scholarly journals Communication Strategies to Overcome Linguistic Barriers: A Snapshot of Indonesian Postgraduate Students as a Second Language Learner Living in Target Language Community

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Yuliandri Yuliandri

Being able to communicate effectively in English on both social and academic setting, is one of the biggest challenge faced by International students learning in English speaking countries like New Zealand. This challenge is inevitably relevant to students’ from Indonesia, a country where English is not a second language. Extra effort is required since these International students must be able to learn and produce the language simultaneously in a very immediate context, shifting from EFL to ESL context. To be able to shift from these two different learning contexts, specific strategies are needed. The use of communication strategies is purposed to assist language learners in a target language community to in delivering and receiving messages in spoken communication. This research is aimed to: a) identify types of communication strategy used by Indonesian adult Postgraduate students; b) investigate how these communication strategies are learned and applied. The data is collected qualitatively through semi-structured interviews. The result of this study reveals that, the two respondents in general are using the same communication strategies: compensatory strategy in form of circumlocution; on the other hand, avoidance strategy is also applied as a last resort. Furthermore, this research also highlights learning strategies developed/learned by the respondents to upgrade their communication competence.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
yuliandri yuliandri

Being able to communicate effectively in English on both social and academic setting,is one of the biggest challenge faced by International students learning in English speaking countries like New Zealand. This challenge is inevitably relevant to students’ from Indonesia, a country where English is not a second language. Extra effort is required since these International students must be able to learn and produce the language simultaneously in a very immediate context, shifting from EFL to ESL context. To be able to shift from these two different learning contexts, specific strategies are needed. The use of communication strategies is purposed to assist language learners in a target language community to in delivering and receiving messages in spoken communication. This research is aimed to: a) identify types of communication strategy used by Indonesian adult Postgraduate students; b) investigate how these communication strategies are learned and applied. The data is collected qualitatively through semi-structured interviews. The result of this study reveals that, the two respondents in general are using the same communication strategies: compensatory strategy in form of circumlocution; on the other hand, avoidance strategy is also applied as a last resort. Furthermore, this research also highlights learning strategies developed/learned by the respondents to upgrade their communication competence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 198
Author(s):  
Bikash Chandra Taly ◽  
Shamala Paramasivam

Anxiety is common for international students when speaking in the academic context. The aim of this study is to explore the reasons that cause speaking anxiety in the academic context of a university. The study also aims to find out strategies used by students to cope with speaking anxiety. This research employs the qualitative method in the form of interview questions to investigate the issues. Fifteen international postgraduate students and two experienced university lecturers of a public university in Malaysia were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. The investigation revealed that speaking anxiety originates from students' self-related perceptions, learning challenges, differences between students' and target language cultures, poor language knowledge, and fear of being evaluated by peers and lecturers. The strategies used to cope with speaking anxiety included a variety of affective (relaxation), cognitive (positive thinking) and behavioral strategies (preparation/practice, avoidance of eye contact, providing immediate response to instructors’ questions, taking part in as many speaking activities as possible, peer seeking and physical masking behavior). From the investigation, it is found that anxiety has an influence on students’ communication when speaking in English. More emphasis should be given to anxiety reducing methods in the teaching and learning context of higher education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-79
Author(s):  
Megan O'Mahony ◽  
Debora Jeske

The goal of this qualitative study was to examine the experience of study-work-life balance among international students who were separated from their family both geographically and temporally. Using 10 semi-structured interviews with postgraduate students and thematic analysis, several themes were identified. These included boundary management shifts due to study/work demands and time zone differences. In addition, students reported social and personal challenges (in terms of family’s expectations, relationships maintenance, socialization in host country). Temporal boundaries contributed to social withdrawal and isolation among students, many of which were heavily reliant on their own family network for support. The findings strengthen the argument that time difference impacts the boundary management and social experience of international students.


Author(s):  
Kathrine Angela Jackson ◽  
Fay Harris ◽  
Russell Crawford

This paper investigates the perceptions of members of our international student community by giving them a voice and a platform to explore their feelings as part of a Higher Education institute in the UK and whether they consider that the university is a global environment. Our data is based on a series of structured interviews with twelve students from twelve different countries, inclusive of four postgraduate research students. Our findings reveal that our international students commonly feel part of multiple smaller communities but interestingly, they were less sure of their part within an institute-wide community. The postgraduate students’ perceptions of community were quite divergent when compared to the undergraduate perceptions, which we will continue to explore in our future work. Our data supports the perception from international students that their university is a global community, but there were distinct differences in how individuals defined it and some limitations to consider. Some defined it as students and staff of different nationalities being present at a university whilst other definitions relied on cultural characteristics within the institution as a whole. We reflect upon the implications of our research as these perceptions shape international student opinion of Higher Education institutes and what is understood by the term ‘global community’.


