scholarly journals Use of First Language in the Classroom: Non-native EFL Teachers’ Beliefs in Teaching English to Adult Learners in Bilingual Context

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Iftikhar Ahmad ◽  
Noor Raha Mohd Radzuan ◽  
Muhammad Sabboor Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
First Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers

This study aims to investigate the perspectives of non-native English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers across mother tongue and gender, and their male and female adult students, regarding the use of Arabic in the EFL classrooms at the university level in Saudi Arabia. The study specifically seeks to investigate the perspectives of non-native Arab and non-Arab EFL teachers as they, working in the native Arab setting, often resort to Arabic (Al-Nofaie, 2010; Machaal, 2012). However, there are glaring research gaps about non-native EFL teachers’ and adult learners’ beliefs on the use of first language (L1) in the classroom. For this purpose, the study used quantitative research design, and administered two questionnaires, one for the teachers and the other for the students. Students’ questionnaire complemented that of the teachers. Forty teachers and sixty students were selected based on stratified random sampling. The findings of the study revealed that all camps of teachers, Arab, non-Arab, male, female, and students were in favour of judicious bilingual approach. The study finds statistically significant difference between the beliefs of Arab and non-Arab EFL teachers about the use of L1. The findings suggest that Arab EFL teachers’ use of Arabic is extensive, while non-Arab EFL teachers’ use of Arabic is well-timed. The study suggested practical implications for the improvement of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Saudi Arabia by recommending planned, occasional and judicious use of L1 while teaching EFL adult learners.

scholarly journals Exploring the Motivational Strategies Practiced by Pakistani EFL Teachers to Motivate Students in Learning English Language

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Sehrish Khan Kakar ◽  
Zahid Hussain Pathan
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Motivational Strategies ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Learning English

The purpose of this study was to investigate motivational strategies which EFL teachers employ to motivate students in learning English language and to determine the significant difference if any across male and female teachers in practicing motivational strategies in an EFL classroom. A quantitative research design was employed. An adopted questionnaire by Cheng & Dornyei (2007) comprising of 48 close-ended items ranging from “Hardly ever” to “very often” was administered among 96 male and female EFL teachers who were teaching in government secondary schools in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. To answer the two research questions of the study, both descriptive and inferential statistics were performed in SPSS (version, 21). The findings of the first research questions revealed that to promote learners’ autonomy emerged as the most influential source of motivational strategy practiced by EFL teachers followed by Familiarization learners with L2-related values as the second most practiced motivational strategy. The findings of second research question revealed no statistical significant difference between male and female EFL teachers in terms of practicing motivational strategies. The findings of the present study have implications on effective English language teaching and enhancing teachers’ experience and knowledge in order to motivate EFL learners by using different motivational strategies in learning English in context of Pakistan.

scholarly journals Students’ Preferences and Attitude toward Oral Error Correction Techniques at Yanbu University College, Saudi Arabia

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Bushra Alamri ◽  
Hala Hassan Fawzi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Error Correction ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Observation ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
University College ◽  
Teachers And Students

<p>Error correction has been one of the core areas in the field of English language teaching. It is “seen as a form of feedback given to learners on their language use” (Amara, 2015). Many studies investigated the use of different techniques to correct students’ oral errors. However, only a few focused on students’ preferences and attitude toward oral error correction techniques, which determine students’ success in language learning. This quantitative research explored teachers’ and students’ preferences as well as students’ attitude toward the use of oral error correction techniques in the language classroom. The participants of the study were English language students and English language teachers at Yanbu University College (YUC) in Yanbu Industrial City, Saudi Arabia. A classroom observation checklist and questionnaires were used to collect the data. The study findings revealed that recast and explicit correction are the preferred techniques by the majority of the students and teachers. The findings also indicated that students have positive attitude toward oral error correction. As the classroom observation revealed that recast was highly used by teachers, it is recommended that teachers should also use other techniques to correct students’ oral errors. In addition, it is recommended that before correcting students’ oral errors teachers should always take into account the purpose of the activity and the proficiency level of students.</p>

scholarly journals Scope of Cooperative Learning (CL) Strategies in Teaching English to Saudi Adult EFL Learners: A Study of Practical Barriers and Possible Implications

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ishtiaq ◽  
Muhammad Sabboor Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Cooperative Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Efl Teachers

