Female Saudi International Students Daily Practices on Social Media in Australia

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 39-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanan MOHAMMED ALSHEHAB
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
International Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Social Life ◽  
English Language ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Digital Identity ◽  
English Language Acquisition

The effect of Social Media (SM) technology on human life in the 21St century cannot be denied; the use of SM platforms can be seen in various fields, such as education, medicine, politics, social life, communication methods, and daily life. The research aimed to investigate SM’s impact on Female Saudi International Students’ (FSIS) English language learning and creation of identities. This study utilized a qualitative method to obtain in-depth knowledge of FSIS’ practices on SM and the effects on their learning and identity. The semi-structured interview was used to collect the data from eight FSIS. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three main themes were generated: FSIS’ daily practices, FSIS’ digital identity, and FSIS’languages on SM. The findings show that FSIS is active on SM, having accounts on different SM platforms. They communicate with people from Saudi Arabia and of different nationalities. Also, the findings assert that FSIS has a strong digital identity on SM. Moreover, the findings emphasized that using SM helps some of the FSIS to improve their English language proficiency. They use SM as a learning tool for English language acquisition. The limitations and the implications of the study are stated in the Conclusion. For further research, suggestions are made to investigate more phenomena regarding Saudis’ using of SM.

The discursive (mis)representation of English language proficiency

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Agnes Bodis
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
International Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
International Education ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Media Representation ◽  
The Media

Abstract International education constitutes a key industry in Australia and international students represent a third of university students at Australian universities. This paper examines the media representation of international students in terms of their English language proficiency. The study applies Critical Discourse Analysis to the multimodal data of an episode of a current affairs TV program, Four Corners, and social media comments made to the episode. Using Social Actor Analysis, the study finds that the responsibility for declining standards at universities is assigned to international students through representations of their language use as problematic. This is supported by the visual representation of international students as different. By systematically mapping out the English-as-a-problem discourse, the paper finds that the media representation of language proficiency and language learning is simplistic and naïve and the social media discussion reinforces this. This further contributes to the discursive exclusion of international students.

scholarly journals MASTERING THE MOTHER TONGUE AS A MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION FOR STUDENTS IN MALAYSIAN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING: A DETAILED STUDY ON THE CONCERN OF MULTIRACIAL LANGUAGE COUNTRIES

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (41) ◽  
pp. 38-54
Author(s):  
Muhammad Safuan Yusoff ◽  
Irma Wani Othman ◽  
Herlina Jupiter ◽  
Saifulazry Mokhtar
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
National Language ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning

Malaysia is a multi-racial country with a multi-racial composition, thus producing a variety of communication languages spoken as a result of ethnic assimilation from various races. Malay language is the mother tongue and is upheld as the national language, and thus becomes an element of the identity of Malaysians. It is also considered a point of unity of all the people that lead to national cohesion. The increase in the enrolment of international students every year proves the success of the Ministry of Education Malaysia in fulfilling the vision and mission of the Internationalisation Policy of Malaysian Institutions of Higher Learning. However, in the excitement of pursuing modernisation of education today, the university is bearing heavy responsibility in lifting the position of the Malay language as the official forum for learning and teaching as well as a selection of the main medium of communication among students, especially international students. Discussion of this paper focused on dismantling trade empowerment in the context of the Malay language proficiency in the language that seeks to help assimilation and accommodating international students. This research chooses a qualitative approach by utilising the semi-structured interview method to generate empirical data from a target group of 30 international students in selected Malaysian Public Universities. The findings show that international students utilise their mother tongue to recognise their abilities and agree that the importance of understanding and having the skills of the local language can contribute to the transformation of assimilation in the culture of Malaysia’s multi-ethnic society. Ultimately, mastering the mother tongue as a medium of communication for HLI students is a universal skill requirement of international students for the improvisation of self-confidence in facing the challenges of language learning in a multi-racial country.

scholarly journals PERCEPTIONS OF EFL LEARNERS REGARDING EFFECTIVENESS OF TWITTER IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING PROFICIENCY AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1355-1365
Author(s):  
Irfan Ullah Khan ◽  
Mati Ullah ◽  
Khurshed Iqbal ◽  
Mahraban Alam ◽  
Iftikhar Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
University Level ◽  
The University

