Convergence or Divergence in EFL Teachers’ and Learners’ Beliefs on Using Smartphones in Learning English: The Case of Master1 Students - University of Tlemcen (Algeria)

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 246-263
Author(s):  
Fatima Zohra Belkhir-Benmostefa
Keyword(s):  
Access To Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Screen Size ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Quantitative Design ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Small Screen ◽  
Learning English

The present study attempts to investigate Algerian EFL teachers and learners’ outlooks vis-à-vis the use of smartphones in learning English. The aim from undertaking this study is partially to gain insights into the awareness of Algerian EFL teachers and learners on the importance of integrating smartphones in EFL classroom and partially to find out how much convergent and divergent Algerian teachers and students’ beliefs are in terms of using smartphones in learning English. The study sample consisted of 10 teachers and 30 students of the Department of English in Master 1 level who were enrolled in the academic year of 2019-2020. Data were collected using a questionnaire to examine the students’ beliefs on their use of smartphones in learning English while semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers. Using the descriptive quantitative design, the findings reveal convergence in teachers’ and students’ responses in that they both show positive attitudes towards using smartphones in learning English. This is because learning English with smartphones results in more motivated students, increased exposure to English, extended vocabulary and easier access to information regardless time and place. Even though, a number of challenges were raised from the part of both teachers and students including the small screen size of their smartphones and slow network connections. On the basis of these results, some pedagogical implications and directions were recommended in the end.

scholarly journals AN INVESTIGATION OF THE USE OF THE FIRST LANGUAGE IN LIBYAN EFL CLASSROOMS

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Safia Mujtaba Alsied
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
First Language ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Efl Classrooms ◽  
Students Attitudes

This article attempts to explore the use of first language (Arabic) in the Libyan EFL classrooms as well as teachers' and students' attitudes towards using it. To this end, 5 Libyan EFL teachers and 143 Libyan EFL undergraduate students from the English department of Sebha University took part in the study. Data were gathered through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicated that the Libyan EFL students had positive attitudes towards using Arabic in the classroom to some degree; however, they were in favor of using English more than Arabic. It was also found that the students employed Arabic frequently to translate words from English into Arabic. The results also reported that the Libyan EFL teachers used Arabic in their classrooms to accomplish many purposes such as helping students to understand, giving instructions, emphasizing information and giving the meaning of new and unfamiliar words. Additionally, teachers held positive attitudes towards the use of Arabic inside the classroom, but they were of the opinion that Arabic can be only used in certain cases and it should not be overused.

scholarly journals An Inquiry into Saudi EFL Teachers and Students’ Perceptions of EFL Virtual Classes and Its Relation to Learner Autonomy

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Abrar Khalawi ◽  
Maha Halabi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Virtual Classes ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
Academic Year

The purpose of this research paper is to explore Saudi foundation-year teachers and students’ perceptions of the use of virtual classes for teaching or learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the English Language Institute (ELI) in King Abdulaziz University (KAU). The data for this study was collected through questionnaires from a total of 20 teachers and 22 students. The survey was conducted during the second semester of the academic year 2019-2020, and the data was analyzed quantitatively. The overall results of the questionnaires demonstrate that the majority of teachers and students held positive attitudes towards EFL virtual classes, however, they prefer face-to-face classrooms. Additionally, some participants admitted the huge role virtual classes play in improving learners’ autonomy.

scholarly journals Teachers’ Perspectives of the use of CLT in ELT Classrooms: A Case of Soran District of Northern Iraq

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Serwan Husein Taha SHERWANI ◽  
Mehmet KILIÇ
Keyword(s):  
Communicative Language Teaching ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Northern Iraq ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Teacher Factors ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers Attitudes ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

This mixed-method study aims at exploring Iraqi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ attitudes towards Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). The study was conducted in Soran town, in the northern part of Iraq. The participants of the study were 58 EFL teachers from secondary and high school classrooms. In the first phase, a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire was administered (Karavas-Doukas, 1996) to examine the participants’ attitudes towards CLT principles: “place/importance of grammar, group/pair work, quality and quantity of error correction, the role of the teacher in the classroom, the role and contribution of learners in the learning process.” The second phase of the study was qualitative and consisted of semi-structured interviews to examine the reasons behind the implementation of CLT in terms of the factors that hinder and encourage the implementation of CLT in the Iraqi setting. The results of the quantitative analysis revealed that the teachers held overall positive attitudes towards the use of CLT. The findings of the interview phase concluded that the main factors that cause the failure and success of the implementation of CLT in Iraq can be categorized under four headings: educational factors, teacher factors, student factors, and CLT factors. The results of the study suggest that the educational system and the teachers’ communicative competence are essential to promote the employment of CLT in Iraqi EFL classrooms.

