scholarly journals Influence of Discrimination in the Field of TESOL: Perspectives of Mexican EFL Teachers

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 69-89
Author(s):  
Edgar Emmanuell Garcia-Ponce
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Language Status ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Speakers Of Other Languages

In the last few decades, several studies have documented the discrimination that teachers face in the field of Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). To date, research evidence has shown that discrimination tends to be motivated by issues concerning the native- vers. non-native language status of these professionals. However, recent evidence has suggested that discrimination in TESOL is intricate involving factors that are associated with the language status of teachers, their pronunciation, gender, race, sexual preference, age, among others. Despite the fact that this evidence has revealed the struggles of these professionals, no research discourse, to my knowledge, has shown the extent to which these phenomena impact on the professionals’ perceptions, feelings and decision making. In response to this, the present study was conducted to understand the effects and results of discrimination in the field of TESOL in Mexico from the professionals’ perspectives. Through an online questionnaire, 78 Mexican English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers were asked to describe the instances in which they felt discriminated, and how these influenced their perceptions and decision making concerning their profession. The results show that the discrimination practices impact in complex ways, showing negative effects on the professionals’ perceptions, feelings and decisions regarding their current profession. This evidence calls for more effective strategies in order to stop affecting teachers in ELT.

Creating Critical Literacy Praxis: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice

RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822098266
Author(s):  
Tsung-han Weng
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Critical Literacy ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Speakers Of Other Languages ◽  
Literacy Implementation ◽  
Critical Literacy Pedagogy ◽  
Literacy Research

Although research in critical literacy has long been conducted in English as a second language contexts, a modicum of critical literacy research in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts in which English is seldom used outside the classroom environment has also been undertaken. This article aims to discuss the introduction of critical literacy in the Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL) profession, which has been neglected by TESOL researchers and practitioners in EFL contexts. The article reviews and synthesizes the existing literature by providing conceptualizations of the critical literacy approach to TESOL, examples of critical literacy implementation, and the benefits and challenges of implementing critical literacy pedagogy. The article concludes by calling for more critical literacy research in EFL contexts.

scholarly journals Towards Understanding EFL Teachers’ Conceptions of Research: Findings From Argentina

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-72
Author(s):  
Darío Luis Banegas
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Research Findings

This paper investigates the conceptions of research held by English as a foreign language teachers in Argentina. Quantitative data from 622 participants from an online questionnaire were followed by qualitative data from online interviews with 40 of those participants. Results show that the teachers conceptualised research through conventional notions closer to a quantitative paradigm. They felt research was not part of their job, and a lack of time was the main reason for not engaging in/with research. Teacher development, agency, empowerment, and autonomy could be sought by engaging teachers with forms of research which are meaningful to them, such as action research.

scholarly journals English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teacher's Perceptions and Use of Mobile Devices and Applications

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-202
Author(s):  
Elias Bensalem
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Personal Learning ◽  
Efl Teachers

This paper reports on a study of how a group of tertiary level EFL teachers perceived and used mobile devices in their teaching and personal learning. One hundred and fifty teachers (66 female, 84 male) from public universities in Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire. Results showed that the majority of participants used mobile devices and applications in their teaching and learning. Survey data showed that the vast majority of teachers had positively perceived and frequently used mobile technologies in their teaching and personal learning. In addition, there was a correlation between teachers’ use of mobile technologies in their teaching and their use in learning. There was also a correlation between how teachers perceived the value of mobile technologies in learning, and how they use them in their teaching.

scholarly journals An Exploration of Teachers' Perspectives towards Cognitive, Affective and Linguistic Teaching Principles while Teaching English as a Foreign Language

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-40
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
The Third ◽  
Teaching Principles ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Cognitive Principles ◽  
Utmost Care ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

The study aimed at exploring EFL teachers' perspectives towards cognitive, affective and linguistic teaching principles while teaching English as a foreign language. To conduct the study, the researchers prepared a questionnaire of 30 items that was distributed into three group domains. The first group was the cognitive principles. The second one was the affective principles, and the third group was the linguistic principles. Forty-six male and female EFL teachers responded to the questionnaire's items. Suitable statistical analyses were used to analyze the data. The results of the study pointed out that EFL teachers had positive perspectives towards these teaching principles, as the analysis showed that they looked at these principles positively and they gave them their utmost care and concern. Besides, the analysis showed that the cognitive principles came in the first rank compared with the other two groups (affective and linguistic) as they got the highest mean. Moreover, the results revealed that there were no statistical significant differences, regarding gender, in the participants' perspectives towards the importance of these teaching principles while teaching English as a foreign language as the means of males and females were closer to each other. Keywords: Cognitive Principles, Affective Principles, Linguistic Principles, Foreign language.

scholarly journals A Study of Parental Attitudes to Teacher Pronunciation in Very Early English

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-39
Author(s):  
Réka Bozsó ◽  
Judit Nagy
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Parental Attitudes ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Good Reliability ◽  
Early Start ◽  
Early English ◽  
The Ideal

