scholarly journals Medical Students’ English Language Learning: Needs and Perceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-190
Author(s):  
Amin Karimnia ◽  
Mohammad Reza Khodashenas
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Skills Use ◽  
English Language Skills

Summary This study investigated the medical students’ English language learning needs and their perceptions of ESP courses in an academic environment. To do this, 100 medical students studying medical sciences in the faculty of medicine in Mashhad, Iran, were selected as the participants. Hutchinson and Waters’ target language needs analysis framework was drawn on as the analytic model guiding the study. A needs analysis questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire designed to identify the learners’ perceptions of the frequency of English language skills/sub-skills use, the importance of English language learning, their ability in using language skills, their needs of language learning and their preferences of an English language course. After gathering and analyzing the data, it was found that reading skill is given priority by the students in terms of frequency of use, importance and proficiency. It also revealed that students need and prefer training in speaking, listening and communication skills. Considering the students’ perceptions of the current ESP course, the findings implied that the English language skills incorporated in the current ESP book for the medical students and the allocated time for this course are not compatible with the English language learning needs and wants of the students.

scholarly journals PROMOTING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING AMONG LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY LEARNERS THROUGH MOVIES

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-138
Author(s):  
ROZMEL ABDUL LATIFF ◽  
NOR HASNI MOKHTAR ◽  
RAJA HANANI RAJA MUSHAHAR ◽  
MICHI FARIDA ABDUL HALIM
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Target Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Comprehensible Input

English language learning in a non-native environment is always a challenge. This is especially so among limited English proficiency (LEP) learners. Despite having eleven years of instructions in English in primary and secondary school, there are still quite a number of LEP learners entering the university. This may be attributed to lack of exposure to the language, as classroom instruction alone is not sufficient for mastery of a second language. Although English is widely spoken in Malaysia, this does not apply to all communities, especially in rural areas. In such circumstances, watching movies in the target language can provide the necessary exposure, the ample amount of listening and reading in the target language, which provides the comprehensible input essential for language acquisition. Movies also come with closed captions, which not only help the learner recognize the words but also enable them to look up the words in a dictionary. An action research was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of using movies in a Foundation English course. This paper details the implementation of movie viewing in the course and presents the usability and appropriateness of using English movies in the acquisition of English language skills and creating cultural awareness among LEP learners. Finally, this paper highlights the learners’ responses regarding their experience in watching the movies. These responses provide invaluable insights into the impetus for future use of movies in the ESL classroom. Keywords: Comprehensible input; Cultural awareness; Limited english proficiency (LEP) learners; Language skills; Movies.

scholarly journals THE ROLE PLAYED BY FACEBOOK IN DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

2020 ◽  
pp. 11-22
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Facebook Use ◽  
Highly Effective ◽  
English Language Skills

This study investigates students’ perceptions about the use of Facebook as a popular forum of social media in relation to learning English as a foreign language. Their approaches while using Facebook and the nature of Facebook have also been examined. Data were collected from sixty-five undergraduate students through the tool of questionnaire. Findings suggest that Facebook use is highly effective in developing students’ different skills and areas of English language. Some of the possible threats to students’ proficiency have also been pointed out. The study concludes that students on the whole are positive about the advantages in English language learning while using Facebook. Facebook is not only use for messages, and talking but get something new for learning.

scholarly journals Establishing Learning Resource Center in the Department of Languages and Translation at the University of Tabuk

2021 ◽  
pp. 8-14
Author(s):  
Dr. Abdulrahman Alfahadi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Target Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Learning Resource ◽  
Resource Center ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
The University

Language proficiency is best raised through active and frequent use. It is important to provide students with maximum English exposure as well as meaningful and purposeful activities through which they can learn and apply the target language. A rich English language learning environment can be created by making full use of the time and resources both inside and outside the classroom. Based on previous studies and experiences of peer universities, developing learning resource center has become widespread in many universities, colleges, and schools. Accordingly, the current project attempts to develop a learning resource center for the Languages and Translation Department at the University of Tabuk. The project attempts to create a convenient place for the students of Tabuk University to facilitate and develop their language skills through resources and technologies. To achieve this objective of this project, the researcher has designed two questionnaires for the teachers and the students to collect the attitudes toward developing a learning resource center for the Department of Languages and Translation at the University of Tabuk.