Author(s):  
Agung Wicaksono

<p>Communication strategy is the way to help the speakers when facing difficulties in communication using English as a second language. This case study, at the first year students of English Department, aims to know the most frequent students’ strategies to communicate in speaking activity in speaking class. It is  found that thirteen communication strategies were used by the students in speaking English class, but not all of the communication strategies were used in every conversation, but only certain communication strategy was used. It depends on  the materials difficulties. Furhermore, the most frequent  communication strategies is stalling or time gaining strategy. As they need some time to think and then continue talking after they find the right words they need to communicate. This findings is in line with the propossed theory stated that communication strategy is defined as a systematic technique employed by a speaker to express his or her meaning when facing certain difficulties in communication.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 03 (05) ◽  
pp. 200-214
Author(s):  
Boukhmis SENOUBER ◽  
Chahrazed Bin YOUNES

The field of teaching language for non-native speakers is a rich field that has been addressed by various theories that tried to explain the process of acquiring a second language, as some of them pay great attention to the innate characteristics of the learner, and others focus on the role that the environment plays, especially in terms of providing contact with those who modify their language and patterns of interaction to suit the needs of the language learner, while other theories focus on the learner’s participation in the social contexts, or the so-called immersion in the target language environment, and the importance of research is highlighted in uncovering the mechanisms and curricula that these theories have adopted in order to achieve meaningful and distinct learning. The research aims to address this topic, trying to delve into the concepts and procedures of each theory separately in an attempt to clarify and present it to the Arab reader and student in an accessible and understandable form. We will try to rely in this study on a research plan that includes two main topics: A first topic, which we will devote to general theories in teaching language to non-native speakers; That is, theories that dealt with linguistic acquisition in general, whether related to the first or second language, and includes three main theories; They are the structural behavioral theory, the innate or Universal Grammar theory, and the functional theory. As for the second topic, we will devote it to the special theories, which are theories that dealt exclusively with teaching the language to non-native speakers, and it includes eight basic hypothesis. They are the Monitor hypothesis, the interaction hypothesis, the contrastive analysis hypothesis, the creative construction hypothesis, the fundamental difference hypothesis, Noticing hypothesis, the projection hypothesis, the competition model.In order to delve into this topic, we raise the following problems: How did cognitive theorizing for teaching a language to non-speakers of it contributed to addressing the difficulties and mistakes faced by the second language learner? How did these theories address the issue of second language teaching and acquisition?


Author(s):  
Gan Lai Kuen ◽  
Shameem Rafik-Galea ◽  
Chan Swee Heng

This study investigates the use of oral communication strategy instruction on English as a Second Language (ESL) learners’ oral communicative performance and their strategic competence. The treatment involved 12 weeks of training using oral communication strategies such as circumlocution, appeal for help, clarification request, fillers, comprehension check, confirmation checks, self-repair and topic avoidance. Strategies were integrated into the learners’ Communicative English 2 Course syllabus with Mechanical Engineering content. The study involved two intact control (n=34) and experimental groups (n=54). The control group only received the normal Communicative English course with no explicit focus on communication strategies (CS) while the experimental group received CS training designed with metacognitive strategies. Pre and posttest procedures were used to assess the effectiveness of the training and learners’ strategic competence. Five instruments were used to collect the data (oral proficiency test, oral communication test, transcripts of oral communication test, unstructured interview and self-report). The findings revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group after the training and the learners’ self-reports also revealed positive results. The results also revealed that the learners frequently used literal translation from their first language in their communication. 


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Bailey ◽  
Ahmed Kadhum Fahad

Stephen Krashen has a long and enduring legacy in the field of second language acquisition. His “Input Hypothesis” was among the very first attempts to create a coherent theoretical account of second language learning. Krashen argued that learners can acquire language through the process of comprehending it. While elements of his model have been extensively critiqued, this idea has endured and offers teachers a clear mandate to provide learners with abundant opportunities to making meaning of the target language. Utilizing a case study of an English language learner, Krashen’s model is challenged and enriched by considering the role that motivation and identity play in learning. Teachers tapping into an important source of learner motivation, role models drawn from the local community or broader society, can inspire and energize students’ studies and help them visualize a life in which a second language plays a vital role. Building upon Krashen’s idea of the importance of language teachers and programs creating robust reading programs for a sustained engagement with second language print resources, the authors propose to expand his vision and include all manner of multimedia and technologies. However, such a program can only succeed if teachers mediate their learners’ social identities and motivations for sustained second language learning.


Economica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 61-67
Author(s):  
Zsuzsanna Tóthné Herbst

The ultimate goal of language learners is to communicate efficiently and fluently in the given second language, which is hard work to reach. They are learning the language for long years, and it may happen that theoretically they are familiar with all the grammar intricacies, but practically they are not able to ask for even a glass of water in real situations. The question is whether the use of communication strategies could help to cope with the difficulties by their direct teaching. A few years ago I conducted a research to find out what kind of interactive strategies the learners are using and to provide a full list of them. The publications at that time did not deal with strategies specifically in the teaching material. I used my own list. The latest books, however, put a stress on useful phrases. So the question is whether the fact that they draw attention to strategies in separate sections, will bring significant changes in the learners’  communication.


Author(s):  
Megawati Sukarno ◽  
Su-Hie Ting

Communication strategy use varies with proficiency in the target language and less proficient learners rely on L1 strategies for conversational repair. In an English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) context where the technical register is unfamiliar, little is known on whether communication strategies can enable learners with limited English proficiency to overcome hesitancy in speech. The study examined learners’ use of communication strategies and fluency in group interactions in an EOP context using an integrated problem-solving, interactional and discourse-based framework of communication strategies. A 13-week communication strategy training was conducted focusing on conversational repair strategies (fillers, approximation, code-switching), meaning negotiation strategies (clarification request, comprehension check, confirmation check), response strategies (rephrase, shadowing, reply) and discourse-based strategies (lexical repetition, topic fronting). The results on communication strategy use in three group interaction sessions involving three participants showed that the most frequently used communication strategies were lexical repetition and fillers. The participants’ fluency, as measured in C-units and frequency of fillers, was higher when they interacted on familiar topics. The participants learnt to use discourse-based strategies but not meaning negotiation strategies. The findings suggest that for better negotiation of meaning, the communication strategy training needs to create metacognitive awareness of the interlocutors’ communicative needs.


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