scholarly journals EFL Teachers’ Attitudes toward Commercial Textbooks in EFL Programs

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Munassir Alhamami ◽  
Javed Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
Teachers Attitudes

The perception of the English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is extremely crucial since their perceived views regarding the commercial English learning textbooks plays a major role in framing their attitudes towards such textbooks. These textbooks are published by different international publishers and used extensively in EFL programs around the globe. Moreover, attitudes do influence language learning. This paper aims to investigate teachers’ attitudes toward the commercial textbooks used in (EFL) programs. In this quantitative research, forty-three EFL instructors were surveyed through a Likert scale questionnaire. The results reveal, in general, the negative attitudes of the teacher towards commercial English textbooks since for them such textbooks are found insufficient in meeting the courses’ aims and objectives, students language proficiency level, their cultural sensitiveness, and their academic backgrounds. The study found teachers opinion vis-à-vis textbooks inappropriate content, a mismatch in learners’ needs and not in agreement with teaching methodologies. The paper offers a few recommendations to the EFL instructors as well as to the instructional designers to adapt and customize commercial textbooks in line with learners’ needs. It suggests teachers to use teaching material to suit the purpose, in addition to advising curriculum designers and content developers to take into account the specific needs of the students and the objectives of the course.

scholarly journals Motivation and Autonomy in Learning English as Foreign Language: A Case Study of Ecuadorian College Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Cevallos Bravo ◽  
Eder A. Intriago ◽  
Jhonny Villafuerte Holguin ◽  
Gustavo Molina Garzon ◽  
Luis Ortega Arcia
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Learning Attitudes ◽  
Correct Pronunciation ◽  
Different Levels

This quantitative research aims to examine how different levels of motivation relate to frequency of occurrence of autonomous language learning activities undertaken by undergraduate students. Eight hundred and sixty-two college students from 10 vocational training programs of a public university located in Ecuador, South America, participated in this study. Spratt’s questionnaire that regards ‘autonomy and motivation’ as a cyclical interaction in the language learning process, was updated by the researchers, adding digital education elements. The data were analyzed using the program SPSS v24.0.0 The results showed that there was a significant relationship between: the language learning stimulation generated by professors and the participants’ learning attitudes. In addition, it was determined that the most frequent language practices in which the participants showed greatest autonomy were: listening to songs in English language, worrying about the correct pronunciation, and noting down interesting words or expressions in English.

scholarly journals Language Learning Strategy Use and English Proficiency of Iraqi Upper Secondary School Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Qusay Mahdi Mutar
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Language Learning Strategies ◽  
School Students ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Learning Strategy Use

To learn English language, there are some language-learning strategies, which learners need to be familiar with. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the language learning strategies used among Iraqi sixth-grade preparatory students, and how could gender and proficiency level effect on using language-learning strategies. To analyze the collected data, SPSS software version 20 included Independent sample T-Test Besides, one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD have been used. A total of 210 sixth-grade preparatory students were chosen randomly from four-different secondary schools for the academic year 2016-2017 at al-Karkh side of Baghdad city. The study sample consisted of (105 females and 105 males). The findings revealed that EFL learners have shown medium use of language learning strategies, besides, no statistically significant differences between male and female students in the frequency of using LLSs. the findings also showed Cognitive and memory strategies were the most frequent used categories comparing to the compensation strategies that scored the least frequent category. As for language proficiency, the result showed that students with high proficiency used all six categories of learning strategies more than medium and low-proficiency students.

scholarly journals The Comparative Effect of Teaching Concept Mapping in Reading on Extrovert and Introvert EFL Learners' Self-Regulation

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
Mania Nosratinia ◽  
Fatemeh Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Concept Mapping ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Teaching Concept ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Pre Treatment

The present study attempted to compare the effect of teaching concept mapping in reading on extrovert and introvert English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' Self-Regulation (SR). The participants were 60 female EFL learners at the intermediate level of English language proficiency, between 18 and 20 (Mage = 19). The Preliminary English Test was employed in order to select homogeneous participants in terms of English language proficiency level, followed by administering Eysenck's Personality Inventory (1985). The language-wise homogeneous introvert (n = 30) and extrovert (n = 30) participants were assigned randomly into two experimental groups of 30. To identify the pre-treatment and post-treatment levels of participants' SR, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (1991) was administered twice. The two groups were instructed using the same material and implementing Harris and Graham’s (1996) concept mapping instruction model. The analysis of the scores using an Independent-Samples t-Test revealed that extrovert participants exhibited a significantly higher SR level as a result of being exposed to concept mapping. The study concludes with a discussion on the obtained results and the probable reasons leading to them, followed by presenting some implications for EFL teachers, learners, and syllabus designers. 