Purpose of the study: Social media and online social media sources play a vital role in our daily routine life. This study's main purpose was to highlight the role of Twitter in English language learning proficiency development at the university level. Methodology: In the study, the researcher analyzed the perception of EFL learners regarding the effectiveness of Twitter in English language learning proficiency at the university level by taking data from sampled respondents through a self-developed questionnaire on a 5-Points Likert scale. John Curry's (1984) sample size rule of thumb, convenient sampling technique, validity, and reliability of the research instrument were ensured in the study. Main Findings: The key findings of the current study revealed that in social media, Twitter has a high positive role in promoting, polishing, and developing English Language learning by using computers, laptops, or smartphones for the teaching-learning process in this regard. The study's main findings indicated that Twitter is very helpful to facilitate teachers and learners regarding the development of the English language as a second language. Applications of this study: The current study may be highly significant and effective for students, parents, teachers, the public, policymakers, and the government to apply it for developing language proficiency via the practical use of Twitter. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study will be a quite novel and original way of promoting and developing language proficiency by using media resources, especially Twitter, to attain the desired objectives, i.e., developing language proficiency via Twitter.

scholarly journals English Language Learning Through Non-Technology Games: A Case Study of International Students at a Lithuanian University

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagaletchimee Annamalai ◽  
Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan ◽  
Radzuwan Ab Rashid ◽  
Giedre Oleskevicience ◽  
Vilhelmina Vaičiūnienė
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Cultural Sensitivity ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis

Research on gamified language learning often involves the use of digital games. Little is known about the use of non-technology games in promoting language learning despite their accessibility. This paper aims to fill in this lacuna by providing insights into international students’ engagement in non-technology gamified English language learning in the context of a Lithuanian university. The research, which used a case study approach as its methodology, involved a total of 30 international students at a Lithuanian university together with their two instructors. They were observed for two weeks, and then interviewed by the researchers. An inductive thematic analysis approach proposed by Braun and Clark was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that the students’ engagement with the non-technology gamified lessons have impacted them positively as they believe that they have improved English language proficiency and better mastery of the 21-st century learning skills. However, the participants raised several issues related to cultural sensitivity and blurred learning outcomes. This study concluded that non-technology games serve as a useful tool in promoting language learning in the 21st century if it is carefully designed to attract learners’ interests and at the same to time meet the learning outcomes. This study is hoped to encourage practitioners to experiment with non-technology gamified lessons and provide guidelines for them in conducting effective non-technology gamified lessons.

scholarly journals USING FACEBOOK FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING: THE DIFFERENCES AMONG GENDER AND ETHNICITY

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 177
Author(s):  
Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Female Students ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
English Language Acquisition ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Positive Attitudes

This study investigates university students’ perceptions of using Facebook for English language learning based on gender and ethnicity. A survey was used for data collection, in which all 622 participants reported to having at least one Facebook account which they frequently accessed multiple times a day. The findings show that the students possessed positive attitudes, motivation, self-confidence in using Facebook to learn English language. They also reported to have acquired new English words and sentence structures from their engagement with Facebook. In terms of gender and ethnicity, it is the female students, and Indian respondents who illustrated highly positive perceptions of English language acquisition, motivation, attitudes, and self-confidence, when engaging with Facebook. The awareness of these differences may assist the creation of more suitable learning strategies especially with the integration of Facebook and other social media. Keywords: Facebook, English language learning, gender, ethnicity, attitudes, motivation, self-confidence, acquisitionCite as: Kasuma, S.A.A. (2017). Using Facebook for English language learning: The differences among gender and ethnicity. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 2(1), 177-193.