This study aims at investigating the teachers’ practices and perceptions in teaching English in Saudi Arabia by viewing their stance on Cooperative Learning (CL) — an innovative teaching approach proposed to raise the language proficiency level of adult EFL learners. The study has been conducted in Qassim University, Saudi Arabia—a vibrant and flourishing EFL context. A quantitative tool (a questionnaire) has been used to collect data and to serve qualitative purposes. It reports 80 EFL teachers’ (40 males and 40 females) perceptions about CL using a 17-items comprehensive survey covering all the possible barriers in the way of implementing CL strategies in EFL classes. The survey items also explore how the EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia foresee the implications of making such an innovative move in their classes. The responses have been analyzed on a 5-point Likert scale which ranges from strongly disagree-disagree-neutral-agree-strongly agree. Major findings are that CL strategies have practical barriers but their implications are far more positive. The barriers are mainly due to the wrong learning habits of the adult EFL learners in Qassim University and lack of will and vision of the educational administration. The study recommends that CL strategies need to be given due consideration and support by the administrators and policy makers to raise the proficiency level of adult EFL learners. The study also allays the misconception that majority of the practitioners in English language teaching field are not ready to practice and implement CL strategies in their classes.

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.

scholarly journals Translation in EFL Classroom

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-117
Author(s):  
Arta TOÇI
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
First Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
East European ◽  
History Of Research ◽  
History Of

Throughout much of the history of research into second language acquisition (SLA), the role of learners’ first language (L1) has been a hotly debated issue. Prodromou (2000) refers to the mother tongue as a ‘skeleton in the closet’, while Gabrielatos (2001) calls it a ‘bone of contention’. Such views are but a mere reflection of the different methodological shifts in English Language Teaching, which have brought about new and different outlooks on the role of the mother tongue. The conflict itself is taking place in academic circles rather than in classrooms, where the use of L1 is still considered unacceptable owing to the predominance of the communicative method in language teaching.   Research on the role that mother tongue has for the non-native learners of English has been conducted around the world, however none in North Macedonia. This research aims to explore some of the controversy regarding the use of the student’s first language (L1), as well as to suggest translation activities as a beneficial tool for the students of South East European University in Tetovo, North Macedonia. It also provides insights into native language interference in the process of translating from students’ mother tongue into English, and vs.

scholarly journals The Use of Arabic (L1) in the EFL Classrooms: How Do Umm Al-Quwain Teachers and Students Perceive It?

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Mohammed Hamid Al-Ta’ani
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Students ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Quantitative Research Methods ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Efl Classrooms

The role of students’ native language (L1) in the second language (L2) classrooms has been a debatable issue for a long time in the field of English Language teaching as a foreign language (EFL). The present study which took place in the United Arab Emirate (UAE), more specifically, at Umm Al-Quwain Educational Zone,(UAQ) aimed at investigating both students’ and teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards the use of (L1) in the EFL classrooms. To achieve this, the researcher used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Thus, it surveyed one hundred fifty (150) secondary students and fifty (50) teachers of English and observed three (3) EFL classes. The data were collected through two questionnaires and classroom observations. The classroom observations were intended to reflect the quantity of (L1) use in the (L2) classrooms. The data collected through the questionnaires were analyzed with the aid of frequency and percentage, those collected through the open-ended question of the questionnaires and the classroom observations were sorted and summarized.The findings obtained from classroom observations indicated that the respondents support the well-planned use of Arabic (L1) in certain situations in the EFL classrooms. The questionnaire results revealed that (72%) of the students and (54%) of the teachers felt that Arabic (L1) should be used in their EFL classrooms. The findings also showed that (71% ) of the students and (56%) of the teachers thought that cultural, religious, traditional and political concepts and ideas should be taught by referring to the students’ native language (L1).What is more, almost all the respondents objected to using the (L1) excessively and untimely in (EFL ) classes. The quantitative data on the percentage of (L1) in EFL classes showed that most of the respondents preferred only 10 % use of mother tongue (L1) in a 50- minute class. No teachers and students answered higher than 20% and 40% respectively. In view of these findings, teachers as well as text writers and curricula planners and designers should take the learners’ native language (L1) as a teaching / learning tool.

scholarly journals Perceptions of EFL Intermediate Students Toward Authentic Material: A Comparative Study of Two Colleges of Quetta, Balochistan

Al-Burz ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-92
Author(s):  
Muhammad Aamir Ishaq ◽  
Faria Saeed Khan
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Public Colleges ◽  
Intermediate Students ◽  
Authentic Material ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl College Students