Podcasting Technology for Student Engagement and English Language Learning in the Japanese Context

2021 ◽  
pp. 245-265
Author(s):  
Martin Parsons
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
University Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
21St Century ◽  
21St Century Skills ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
English Language Skills

Students are now expected to be able to develop the skills to use 21st century skills more than ever before, and to use them in English. However, the average university EFL student in Japan has limited English language skills or access to ICT in their education. Podcasting technology, relatively unknown in Japan, appears to offer great potential for improvements in the kinds of skills that will be in demand as students graduate into the workplace. This chapter examines the educational current situation in Japan and describes three different studies on the use of podcasts with university students.

scholarly journals Need Analysis: English Language Use by Students in the Tourism and Hospitality and Industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Passamon Lertchalermtipakoon ◽  
Umarungsri Wongsubun ◽  
Pongpatchara Kawinkoonlasate
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
The Difference ◽  
English Language Skills

This research had 3 objectives. First, to discover the main skills students studying in Tourism (TR) and Hospitality Industry (HI) need to successfully use English. Second, to ascertain the essential skills that students need in English language acquisition. Last, to investigate which skills students found to be the most problematic in English language learning. The informants of 160 students were split by the quota sampling method into two equally sized groups of 80 learners each; i.e., 80 were placed into the Tourism group and 80 into the Hospitably group. Twenty participants were selected equally from each academic year - from first year students to fourth year students - for placement into each category of TR and HI. To acquire relevant data a learner’s perception questionnaire was employed as well as interview questions. Average and standard deviation were used to examine the questionnaire data and content analysis for the interview data. There was a .05 difference statistically between the hospitality industry and tourism students’ English scores. The hospitality industry students scored slightly higher. Conversely, when comparing the different levels of students' attitudes in the 5 language skills, the tourism students scored higher than the hospitality industry students, yet the difference of .05 was also not statistically significant. Additionally, the outcome from a comparison of student satisfaction levels toward English teaching and learning, found that tourism students reported higher satisfaction levels than those of the hospitality industry students. However, the .05 degree of difference was not statistically significant. Also, neither of the student groups were significantly different in terms of enhancing their English skills. Additionally, the interview results showed that improving English language skills and grammatical structures were the skills the students' reported needing the most assistance with in their studies. Neither of the student groups were significantly different in terms of enhancing their English skills. The study found that the main reason that students of both majors desired to improve their English language skills was to improve their grades. The obstacles faced by the students in these two sample groups in using the English language are not very different, since most of the interviewed people reported that the skills of listening and speaking as being the greatest problems in their communication. Another similarity between the two sample groups was that students of both majors expressed a positive attitude toward their English language learning.

British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Students’ Manual: A Critical Analysis of the Coursebook Taught at Pakistani Universities for Academic Purposes (EAP) Students’ Manual: A Critical Analysis of the Coursebook Taught at Pakistani Universities

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Teaching Principles

English for Academic Purposes course focusing on the academic language needs of students is a subfield of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It is a type of specialized course to integrate specific subject matter, language content, and material based on learners’ needs. The study aims to evaluate the British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) coursebook in terms of content, sequencing, learners’ autonomy, motivation, feedback and focus on language skills. Furthermore, the study tries to provide a general perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of the coursebook for undergraduate students. The EAP Students’ Manual coursebook is used as a primary source for the data collection. The researcher has chosen Nation & Macalister (2010) model of language teaching principles to analyze and discuss the data. The study found the coursebook a useful, effective and an appropriate source of English language learning in terms of the investigated aspects of the book. The findings report that the coursebook provides practice and practical usage in all domains of the academically required English language skills. It helps the students to build language competency and to be more independent learners. In addition, it provides an opportunity to the learners to think in the target language, use the language more practically and learn it in a natural type of environment. The study concludes and suggests that the content needs to be supplemented with English language audios and videos presenting the students relevant documentaries and helping material in order to make the coursebook and the learning process more useful, effective, interesting and motivating. Furthermore, the study recommends that while choosing /designing a coursebook for a certain course, it needs to be evaluated following the various criteria and language-teaching-principles suggested by different language researchers.