Attitudes toward the use of TELL tools in English language learning among Vietnamese Tertiary English majors

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 581-596
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Guided Learning ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
English Majors ◽  
Very High ◽  
Different Levels

Technology plays a crucial role in the self-guided learning of a second language in general and English in particular. Nevertheless, many students in different contexts still ignore the application of technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) tools in enhancing their foreign language proficiency. Therefore, this study is conducted to investigate the attitudes towards the use of TELL tools in English-language learning (ELL) among English majors at one university in Vietnam. To collect data, 197 English majors participated in finishing the questionnaire, and 20 students were invited to join the interviews. The findings are that the majority of students have positive attitudes towards the use of TELL tools and the frequency of using these tools is very high. In addition, the results also reveal that there is no significant difference in attitudes towards and frequency of using TELL tools in learning English in terms of the year of study. However, students of different levels of academic achievements have different attitudes towards using TELL tools and use TELL tools to learn English differently. Received 2nd May 2019; Revised 16th July 2019, Accepted 20th October 2019

Using Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) materials in English as Second Language (ESL) classrooms: perspectives of teachers and students in United Arab Emirates

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramia DIRAR SHEHADEH MUSMAR
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Student Diversity ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching

Integrating scaffolding-learning technologies has been recognized for its potential to create intellectual and engaging classroom interactions. In the United Arab Emirates, having language teachers employ computers as a medium of new pedagogical instrument for teaching second languages generated the idea of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as a medium of an innovative pedagogical instrument for facilitating and scaffolding language learning, with an aspiration that it will lead to improved English language attainment and better assessment results. This study aims at investigating the perspectives of students and teachers on the advantageous and disadvantageous impacts of CALL on learning and teaching English as a second language in one public school in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The results show that CALL has a facilitating role in L2 classroom and that using CALL activities is advantageous in reducing English learning tension, boosting motivation, catering for student diversity, promoting self-directed language learning and scaffolding while learning English. The results additionally report that numerous aspects like time constraints, teachers’ unsatisfactory computer skills, insufficient computer facilities, and inflexible school courses undesirably affect the implementation of CALL in English classrooms. It is recommended that further studies should be undertaken to investigate the actual effect of CALL on students’ language proficiency. 

Education of undergraduate: Epistemic and cultural beliefs as obstacles to technology

2021 ◽  
pp. 002072092098431
Author(s):  
Fahad SS Alfallaj ◽  
Ahmed AH Al-Ma'amari ◽  
Fahad IA Aldhali
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Language Curriculum

This study aims to identify the epistemological and cultural beliefs that act as barriers in English learning by Saudi undergraduate learners. English is a compulsory component of education from the early school years in Saudi Arabia, and the Ministry of Education invests a great deal of workforce and financial resources in this sector in a concerted effort to ensure that Saudi students attain language proficiency. The study employed a mixed-method research design and was conducted with 85 undergraduate learners at Qassim University. It used a questionnaire and interviews to obtain insight into the factors that inhibit the English learning experience. Results revealed that the respondents' resistance to the learning of others' culture stems mainly from the epistemic and cultural barriers embedded in English language learning. Implications of the study will provide the basis to policymakers, educationists, institutions, and learners for contextualizing the English language curriculum of Saudi Arabia.

scholarly journals A Study of Language Anxiety among English Language Learners in Saudi Arabia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badia Muntazer Hakim
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Self Awareness

Classroom anxiety is a recurrent phenomenon for language learners. There are various factors that cause language anxiety, the most common of which include learners’ excessive self-consciousness and self-awareness concerning their oral reproduction and performance and their peculiar, and quite often misplaced and mistaken, views and beliefs regarding different approaches. Other potential reasons for this problem could include the fear, and the consequent deterrence occasioned thereof, of encountering difficulties in language learning, specifically learners’ individual problems regarding the culture of the target language and the varying social statuses of speakers. The most important fear is, perhaps, the deterrent fear of causing damage to one’s self-identity. Therefore, while needing to paying special attention to language learners’ anxiety reactions, language teachers have a crucial role in helping their students achieve the expected performance goals in the target language. Another factor that could potentially lead to language anxiety is simply the poor command of the target language. This problem could be attributed to linguistic barriers and obstacles language learners encounter in learning and using the target language. In the current study, using a qualitative, semi-structured interview and the focus-group discussion technique, the researcher aims to investigate the factors that contribute to language anxiety among Arab language learners. It focuses on learners both within the classroom setting and without, i.e. in the social context, and recommends a number of approaches to manage and overcome this problem.

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