Performance Tasks as a Mediator to Communicating in English and for Enhancing Language Learner Engagement

English Learners ◽

Language Learner ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Target Language ◽

Performance Task ◽

Learner Engagement ◽

Performance Tasks ◽

Research Perspective ◽

This paper discusses whether technology-based performance tasks could become a mediator to communicating in English and enhance language learner engagement. The present study investigated how low-proficiency Japanese English-language learners could change their attitude toward communication in their target language by completing a performance task involving making and presenting a digital portfolio. Such students should need to mediate between themselves linguistically and contextually when completing a performance task for communication. The study adapted two types of questionnaires: open-ended questions about the performance task and four Likert-type questions about L2 learning motivation. Twenty-five students completed the questionnaires. The present study asked the students to answer each questionnaire twice, once at the end of the first semester and once at the end of the second semester. The data from the open-ended questions were analyzed qualitatively from a phenomenological research perspective, while the data collected from the four Likert-type questions were statistically analyzed. The students’ comments on the task showed that they positively engaged in the performance task throughout the two semesters by reflecting on themselves as English learners, with some difficulty mediating themselves in L1 and L2. However, the results of the Likert-type questionnaire suggested that such positive engagement would not necessarily lead to simultaneous English learning motivation. The results indicate that the task might become a “headstream” of directed motivational current (DMC) for the students.

Performance Tasks as Mediation to Communicating in English and as Enhancing Language Learner Engagement

10.31124/advance.13237919.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Saeko Toyoshima

Keyword(s):

English Learners ◽

Language Learner ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Target Language ◽

Performance Task ◽

Learner Engagement ◽

Performance Tasks ◽

Research Perspective ◽

This paper discusses whether technology-based performance tasks could become a mediator to communicating in English and enhance language learner engagement. The present study investigated how low-proficiency Japanese English-language learners could change their attitude toward communication in their target language by completing a performance task involving making and presenting a digital portfolio. Such students should need to mediate between themselves linguistically and contextually when completing a performance task for communication. The study adapted two types of questionnaires: open-ended questions about the performance task and four Likert-type questions about L2 learning motivation. Twenty-five students completed the questionnaires. The present study asked the students to answer each questionnaire twice, once at the end of the first semester and once at the end of the second semester. The data from the open-ended questions were analyzed qualitatively from a phenomenological research perspective, while the data collected from the four Likert-type questions were statistically analyzed. The students’ comments on the task showed that they positively engaged in the performance task throughout the two semesters by reflecting on themselves as English learners, with some difficulty mediating themselves in L1 and L2. However, the results of the Likert-type questionnaire suggested that such positive engagement would not necessarily lead to simultaneous English learning motivation. The results indicate that the task might become a “headstream” of directed motivational current (DMC) for the students.

Performance Tasks as Mediation to Communicating in English and as Enhancing Language Learner Engagement

10.31124/advance.13237919.v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Saeko Toyoshima

Keyword(s):

English Learners ◽

Language Learner ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Target Language ◽

Performance Task ◽

Learner Engagement ◽

Performance Tasks ◽

Research Perspective ◽

This paper discusses whether technology-based performance tasks could become a mediator to communicating in English and enhance language learner engagement. The present study investigated how low-proficiency Japanese English-language learners could change their attitude toward communication in their target language by completing a performance task involving making and presenting a digital portfolio. Such students should need to mediate between themselves linguistically and contextually when completing a performance task for communication. The study adapted two types of questionnaires: open-ended questions about the performance task and four Likert-type questions about L2 learning motivation. Twenty-five students completed the questionnaires. The present study asked the students to answer each questionnaire twice, once at the end of the first semester and once at the end of the second semester. The data from the open-ended questions were analyzed qualitatively from a phenomenological research perspective, while the data collected from the four Likert-type questions were statistically analyzed. The students’ comments on the task showed that they positively engaged in the performance task throughout the two semesters by reflecting on themselves as English learners, with some difficulty mediating themselves in L1 and L2. However, the results of the Likert-type questionnaire suggested that such positive engagement would not necessarily lead to simultaneous English learning motivation. The results indicate that the task might become a “headstream” of directed motivational current (DMC) for the students.