AbstractTeaching English as a foreign language at an early (7–12) and even at a very early (under 7) age is becoming more and more popular and accessible, mainly due to the pressure from parents. Parents are essential stakeholders in the TEFL of these ages, and thus it is beneficial for the future of TEFL to do research into parental attitudes in order to be able to assure that expectations and outcomes meet. Our study examines parental attitudes towards the teacher and the ideal age to start learning a foreign language. Fifty Hungarian parents of children aged 0–7 completed our online questionnaire, which mapped the demographics and linguistic profiles of respondents and their views and attitudes related to language learning. Furthermore, attitudes towards teachers’ pronunciation (American, British, or Hungarian) were measured on a 5-point Likert-scale. The 8-item attitude scale showed good reliability (N = 50, Cronbach α = 0.772, p < 0.001). Parents generally placed high emphasis on native-like pronunciation. However, accent-related attitudes varied among parents preferring different ages to start FL learning. Parents favouring an early start preferred native-speaking teachers, with no preference for a British or American accent.

scholarly journals THE REFLECTIONS OF PRE-SERVICE EFL TEACHERS ON OVERCOMING FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING ANXIETY (FLTA) DURING TEACHING PRACTICUM

2019 ◽  
pp. 389
Author(s):  
Dilek Tüfekçi Can
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Teaching Practicum ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teaching Anxiety

Whereas research on English as a Foreign Language Learning (EFLL) anxiety has been the focus of many researchers, English as a Foreign Language Teaching (EFLT) anxiety as a newly pop-up concept has gained lesser attention than EFLL. Moreover, the research on EFLL commonly focuses on the anxiety provoking factors. Yet again, there has been very limited research on how to overcome anxiety-provoking factors on both research areas. Accordingly, as this study was two of the three segments of a university-based project and the subject of anxiety-provoking factors was the issue of another study, the purpose of this study was firstly to explore how to overcome anxiety-provoking factors among pre-service EFL teachers while teaching English to young language learners at a real classroom setting as a part of teaching practicum. Secondly, this study also attempted to make a holistic classification rather than an atomistic one as it classified the findings of overcoming anxiety provoking factors into subtitles such as cognitive, affective, socio-cultural resolutions and some other official resolutions. In the study, 25 EFL pre-service teachers at Balikesir University were the sample group. The qualitative data was collected through background questionnaires, interviews and reflections. The study concluded that pre-service EFL teachers revealed their reflections on how to overcome anxiety-provoking factors as they experienced Foreign Language Teaching Anxiety (FLTA) whilst practicing teaching English to young language learners during teaching practicum courses. Some practical recommendations were given at the end of the study. 

Teaching English in Taiwan: issues of inequality and low motivation

English Today ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 50-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aiden Yeh
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Private Language ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Language Schools ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sensitive Issues ◽  
Low Motivation

A discussion of the impact of parental demand on the terms of employment of imported native-speaking and local non-native-speaking teachers in private language schools.As more and more parents realize the importance of learning the language at an early stage, the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to young learners has become a lucrative adventure for Taiwanese entrepreneurs. Taiwanese students and parents alike represent a stable and growing market, at least for now. The demand for both Native Speaking (NS) and Non-Native Speaking (NNS) teachers is also on the rise and can certainly be attributed to the flourishing EFL industry in Taiwan. However, there is a distinctively huge difference in the pay and reward policies and practices for the two kinds of teacher. This article touches on relatively sensitive issues concerning NS/NNS as EFL teachers and as members of staff.

scholarly journals The Attitudes of EFL Teachers in Jordan Towards Online Webinars as Professional Development Tools in Comparing with International EFL Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Quantitative Study ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Development Tools ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
The World ◽  
Facilitating Conditions

The aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Jordan towards using webinars as professional development tools in comparing with international EFL teachers. A quantitative study was conducted with (60) EFL teachers, (44) EFL teachers were from Jordan and (16) EFL teachers were from different countries around the world. An online questionnaire which is adapted from Emre’s thesis (2019) was distributed via WhatsApp and Telegram applications. The data has analyzed using descriptive statistics via SPSS statistics. This study was conducted in Amman- Jordan in (2020-2021). The results showed that female and males EFL teachers who have additional courses and who have attended webinars were positive towards using webinars as professional development tools and Jordanian EFL teachers revealed moderate attitudes in comparing with international EFL teachers. This study suggested to encourage Jordanian EFL teachers to attend webinars for professional development by supporting and facilitating conditions, reward teachers who attend webinars and conduct persistent research in order to have different experiences to support the results of the upcoming researches.

scholarly journals The Central Characteristics of Successful ESL/EFL Teachers

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 881
Author(s):  
Khalid Al-Seghayer
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
The Many

Achieving optimal success in teaching English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL) requires teachers to demonstrate varying essential characteristics that consist of several underlying and interacting constructs. The purpose of this article is to orient the reader and succinctly identify the key variables that lead ESL/EFL teachers to distinctive success. It clearly delineates the characteristics of successful ESL/EFL teachers embedded within five central dimensions, along with their underlying structures. It also provides common taxonomies of successful EFL teachers’ attributes without burdening the reader with unnecessary detail concerning the many other validated attributes associated with ESL/EFL teachers’ salient attributions of success. To this end, this discussion contributes to a theoretical understanding of the development of successful ESL/EFL teachers and to improved knowledge of the key characteristics of successful ESL/EFL teachers.

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