scholarly journals EFL Learners and Their Success in Learning English in the Thai Context

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sureepong Phothongsunan

The main aim of the study is to explore 15 high achieving English language learners’ accounts of their undertakings in learning English in a Thai upper secondary school. The researcher adopts the view of social learning, particularly in reaching better understandings of the learners’ experiences in learning English. As there exists a tendency to gauge learners’ success in English based on examinations, this study asserts that language learning involves more than a cognitive process, thus values the social aspects of experiential English learning. The focus lies on investigating the perceptions of these high achieving English language learners of their success in learning English as well as the influences contributing to it. Two methods are used to collect data: focus groups and interviews. The findings indicate the participants’ perceptions of their own success in learning English in three main aspects: English language ability, examination performance and skills in teaching others. In particular, the ability to speak English fluently and correctly appears to be of utmost importance for a successful English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner. It is also found that most learners identify their own performance in class, the teacher, including teacher rapport, and school culture as contributing to their English learning achievement. In focusing on the learners’ perceptions and their actual experiences, insights into how the learners actually undergo the learning opportunities provided by the education system can be obtained. To understand the extent to which innovations in English language teaching and learning have been successful, the everyday realities of the language classroom and school have to be accentuated.

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 747-752
Author(s):  
Ziaul Karim ◽  
Marium Jamila

This paper aims to find out whether mobile phones may be used as a language learning tool both inside and outside of classrooms in the universities in Bangladesh. The authors have conducted a survey through a questionnaire designed for both the learners and teachers who are involved in teaching foundation English courses at different private and public universities. The research challenges the current assumptions about English language teaching and learning with mobile phones, digs out multifarious language learning techniques and procedures and takes its standpoint that there are more advantages than drawbacks in case of utilizing cell phones for English language learning. Finally, it sheds lights on the present applicability and the future prospects of cell phone uses for English language learners (ELLs) in the context of Bangladesh.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Seyyed Hatam Tamimi Sa’d ◽  
Fereshte Rajabi

Vocabulary constitutes an essential part of every language-learning endeavour and deserves scholarly attention. The objective of the present study was three-fold: 1) exploring Iranian English language learners’Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs), 2) examining language learners’ perceptions of vocabulary learning, and 3) exploring Iranian English language teachers’ Vocabulary Teaching Strategies (VTSs). In total, 145  intermediate learners of English as a foreign language, consisting of 114 males and 31 females aged 15 to 27, participated in the study. The triangulated data were collected using three tools: questionnaires, interviews, and class observations. Sixty-seven learners (31 females and 36 males) filled out a 56-statement questionnaire, adopted and adapted from Takač (2008) and translated into Persian. The questionnaire comprised two parts, enquiring as to the learners’ VLSs and the teachers’ VTSs. The findings indicated that females and males differed significantly in their reported VLSs and their teachers’ use of various VTSs. Additionally, 78 learners were interviewed as to their perceptions of effective and ineffective VLSs as well as VTSs. The findings revealed that the most effective VLSs were reported to be: a) reciting, repeating and listening to words, b) using words, and c) memorising words while the most effective VTSs revolved around: a) explanation, b) repetition, and c) dictation. The observations also confirmed the findings obtained via the questionnaire and interviews. In general, the findings are indicative of the limited repertoire of vocabulary acquisition techniques employed by Iranian EFL learners, hence the need for strategy training in how to acquire vocabulary. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 516
Author(s):  
Mohammad Owais Khan

The present study attempts to highlight the issues related to the Tribulations and Counteractive measures for teaching and learning English to Intermediate students of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. The language policy in intermediate college education emerged as a social and personal problem. The quality of English Language teaching in majority of Indian Intermediate Colleges presents a very appalling picture. Teachers’ language proficiency, exposure to language and teaching materials is major concerns for quality English language learning. In reality intermediate students’ situation in UP is very difficult. They don’t have good opportunities as the big cities’ students have. These students consider English as a subject not as a language. So they focus only on examination not on the learning. This is an area which needs proper investigation. This study and the remedial measures suggested at the end will hopefully help students and teachers in learning and teaching English easily and appropriately. The study will also be useful for teachers, scholars, course designers and material producers of English language teaching.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-55
Author(s):  
M. John Britto

Counselling plays a significant role in bringing out a remarkable change in an individual’s personal and professional life. It has entered a number of domains including education. As human problems are mushrooming day by day in this hi-tech world, there is a dire need for finding solutions to those problems. It is counselling that comes to one’s aid to solve one’s problems that are psychological and personal. In English language teaching and learning too, there are multiple problems encountered by teachers and students as well. This paper discusses how counselling is indispensable to English Language Teaching (ELT) for finding solutions to problems faced by English language learners. Exploring the relevance of counselling to ELT, it also seeks to highlight the benefits of integrating it with ELT. It brings out the need for introspection of English language teachers to provide counselling to students. It enumerates various counselling skills, and presents an account of problem-solving method in ELT and eight approaches to counselling.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Maryam Barghamadi

English language materials and courses are developed to cover the skills that learners require to master. In the domain of English language teaching, Needs Analysis (NA), also known as Need Assessment, is a process that aims to investigate the present level of English language learners and identify what they need to know. The NA process is unanimously accounted for as a crucial feature of English language learning, especially for teaching materials, learning activities, testing, and developing assessment programs. Due to its vital role, a great deal of research has been conducted on this process, and several approaches have been suggested for it in the literature. This paper aims to provide an overview of the needs analysis as well as its fundamentals and concepts. This paper also presents a review of previous research methods developed for NA and their strengths and limitations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Mohd Hafizuddin Mohamed Jamrus ◽  
Abu Bakar Razali