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 EFL Learners’ Learning Styles and Self-regulated Learning: Do Gender and Proficiency Level Matter?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 616-623
Author(s):  
Jahanbakhsh Nikoopour ◽  
Mohammad Shaker Khoshroudi
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Moderator Variable ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Self Regulated Learning ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Regulated Learning

The present study attempted to investigate the interdependence of self-regulated learning and language learning styles among three levels of language learners. Their gender and language proficiency level were also taken into consideration to find out the interaction between these variables. To carry out the study, the subject was selected based on the multi-stage sampling procedure. From five universities, 200 EFL learners studying TEFL, Literature, and Translation were randomly selected. Based on their scores on the TOEFL test, the participants were divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. From each level, 30 subjects were randomly selected. The research instruments were used to collect the required data for the study. After analyzing the data, the results showed a significant relationship between the EFL learners’ learning styles and their self-regulation. It was disclosed that the higher the learners’ scores on language learning styles were, the more self-regulated they were. When gender was taken into account as a moderator variable, no significant correlation between language learners’ learning styles and their gender was detected. It was found that both male and female learners were self-regulated in the same way. In addition, EFL learners’ proficiency level significantly made a difference in their self-regulation; however, it did not affect their learning styles.

scholarly journals Building Vocabulary for Language Learning: Approach for ESL Learners to Study New Vocabulary

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 501-511
Author(s):  
Adel M. Alharbi
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Word Search

This project investigated Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs) English Language Learners used; and strategies they thought were effective to them in terms of language proficiency. Using an online survey, 121 participants responded to statements regarding their usage of VLSs. Participants have been divided into two groups: (1) learners with low English proficiency level and (2) learners with high English proficiency level to measure the significance between them in response to the VLS questionnaire. The analysis measured five sets of vocabulary knowledge: building synonyms network, learning definition(s) with contexts, pronunciation process, bookmark word search, and remembering strategy for writing. This project determined that the group with high language proficiency agreed more on the items selected than those with low language proficiency.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of corpora on Saudi EFL academic writing performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-345
Author(s):  
Assrar Alharbi ◽  
◽  
Turki Alsolami ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Writing Instruction ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Classroom Intervention ◽  
Pedagogical Approach ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
Preparatory Year

This study reports on quantitative research that investigated the effects of the Corpus-Based Approach (CBA) as a pedagogical approach to Academic Writing Instruction in the context of Saudi Arabia. A total of fifteen female preparatory year students at an intermediate language proficiency level at King Abdulaziz University participated in the study. The study aimed at investigating the effect of applying corpora on learners’ lexico-grammatical abilities following a pretest-posttest design. Classroom intervention has been conducted and data were collected from written tasks over a period of time. The findings of the study demonstrated that the improvement of lexico-grammatical abilities among students is observed.

scholarly journals PROFICIENCY LEVEL AND LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGY CHOICE OF ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY LEARNERS IN INDONESIA

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Alfian Alfian
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Cognitive Strategies ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Strategy Choice ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Language Learning Strategy ◽  
Improving Student Learning

This study explores the relation between language proficiency level and language learning strategy choice of EFL learners at an Islamic university in Indonesia. Two hundred and eighty four participants classified based on their proficiency levels (high, medium, and low) as determined by their achievement results completed the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) version 7.0 questionnaires. The findings indicated that there was a linear relationship between proficiency level and strategy use; the higher the proficiency level, the higher the number of strategies employed. Furthermore, it was also found that higher proficiency level learners tended to choose meta-cognitive strategies; they usually managed learning by conscientious planning, monitoring, and evaluating their own learning. The findings also demonstrated that low proficiency level learners were inclined to choose affective strategies, meaning that they were concerned with the emotional requirements such as confidence. The findings of this study provide contribution to further development of existing global theories about language learner strategies, and are beneficial for classroom practice in the Indonesian context, especially in raising EFL teachers’ awareness about ways in improving student learning.

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.

Strategy Use by English-Major Jordanian Undergraduates

2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousef M. Al-Shaboul ◽  
Sahail M. Asassfeh ◽  
Sabri S. Alshboul
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Metacognitive Strategies ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
English Major ◽  
Strategy Types ◽  
The Impact

AbstractResearch suggests that gender and perceived language proficiency level are among the factors that may impact the strategies language learners use. This study explored the impact of these variables on learning strategies used by 111 English-major Jordanian students. The instrument was Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). The study revealed that females opt to use strategies more frequently than males. Results also showed that the higher the proficiency level, the more frequent the strategy use. Metacognitive strategies were the most prevalent among the different strategy types whereas memory strategies were the least deployed. These findings are discussed and implications are outlined.

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