Needs Analysis and Teachers' Perceptions: A Study of the English Undergraduate Students

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Teaching Aids

Needs Analysis in the context of language-learning-teaching is an important process to design a certain course and syllabus. It helps course designers to set objectives, choose content, method of instruction, appropriate teaching aids, and classroom activities for different courses. This paper reports the perceptions of the researchers on the English language learning needs of the English undergraduate students of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Sheringal, Pakistan. The data is based on the researchers’ personal experience and first-hand observation of the population as the researchers have been teaching in the target context for about a decade. Furthermore, the researchers have always been in discussion with their students and colleagues about the target students’ English learning needs, preferred learning styles, motivation in learning English, interest, strengths/weaknesses, and attitude toward English learning in the target setting. Learners’ assignments, exam answer sheets, and presentations have also been used is a source of data collection. A needs analysis model proposed by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) has been applied in order to analyze the data. The results show that the students lack well grammatical sentences, have poor spellings, capitalization problems, limited vocabulary, unaware of collocations, poor/slow reading comprehension, and lack of effective presentation skills. Furthermore, most of the students have a lack of involvement in classroom activities and feel shy about speaking the English language. It was reported that the provision of authentic material, interesting activities, suitable audio-visual aids, relevant texts, language labs, and other logistic arrangements can better help them in learning the English language. The findings demonstrate that the students wished to have a learner-centered-course that helps them excel in their academic life and learning the English language.

British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Students’ Manual: A Critical Analysis of the Coursebook Taught at Pakistani Universities

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Teaching Principles ◽  
Language Needs

English for Academic Purposes course focusing on the academic language needs of students is a subfield of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It is a type of specialized course to integrate specific subject matter, language content, and material based on learners’ needs. The study aims to evaluate the British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) coursebook in terms of content, sequencing, learners’ autonomy, motivation, feedback and focus on language skills. Furthermore, the study tries to provide a general perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of the coursebook for undergraduate students. The EAP Students’ Manual coursebook is used as a primary source for the data collection. The researcher has chosen Nation & Macalister (2010) model of language teaching principles to analyze and discuss the data. The study found the coursebook a useful, effective and an appropriate source of English language learning in terms of the investigated aspects of the book. The findings report that the coursebook provides practice and practical usage in all domains of the academically required English language skills. It helps the students to build language competency and to be more independent learners. In addition, it provides an opportunity to the learners to think in the target language, use the language more practically and learn it in a natural type of environment. The study concludes and suggests that the content needs to be supplemented with English language audios and videos presenting the students relevant documentaries and helping material in order to make the coursebook and the learning process more useful, effective, interesting and motivating. Furthermore, the study recommends that while choosing /designing a coursebook for a certain course, it needs to be evaluated following the various criteria and language-teaching-principles suggested by different language researchers.

scholarly journals Improving English Language Proficiency of Graduate Students by Online Learning Apps available on Smartphone

2019 ◽  
Vol IV (III) ◽  
pp. 535-543
Author(s):  
Shahida Naz ◽  
Mamuna Ghani ◽  
Shahid Nawaz
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language Skills

The field of digital literacy is developing rapidly; consequently, the interest of researchers has also shifted now. The current research study was to explore the role of online learning Apps available on smartphones in improving graduate students' English language proficiency. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in this study. Data were collected through a questionnaire that had close-ended and open-ended questions. Questionnaires were distributed among 480 graduate-level students studying in 6 universities of Punjab, Pakistan. Data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 22.0) to find out results in the form of Percentage, Mean Score, Standard Deviation by applying the Independent Sample T-Test. The results of the study demonstrated the potential of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) as an anticipatory approach to improving English language skills. Results showed that students were pleased to use smartphones to improve their English language proficiency. They responded positively about the role of smartphones in improving English language skills. On the basis of findings, the researcher concluded that smartphone plays an important role in improving students' English language proficiency.

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