scholarly journals STUDY OF MOTIVATION TYPES OF ENGLISH-MAJORING STUDENTS AND DEMOTIVATING FACTORS - IN THE CONTEXT OF NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MONGOLIA, ERDENET SCHOOL

2020 ◽  
pp. 083
Author(s):  
Solongo Shagdarsuren ◽  
Ulambayar Batchuluun ◽  
Daniel Lindbergh Lang
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Credit Hours ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
National University ◽  
English Learning Motivation ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Learning English

A decline in number of credit hours of English courses for English-majoring students at National University of Mongolia is forcing teachers and students to focus on how to learn English more effectively and what factors would affect that process within credit hours allowed at the university. However, the English teaching class hours in Mongolian secondary schools have been increasing for the last few years, due to the interest in learning English as a foreign language, and resulting in a growth in the demand for English teachers. This study has a goal to investigate into motivation of English-majoring students towards learning English and the factors affecting them to be demotivated. Twenty students studying English as a major at National University of Mongolia, Erdenet School completed the research questionnaire  which intended to discover English learning motivation through 12 items and attended focus group interview with 5 questions to find internal and external demotivating factors in 2019-2020 academic year. The students had instrumental orientation and demonstrated a strong desire to learn English. Furthermore, they were demotivated by their teachers’ and classmates’ attitudes and living conditions. The researchers suggested some recommendations based on the study findings. 

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Technology Integration in EFL Classrooms: The Case of Kuwaiti Government Primary Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Maha Bader Alghasab ◽  
Anaam Alfadley ◽  
Amel M. Aladwani
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Parental Support ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers

Previous Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) research has shown that technology is beneficial for promoting language learning, but some teachers neither use technology as an assisted tool nor integrate it into their language classrooms. It has also been argued that the integration of technology has been unsuccessful in Kuwait. This study aims to explore the factors influencing teachers’ use of technology in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom in Kuwaiti government primary schools. More specifically, it aims to highlight factors promoting and hindering EFL teachers’ use of technology. For the purpose of this study, 55 questionnaire responses were collected from different primary school teachers in Kuwait, followed up with 15 semi-structured interviews. The study findings show that Kuwaiti primary school EFL teachers who participated in the current study demonstrated positive attitudes towards using technology and acknowledged the implementation of some cutting-edge technologies in their classrooms. Enhancing students’ language learning, innovation and school support were the main factors that encouraged the participating teachers to use technology. Other factors hindered the use of technology; particularly those related to lack of parental support, personal expenses and health problems, teachers’ lack of skills and training, poor classroom infrastructure, and time constraints/workload. The findings also reveal that the lack of professional development training workshops provided by the Ministry of Education led the Kuwaiti teachers to rely more on informal training in which they worked and learnt together with their colleagues in small sub-groups to improve their use of technology. The study findings have implications for policymakers and other stakeholders intending to integrate technology in Kuwaiti primary schools.

Attitudes and Motivation of Afghan Students toward Learning English

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-33
Author(s):  
Zabihullah Alimyar
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Learning Anxiety ◽  
Fields Of Study ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Language Learning Anxiety ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Learning English

AbstractThis study investigated Afghan students’ attitudes and motivation toward learning English at six different universities in Afghanistan. Several factors were believed to influence their success in learning English (i.e., motivation types as a major factor together with variables, such as gender, grades, fields of study, parental/teacher involvement, language learning anxiety and academic achievement). In searching for a reliable attitudinal profile of the subjects, quantitative research methodology was adopted along with mixed research techniques. The data was collected from 457 university students (273 male and 184 female) and 12 university EFL teachers through questionnaires and interviews. The findings showed that most of the Afghan university students held a positive attitude toward learning English and they were highly influenced by three types of motivation (i.e., instrumental, integrative, and intrinsic). Significant differences were found in the attitudes of students in terms of their fields of study, grades, and language learning anxiety. Interestingly, the findings also showed that some students were demotivated to learn EFL due to the propagation that English will no longer widely be used if NATO and US forces leave Afghanistan. It is suggested that EFL teachers should adopt motivational strategies in their classes to develop students’ positive attitudes and enhance their motivation toward learning EFL.

scholarly journals English as a foreign language—teachers’ perspectives on implementing online instruction in the Iranian EFL context

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Dashtestani
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Online Instruction ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Blended Instruction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