This study intends to investigate the perceptions of EFL college students toward the use of the authentic material in EFL classroom. A total of 311college students in which 160boys and 151 girls students participated from two public colleges of Quetta, Balochistan province of Pakistan. The researcher employed quantitative research design to answer two research questions of the study. The quantitative data was obtained through the survey questionnaire. Initially, to respond to the first research question of the study, descriptive statistics was performed in SPSS, and to answer the second research question,independent simplest-test was also run in SPSS to check thestatistical significant difference between boys and girls college students. The findings revealed that college students showed positive response towards the use of the authentic material in the EFL classroom. In addition, the results of independent samples t-test showed the boys’ college students emphasized more use of authentic material than girls’ students. These findings have implications for both curriculum designers and English language teaching in the Pakistani context.

scholarly journals The Perception of MSU TESL Practicum Students Towards the Idea of Using English Songs with Written Lyrics in Teaching Vocabulary.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ali Al-Saggaf ◽  
Norhafiza Azween Binti Sumali ◽  
Mohammed Mohammed Ali Abdulkhaleq
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Curriculum Developer ◽  
Practicum Students ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Teaching Curriculum ◽  
Potential Use

Despite the fact that English songs with written lyrics are already familiar in Malaysia, however only a few that recognizes the potential use of the material in teaching vocabulary especially among Malaysian English teachers. The researcher finds it necessary to understand the perception towards the idea of using English songs with written lyrics in teaching vocabulary especially in Malaysian context. This quantitative research aims to identify the MSU TESL practicum students’ perception towards the idea of using English songs with written lyrics in teaching vocabulary and to find out if there is any difference according to gender and program (DTESL/BTESL) in the practicum students’ perception. A total of 164 TESL practicum students are used as the sample in this research where an online questionnaire is distributed to collect data. The results reveal that the practicum students exhibit a positive perception towards the idea of using English songs with written lyrics in teaching vocabulary. No significant difference in perception is found regardless the gender and programs. The findings are hopefully to give significant to the English teachers and the English Language Teaching curriculum developer. Further recommendation is given for a better understanding of the perception.

scholarly journals English Language Teaching in KSA in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Positive Outcomes

2021 ◽  
pp. 147-159
Author(s):  
Reem A. Al-Samiri
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
E Learning

The pandemic of 2020 was a watershed moment for all educators worldwide as schools and universities were forced to close their doors to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Thus, a new movement towards widespread e-learning emerged with unknown consequences for learners and educators alike. The situation in Saudi Arabia was no exception. The purpose of this study is to explore how English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and learning at the tertiary level in Saudi Arabia was impacted negatively and positively by the move to online learning. It reviews research published since the onset of the pandemic, with a specific focus on English language teaching at Saudi universities, to analyze the challenges faced by Saudi EFL teachers and learners since the shift to e-learning. One of the biggest challenges observed was students’ lack of motivation, which upon further review was found to be linked to other contributing factors, such as technological issues, inapt learning environments, and students’ mental health. This paper also examines the unforeseen positive outcomes resulting from the digital transformation, including the benefits of the flexibility of place and time and promotion of particular language skills. The current research synthesis will help contribute to the knowledge of online English teaching in the Saudi context.

scholarly journals Creative Translation Tasks for ELT (English Language Teaching)

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonu Gohil
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Management ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
First Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Language Competence ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Cultures

This article looks at the function of creative translation tasks for learners in the ELT classroom. It does not advocate the use of L1 (Language 1, first language, mother tongue) as a teaching tool, for classroom management, setting up activities, or for explaining new vocabulary but encourages the use of innovative translation tasks for developing language competence. The article starts by looking at benefits of creative translation as an aid to language learning. It then briefly reviews the current education system. It concludes with some creative translation tasks and observations on how to utilize them in the best possible ways. This paper advocates the effectiveness of using creative translation to develop the communicative competence of a language among the students at tertiary level. English dominates the world as no other language ever has in the world. There is a need to emphasize the conscious acquisition of English as a meaningful system and a creative process. When there is a need there is an urge of finding various mediums to satisfy that need, now this medium should be such as it not only helps in learning a language but also develops competency of the learner. Thus, one of the effective and fairly possible fundamentals of learning a new language is translation. Translation is desirable as it does not undermine the adult learners’ confidence. This paper thus, aims at the development of communicative competence, enabling the learners to discuss the cultures they encounter while translating and eventually helps the learners in deepening their sensitivity to language through heightening their critical ability and creative power. The tasks on translation helps learners make use of the English language while communicating with each other in more realistic situations than what generally happens in the classrooms. They get aware of different cultures while discussing different languages. Thus, translation becomes an intellectually challenging process.

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