Performance Tasks as Mediation to Communicating in English and as Enhancing Language Learner Engagement

10.31124/advance.13237919.v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Saeko Toyoshima

Keyword(s):

English Learners ◽

Language Learner ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Target Language ◽

Performance Task ◽

Learner Engagement ◽

Performance Tasks ◽

Research Perspective ◽

This paper discusses whether technology-based performance tasks could become a mediator to communicating in English and enhance language learner engagement. The present study investigated how low-proficiency Japanese English-language learners could change their attitude toward communication in their target language by completing a performance task involving making and presenting a digital portfolio. Such students should need to mediate between themselves linguistically and contextually when completing a performance task for communication. The study adapted two types of questionnaires: open-ended questions about the performance task and four Likert-type questions about L2 learning motivation. Twenty-five students completed the questionnaires. The present study asked the students to answer each questionnaire twice, once at the end of the first semester and once at the end of the second semester. The data from the open-ended questions were analyzed qualitatively from a phenomenological research perspective, while the data collected from the four Likert-type questions were statistically analyzed. The students’ comments on the task showed that they positively engaged in the performance task throughout the two semesters by reflecting on themselves as English learners, with some difficulty mediating themselves in L1 and L2. However, the results of the Likert-type questionnaire suggested that such positive engagement would not necessarily lead to simultaneous English learning motivation. The results indicate that the task might become a “headstream” of directed motivational current (DMC) for the students.

“MY GRADES ARE ALWAYS EQUAL TO STANDARDIZED CRITERIA”: DISCOVERING EFL LEARNERS’ MOTIVATION OUTSIDE FORMAL CLASSROOM

JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studies) ◽

10.30762/jeels.v7i2.1770 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 347-369

Author(s):

Siti Jannatussholihah ◽

Ashadi Ashadi ◽

Erna Andriyanti

Keyword(s):

Language Learners ◽

English Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Formal Education ◽

Target Language ◽

Speech Community ◽

Integrative Motivation ◽

Instrumental Motivation ◽

Depth Interviews

Motivation in language mastery is a crucial aspect that supports learner success especially in non-formal education. This study explores the motivation of English language learners in non-formal education as well as their perceived difficulties. Employing a qualitative approach with in-depth-interviews in the data collection, the study involved eight learners from a language course institution in Yogyakarta. The transcribed data were analyzed, interpreted, and categorised based on types of motivation and difficulties. The results show that most of the English learners possess instrumental motivation in learning foreign languages, but some tend to have integrative motivation. The instrumental motivation is mainly linked to efforts to pass the exam or tests with good grades. Their integrative motivation is related to recognizing the culture of the target language speech community and desire to communicate with the target community. Despite their motivation, they faced some difficulties related to language skills, especially reading and listening. In addition, they perceived vocabulary as hindrance in all the four skills. Further research to overcome the difficulties is recommended to maximize the learning achievement.

Second Language Acquisition and Mother Tongue Influence of English Language Learners – A Psycho Analytic Approach

International Journal of Engineering & Technology ◽

10.14419/ijet.v7i4.36.23926 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (4.36) ◽

pp. 497

Author(s):

A. Delbio ◽

R. Abilasha ◽

M. Ilankumaran

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Mother Tongue ◽

First Language ◽

Language Learner ◽

Target Language ◽

Second Language Learner

Language is a tool used to convey one’s thoughts, feelings and needs. Mother tongue is the language acquired by everyone ever since his birth. A learner encounters mother tongue influence while learning or speaking a foreign language or target language. Mother tongue influence is something that affects a person’s thought process in a sense that he thinks in mother tongue and expresses in English or a second language. People use incorrect pronunciation of words while communicating in English language as they are influenced by the sound patterns of their mother tongue. A second language learner has an unconscious preference to convey his customs from his first language to the target language. The influence of mother tongue has become a significant region and is generally referred to as ‘Language Interference’. Every language learner comes across this issue. Students, sometimes, use words from their parent language while communicating in English. This paper speaks about the difficulties faced by the learners of the second language and the causes of first language influence. This paper attempts to bring out the ways to avoid the overwhelmed influence of mother tongue and gives some notions to the students to develop their second language skills.