A very important element of formative assessment is giving and receiving feedback. However, most teachers face difficulty in giving students feedback due to various reasons, such as the large number of students in class that makes it time consuming for them to do so. Fortunately, students themselves can be excellent sources of feedback through self-assessment, through which the students would reflect on the quality of their work, judge the degree to which their work reflects explicitly stated goals or criteria, and revise their work if necessary. Under the right conditions, student self-assessment can provide accurate, useful information to promote learning. Self-assessment can also be effective in English language learning, such as: motivating students to learn and reflect on their own English learning; promote critical thinking and reflective practices in learning English; scaffold knowledge of English learning from different English language skills; develop a sense of autonomy in their own learning English; and foster commitment in learning English among many others. This conceptual paper thus seeks to explore the potentials of using self-assessment in English language learning. In this paper, the concept and underlying principles of self-assessment will be introduced. Next, the review of past studies on self-assessment in the context of teaching and learning English as a second or English as a foreign language (ESL/EFL) will be explained. Later, the advantages and disadvantages of using self-assessment in the classroom will be discussed. In the final section, recommendations will be given for the implementation of self-assessment in learning English as a second language (ESL) classrooms.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 270
Author(s):  
Ginanjar Arif Wijaya

As the integral part of education, English language teaching has taken too little part of it and brought it to the level where English learning seems to talk only about English. In another extent, English for specific purpose declares its specialty to satisfy the demand of workforce. Researches in ELT are also commonly propelled by the urges to counter the work challenges and to answer the questions of how English can effectively be acquired. Reductionism roots as the problem. This tendency is then strengthened by the education system that leaves the teachers with not many options, systematically forcing the language learners to merely surpass the minimum standard score of English language subject. Within ecological and humanity crises, ELT needs to contribute more than just enabling the learners to communicate well or preparing them for works. ELT needs to take broader scope in order to induce life enlightenment, educate life skills, nurture humanity, and maintain the planet. Such enormous scope cannot be maintained by the current reductionistic approach. Therefore, holistic approach in ELT that integrates it with the whole network of life appears as the solution for this problem.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew S. Ross ◽  
Elke Stracke

Within applied linguistics, understanding of motivation and cognition has benefitted from substantial attention for decades, but the attention received by language learner emotions has not been comparable until recently when interest in emotions and the role they can play in language learning has increased. Emotions are at the core of human experience, so a greater understanding of their impact on language learners is critical. In particular, the role and impact of positive emotions on learners and their learning experience has been overlooked in favour of a focus on issues of confidence and anxiety. One particular positive emotion that has a meaningful connection with the learning experience is that of pride. Drawing on qualitative interview data from tertiary English language learners in Australian universities, this article singles out pride as a means of confirming the critical role of positive emotions in language learning. The interviews revealed that pride had a significant impact on the experiences of learners. It was also discovered that within the notion of pride there exists a degree of dimensionality. Pride is felt in communicative contexts whereas a feeling of ‘non-pride’ can occur in learning contexts. The article also presents implications arising from the study concerning the place of emotions in language teaching and learning.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 52-56
Author(s):  
U Thulasivanthana

Most English language learners in SVIAS consider learning English as a complex, tiresome, and uninteresting endeavor. They face unprecedented trials and tribulations in learning English as an additional language. Therefore, finding ways to stimulate learner involvement and motivation has become important for English language teachers. Current teaching methods, materials, and resources seem inadequate to fulfill the students’ attitudes, skills, interests, and needs. This experimental study examines whether integrating visual arts activities contributes to positive results for the students who would like to improve their English language skills. In addition to the experimental study, classroom observations were conducted. Arts can make learning exciting,unforgettable, and interesting. The advantages of incorporating arts in education have been extensively delineated in recent studies. Using arts in English language teaching helps to make learning exciting and unforgettable, decrease language learning anxiety, improve classroom atmosphere, increase memory and motivation, and build rapport with learners. This study aims to show the impacts of using contents visual arts in the English language classroom. The findings can assist English language teachers in promoting the use of contents related to visual arts in English class to cater to a range of preferences, strengths, and learning styles.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 543
Author(s):  
Ricardo Roman Jr. ◽  
Aixa M. Nunez

Research in second language acquisition took off in the early 1970s. This study on integrative and instrumental motivation examined the correlation between the two forms in terms of second language acquisition, and the interest it has generated through continued research efforts in language learning. Research to date suggests a possible relationship between motivation and second language learning. The results obtained by this research were determined by two basic types of motivation which play a relevant role in second language acquisition, it also revealed which was the most prevalent motivational factor that influences students in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at Quality Leadership University, Panama. Our objective was to prove that instrumental motivation is more prevalent among students learning English as a Foreign Language in Panama. Although cultural awareness is very much present in the EFL classroom, it too plays a major role with English Language Learners (ELLs). This is a quantitative research study which includes a questionnaire classifying twenty motivational statements into two types of motivation, integrative and instrumental. The study revealed that instrumental motivation was more prevalent among English language learners at Quality Leadership University, Panama. Albiet learning about new cultures has been the driving force with which students approach language learning and students in Panama are not the exception. We can thus conclude that instrumental motivation has been acknowledged as the significant factor by students surveyed and the interest in specific language learning for career advancement, whereas integrative motivation is linked to more general second language acquisition for the benefit of cultural integration.


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