scholarly journals Language Learning Beliefs of Second Language Learners at Graduate Level in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol V (I) ◽  
pp. 104-112
Author(s):  
Qurratulain Ershad ◽  
Maria Shiraz ◽  
Shahzada Qaisar
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Learning Beliefs ◽  
Language Learning Beliefs ◽  
The Stability

The current research aimed at examining the beliefs of Pakistani graduate students towards English language learning and assessing the stability of their beliefs after six weeks. In the process of language learning beliefs play a pivotal role. Students beliefs about second language acquisition need to be studied so that appropriate approach can be adopted. To collect data, sixty graduate students were selected by purposive sampling. BALLI (Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory, Horwitz, 1987) tool was adopted and administered twice to collect the data. The results showed that the learners are motivated and keen to acquire English language. The respondents were apprised of the significance of foreign language acquisition and highlighted the importance of pronouncing the words correctly, meanings of new words, and the benefits of drills. The results also depicted that there is stability in most of students beliefs after six weeks.

scholarly journals Problems in Teaching English in Indian Classrooms: Issues and Remedies

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-109
Author(s):  
Sarita Jain
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Remedial Measures ◽  
English Classes ◽  
The Moment ◽  
The Right

This paper examines the present status of English as a second language in India. It defines language and identifies the factors that affect second language learning. It discusses different problems faced by learners of English and what is the right way of language acquisition for second language learners in India. Language acts as an instrument to express effectively in various communicative situations. However, it is the very second language which requires a conscious and diligent, systematic efforts to acquire or master it. Second language acquisition is really a big challenge for all native speakers of that language who really deal with it. The majority of Indian students, particularly from rural pockets, especially in the states of Bihar, eastern U.P. and Maharashtra, consider this seven –letter word as a magical and mystical word. A feeling of uneasiness sets in, the moment they hear something in English. As a result of this, teachers who handle English classes face insurmountable difficulties. Students find it difficult to listen and to understand the English language. What are the reasons for this? What are the remedial measures to be taken to alleviate these problems? This paper is an attempt to discuss the nature of second language acquisition and the factors responsible for its slow acquisition. Appropriate and adequate remedial measures are cited for the successful rectification of these problems.

The Effect of Teachers’ Use of Reinforcement on Learners’ Performance in English Language

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-129
Author(s):  
Ndegwa Grace Konyu; Dr. Lucy Wathika; Dr Josephine Khaemba
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Verbatim Transcript

The intention of the study was to establish the effect of teachers’ use of reinforcement on learners’ performance in English language. It was done in selected secondary schools in Nakuru town and used descriptive research design. The study was guided by Gardner and Lambert’s Socio-Educational model of second language acquisition. Stratified random sampling was employed in selecting four schools while simple random sampling was used to choose one stream in form two, three and four in each school for observation. It resulted in eight observational schedules. The study sample of 60 students in form 2-4 and 8 teachers of English was purposively selected for interviews. A total number of 353 learners were observed. The study used interviews, audio recording and Structured Observational Schedules for data collection. The data was presented in form of tables, figures and verbatim transcript excerpts used for exemplification and illustration in a qualitative explication. The findings of the study revealed that second language learners’ performance in English is greatly influenced by teachers’ use of reinforcement. Moreover, it proved that teachers of English give unguarded praises, negative statements and criticisms to English second language learners. This study is a vital contribution to the field of Second Language Acquisition theory and practice with regard to offering information and insight into reinforcement, motivation and attitude in practical language acquisition and learning in the classroom situation. These findings are useful in the improvement of second language learners’ performance in English. Teachers of English will also acquaint themselves with effective use of positive verbal reinforcement which works as a motivational force on learners’ acquisition and use of the English language.

scholarly journals Students' Writing Errors and What Lies Beyond Them

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Fahmy Imaniar
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Error Analysis ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Common Error ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Writing Errors

Writing in second language is demanding that leads learners to make errors in their performance. Fortunately, the view of error has changed into a way of understanding second language acquisition and its practice. Error analysis is an approach of SLA to learn the errors made by the second language learners. However, knowing the errors made is not enough, therefore, it is important to see the factors beyond the errors. This present study aims at knowing what writing errors the learners make and what the most common error occurs are. Furthermore, this study explored what factor lies beyond those errors. Through mixed method design as well as Error Analysis (EA) approach, this study was conducted in one learning course in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. Through this study, it was revealed that omission was the type of error mostly made. Furthermore, intralingual and interlingual factors were the ones beyond the errors. It is expected that this study will contribute to the knowledge and practice on the fields of not only Second Language Acquisition (SLA) but also English Language Teaching (ELT) involving teachers and students.   

scholarly journals AN ANALYSIS ON INDONESIAN ELT TEXTBOOK FOR GRADE XI FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SLA PRINCIPLES USING LITTLEJOHN’S FRAMEWORK

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Atika Yulina
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Textbook Analysis ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Textbook Evaluation ◽  
Material Analysis

This paper outlines a procedure for language textbook analysis from the perspective of second language acquisition (SLA) principles using a minimally modified version of Littlejohn’s three-level framework by Guilloteaux as a preliminary procedure to textbook evaluation for selection. The aim is to analyze to what extent does Indonesian ELT textbook for grade XI reflects the universal SLA principles. The universal SLA principles used as material analysis criteria in this paper were drawn from the literature selected by Guilloteaux. This analysis revealed that the Indonesian ELT textbook by the Ministry of Education and Culture reflected SLA principles closely. Although only in-use evaluation can determine the extent to which this textbook actually supports language acquisition, the evidence suggests that the textbook is potentially supportive to English language learning.