Learning Fun English Using Total Physical Response Method

IJECA (International Journal of Education and Curriculum Application) ◽

10.31764/ijeca.v1i3.2127 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 23

Author(s):

Zulia Karini

Keyword(s):

Language Learners ◽

English Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Target Language ◽

Learning Activity ◽

English Learning ◽

Communicative Skills ◽

Physical Response ◽

Response Method

One of the difficult parts of learning the target language for English language learners is the acquisition of vocabulary. Most learners find that English is a hard subject to be studied. However, they can enjoy learning English when it is taught in a fun way. Using games for teaching vocabulary has been very popular for several decades. Different studies revealed that games are beneficial in vocabulary learning because they enhance students’ ability to memorize words, encourage student’s interaction, improve their communicative skills and enhance students’ motivation. Games also can help the teachers to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. Watching a movie is also a great way to learn English. Learners can improve their vocabulary while watching a film. Total Physical Response method can also be applied when teaching English for children. This method makes language skills more quickly understood and understood by children the use of functional English like "Show and tell". Fun English learning activities (over English learning) was done this time, considering how enthusiastic the children in Taman Baca Kudi Dusun Cunil Pegalongan village Banyumas in every activity given. This English learning activity also aims to provide English introduction materials early so that they will be accustomed to facing all things related to the English language.

Knowing Communication Strategy for Better Communication

J-KIs: Jurnal Komunikasi Islam ◽

10.53429/j-kis.v2i2.336 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 137-146

Author(s):

Rona Merita ◽

Sony Eko Adisaputro

Keyword(s):

Language Learners ◽

Language Proficiency ◽

English Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Communication Strategies ◽

Oral Communication ◽

Communication Strategy ◽

Target Language ◽

Communication Ability

Nowadays, the importance of communication is undeniable. In oral communication, the learners employ speaking skills which requires the mastery of communication strategies in order to solve the communication problems which they found during oral communication and to get across the communicative goals to the interlocutors. Unfortunately, speaking is still considered one of the most difficult skills to be acquired by English language learners. English learners need more practices and also strategies in communication. In addition, communication ability also influenced by some factors such as target language proficiency, learning and communicating contexts, task types, gender differences and learners’ personality. Driven by this condition, this paper is aimed to discuss theoretical framework about communication strategies and its development since firstly proposed by Tarone (1977). This paper is beneficial for English language practitioner and English language learners, ELT researcher as well.

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORIES OF VERBS IN ENGLISH AND ALBANIAN

Knowledge International Journal ◽

10.35120/kij28072245s ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (7) ◽

pp. 2245-2249

Author(s):

Suzana Ejupi ◽

Lindita Skenderi

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Learning Process ◽

English Learners ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

English Language ◽

Target Language ◽

Part Of Speech ◽

Grammatical Categories ◽

Learning English

Working with English learners for many years, gives you the opportunity to encounter linguistic obstacles that they face while learning English language as a foreign language. Additionally, teaching for 13 years and observing the learning process, it enables you to recognize the students’ needs and at the same time, detect linguistic mistakes that they make, while practicing the target language. During my experience as a teacher, in terms of teaching and learning verbs in general and its grammatical categories in specific, it is noticed that Albanian learners find it relatively difficult the correct use of verbs in context and even more confusing the equivalent use of verbs in Albanian. Since verbs present an important part of speech, this study aims to investigate several differences and similarities between grammatical categories of verbs in English and Albanian. As a result, the Albanian learners of English language will be able to identify some of the major differences and similarities between the grammatical categories of verbs in English and Albanian; overcome the usual mistakes; gain the necessary knowledge regarding verbs and use them properly in English and Albanian.

Finding Talent Among Elementary English Learners: A Validity Study of the HOPE Teacher Rating Scale

Gifted Child Quarterly ◽

10.1177/0016986220985942 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 001698622098594

Author(s):

Nielsen Pereira

Keyword(s):

English Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Rating Scales ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Teacher Rating ◽

Esl Teachers ◽

Invariance Testing ◽

Scale Scores ◽

The One

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the HOPE Scale for identifying gifted English language learners (ELs) and how classroom and English as a second language (ESL) teacher HOPE Scale scores differ. Seventy teachers completed the HOPE Scale on 1,467 students in grades K-5 and four ESL teachers completed the scale on 131 ELs. Measurement invariance tests indicated that the HOPE Scale yields noninvariant latent means across EL and English proficient (EP) samples. However, confirmatory factor analysis results support the use of the scale with ELs or EP students separately. Results also indicate that the rating patterns of classroom and ESL teachers were different and that the HOPE Scale does not yield valid data when used by ESL teachers. Caution is recommended when using the HOPE Scale and other teacher rating scales to compare ELs to EP students. The importance of invariance testing before using an instrument with a population that is different from the one(s) for which the instrument was developed is discussed.