This study set out to explore Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions on the implementation of online EFL instruction. A mixed-methods design, including semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, was employed for the specific purposes of this study. A total of 242 EFL teachers participated in the questionnaire phase of the study. In addition, 46 EFL teachers participated in the interview phase of the study. The teachers worked at a number of universities, schools and language-teaching institutions in Iran. Results suggest that although the Iranian EFL teachers adopted moderately positive attitudes towards the implementation of online instruction, the majority of them preferred blended instruction to online instruction. At the same time, the study revealed that the implementation of online EFL instruction in Iran is challenging due to a number of perceived impediments and obstacles. The most considerable perceived challenges to the implementation of online EFL instruction comprise lack of online facilities and resources, lack of interaction in online instruction, cultural resistances to online instruction and teachers’ limited knowledge of online instruction. The findings of this study provided crucial insights into teachers’ perspectives on a number of measures that can be adopted to facilitate the integration of online instruction in the EFL context of Iran. The findings would provide valuable insights for educational authorities and course designers to integrate online instruction into the EFL curriculum.Keywords: online instruction; blended instruction; teachers' attitudes; challenges; English as a foreign language(Published: 14 March 2014)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2014, 22: 20142 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v22.20142

scholarly journals The Influence of Linguistic Insecurity on Thai EFL Teachers’ Teaching Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (8) ◽  
pp. 35-44
Author(s):  
Palatee Jantri ◽  
Pilanut Phusawisot
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Performance ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Public Secondary School ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Linguistic Insecurity

Using a case study approach, this study focused on teachers’ linguistic insecurity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of Thai EFL teachers’ linguistic insecurity on their teaching performance. The data were obtained from classroom observation and semi-structured interviews. Using a purposive sampling, the participants were two Thai EFL teachers who were in-service teachers at a public secondary school in the northeastern part of Thailand. The study was conducted in the second semester of the 2020 academic year. Data were analyzed by using content analysis to identify themes. The results of the study indicated that the participants perceived that linguistic insecurity influenced their teaching performance in three aspects: lack of confidence about English knowledge, poor performance in English language teaching, and negative self-concept toward their English language ability. The discussion of findings, pedagogical implications, and recommendations for further investigations were also discussed.

scholarly journals Investigating Omani College Teachers’ Perspective on Critical Media Literacy

2021 ◽  
pp. 259-272
Author(s):  
Asma Al Aufi
Keyword(s):  
Media Literacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Social Progress ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Critical Media Literacy ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Critical Media

Despite the numerous benefits presented within Critical Media Literacy (CML) in understanding societies, cultures, and even our values globally, the lack of teacher preparation, including English language teachers, in teaching (CML) skills remains noteworthy. Such education could arm teachers with sufficient media literacy competence to pass on to students’ capabilities in democratic self-expression and social progress. The research gap that exists, therefore, leads to this qualitative research study where the aim is to explore how a group of five College EFL teachers in a Middle Eastern institution in Oman relate to critical media awareness. This is by deconstructing a US film entitled ‘Freedom Writers’ (2007) to discuss issues related to social injustice, prejudice, and violence in society. The method used to collect data was semi-structured interviews. The interview questions, guided by a semiotic Inquiry Graphics (IG) approach, aimed to capture those EFL teachers’ interpretations, values, and beliefs relevant to CML and their subsequent intentions to teach CML in their future English classrooms. The findings suggest that although the teachers demonstrated positive attitudes and increased awareness of CML, they lacked confidence in applying it and needed to expand their perceptions of CML further. Generally, they viewed CML as being helpful for students in its ability to develop their criticality and citizenship. However, the teachers stressed the harsh realities of a packed curriculum and restrictive program requirements that may obstruct any comprehensive implementation of CML education at a university level, an issue that merits further consideration.

scholarly journals Enhancing Students’ Effectiveness through Motivational Strategies

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haron BOURAS
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Place Value ◽  
Motivational Strategies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teacher Behaviour ◽  
The Social ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Landmark Study

The present qualitative study aims to explore teachers’ and students’ perceptions of some teaching motivational strategies impact on university students’ effectiveness based on Dörnyei & Csizér (1998) landmark study. The research has involved individual in-depth semi-structured interviews with six English Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and six students to further explore key issues from their viewpoints. The main findings have unveiled that both teachers and students recognise the motivating potential of all the examined scales. Many similarities and some dissimilarities related to specific motivational themes have emerged. In terms of dissimilarity, students accorded importance to group work scale, however teachers minimised its role by justifying that it needed certain conditions. Another area of mismatch can be noticed in the way students and teachers regarded tasks in motivating students. Teachers stressed on providing clear instruction and explanation while students pointed to the content of tasks. Furthermore, another instance of difference in participants’ views towards the same scale in terms of the motivational strategies to be used was in teacher behaviour scale. Both participants agreed to place value on it, but students appeared to emphasise on the social aspects as feeling relaxed and enjoying the class in order to participate fully, while teachers stressed on academic achievement.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document