning types. Other knowledge-based analyses were discovered to be carried out in order to extract useful features that reduce the risk of better activity, demonstrating that students continue to struggle with high-dimensional and important subjects when answering referential questions. Finally, we highlight some outstanding issues for future research in this area that researchers should consider.

scholarly journals Motivational Strategies among English Language Teachers: An Examination in Higher Education Institutions in the Malaysian Context

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhaida Omar ◽  
Nik Ahmad Farhan bin Azim @ Nik Azim ◽  
Noor Syamimie Mohd Nawi ◽  
Noraini Zaini
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Teacher Behavior ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Motivational Strategies ◽  
Context Specific

Little attention was given to explore and understand motivational strategies among English language (EL) teachers, particularly at higher education institutions (HEIs), despite the on-going interest on this matter. Identifying which strategies are adaptive and maladaptive could help them to promote student motivation in return. This study aims to identify the degree of importance and implementation of motivational strategies among EL teachers and explore to what extent they implement the strategies that they perceived as important. The online questionnaires were distributed to 49 teachers at 11 public universities in Malaysia, and ten of them were interviewed. The findings of this study suggested the implementation of motivational strategies heavily depended on teachers’ perceived motivation in teaching. The highest-rated strategy was Proper Teacher Behavior, and the least preferred was Promote Learner Autonomy, indicating that teacher behavior as an important element in ensuring effective language learning. Next, despite the findings that most students are not ready for learner autonomy, the teachers appeared to have a more positive outlook on the inclusion of learner autonomy, and this contradicts findings of previous studies in the Asian contexts. It also indicates that motivational strategies are neither cultural nor context-specific. However, some strategies are still regarded as very practical, while some are less practical in different learning situations. Future research may include private universities to contribute to the knowledge gap on the lack of information on this topic and eventually enable academics to engage in motivational strategies research across all HEIs in Malaysia.

scholarly journals Practical Ideas on Developing Learner Autonomy for Young Learners

2021 ◽  
pp. 266-280
Author(s):  
Senem Üstün Kaya ◽  
İnci Keçik,
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Lesson Plan ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Language Awareness ◽  
Young Learners

The aim of this study is to present a lesson and sample materials to provide language teachers with opportunities to enhance and maintain learner autonomy for young learners in English language teaching classes. To this end, a traditional short story for children was chosen, and activities were created to help young learners develop a deeper sense of language awareness as well as encourage them to control their own learning. Initially, this practical paper introduces the theoretical background to the study. It then presents the methodology section where a model that promotes learner autonomy is briefly described and, subsequently, the procedure section where the activities involved in the lesson plan are defined along with their relevance to learner autonomy. In the end, following the class observations, several implications and practical suggestions are provided.

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