scholarly journals Review and Evaluation on the Sociocultural Theory and Bottleneck Hypothesis

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Fan Xu
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Sociocultural Theory ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Specific Aspect ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Psychology Education

Over the past three decades, a growing number of different theories in second language acquisition field have come out in an effort to provide explanations as to how language learning takes place, to figure out what variables are effective for second language acquisition as well as to offer guidance to mass second language learners and language teachers. Because behind every teaching approach exists certain kind of theory of language acquisition and good theory in turn can help students master language skills in an effective and efficient way.Each theory is considered to have contributed to the field by highlighting a specific aspect of the language acquisition process. Second language acquisition theories are intrinsically related with various disciplines such as applied linguistics, psychology, education, sociolinguistics, neurology, etc. Considering the impossibility to elaborate all second language theories, I will focus on sociocultural theory and bottleneck hypothesis in second language acquisition. There is an overview which follows the introduction to the Sociocultural Theory and Bottleneck Hypothesis and its contribution to second language acquisition respectively, and then I will evaluate them to see their contributions to the SLA disciplinary development.

Review of doctoral research in second language acquisition, language learning and teaching in Poland (2006–2010)

2012 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-375
Author(s):  
Krystyna Droździał-Szelest ◽  
Mirosław Pawlak
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Overall Evaluation ◽  
Doctoral Dissertations

This paper reviews 25 doctoral dissertations on second language acquisition (SLA), English language learning and teaching submitted in Poland in the years 2006–2010. The theses were selected for review on the basis of the recommendations of Ph.D. supervisors from leading Polish universities and they are divided into six groups: learner autonomy, individual differences, language subsystems and skills, culture, assessment and miscellaneous. The dissertations are discussed with respect to their main findings as well as their strengths and weaknesses, and the paper concludes with an overall evaluation of the research in terms of its dominant themes and methodology.

scholarly journals Do learners’ beliefs matter? Self-efficacy and second language achievement among Iranian second language learners

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrzad Eftekhar
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Learning Performance

Through interviews with eight Iranian participants, this Major Research Paper explores second language adult learners’ beliefs about their abilities in performing English language tasks. Primary research questions include: (i) Do learners’ self-efficacy or beliefs about their competency in acquiring a second language affect their language learning performance? (ii) Does gender impact the level of self-efficacy a second language learner might hold? With respect to the first research question the findings demonstrate that unlike the female participants, the male participants’ self-efficacy positively correlates with their second language acquisition. In terms of the second research question, the results of the study show that gender isn’t deemed influential in the formation of self-efficacy among second language learners.

scholarly journals The Plasticity of Students’ Language Learning Beliefs: The Interplay of Gender, Grade and Educational Level

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 36-53
Author(s):  
Vildana Dubravac ◽  
Esma Latić
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Epistemological Beliefs ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Learning Beliefs ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Language Learning Beliefs

Understanding learners’ epistemological beliefs as one of the core segments underlying one’s learning experience is of cardinal importance both from the point of conveying as well as acquiring new knowledge. In English language teaching studying language learning beliefs has aroused a widespread research interest, with its genesis found in the seminal paper by Horwitz (1987), whose instrument (BALLI) was employed to collect the data in the present paper. In the under-researched context of Bosnia and Herzegovina the current study explores language learning beliefs of 233 elementary school and university students, taking into account the main and interaction effect of three factors: gender, grade and educational level. Through ANOVA and MANOVA statistical analyses, the results revealed an insignificant main effect of gender and grade on the BALLI while the latter significantly affected one of the subscales. Conversely, educational level demonstrated a significant main effect on both the BALLI and one subscale. Most importantly, the study showed interesting interplay of the three factors on the shaping of learners’ stances. These findings bring a significant realization of the complexity of the beliefs as well as their ever-changing nature with relevant pedagogical implications for the field of second language acquisition.

scholarly journals Role of Feedback and Negotiation in Interlanguage Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. 07-13
Author(s):  
Shama-E Shahid
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Interlanguage Development ◽  
Negotiation For Meaning

A central theme in second language acquisition is Interlanguage, an idea grounded on the concept that the human brain activates an innate psychological structure in a second language learning process. It is a system that is constructed by second language learners. There is a distinct language system in second language learners’ utterances which is quite different from the native speakers (Selinker 1972, p. 209-241). Interlanguage varies under diverse contexts, e.g., one domain of IL can be different from another one in terms of fluency, accuracy, and complexity. However, interlanguage can cease developing or fossilize, in any of its developmental stages due to the complexities a learner faces in acquiring a second language.  According to Mitchell et al. (2013, p.60), under the platform of interaction, feedback, modified input, negotiation for meaning, and modified input come together to facilitate second language acquisition. It is evident from this point that Feedback and Negotiation are interrelated. This paper proposes to discuss these two subjects under the umbrella term interaction and argues the role of both of them on interlanguage development, concluding with an analysis of these techniques and the pedagogical implications.

scholarly journals Examining English Language Learning Apps from A Second Language Acquisition Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 166
Author(s):  
Sayed Ahmad Almousawi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning

This study set out to explore dedicated language learning apps pedagogically while focusing mainly on aspects of second language acquisition. A total of 20 English language learning apps were collected for analysis. The study took one model of analysing course book materials and another, computer-assisted language learning model and combined them into one analytical framework with bespoke criteria, ensuring the analysis was most suitable for our case. The analytical framework which was developed reached a number of conclusions about dedicated language learning apps (DLLAs). The findings revealed that DLLAs tend to provide mechanical forms-focused practice without facilitating collaborative learning nor focusing on developing users’ communicative competence, which suggests that DLLAs reflect a behaviouristic view of language learning. The conclusion offers some suggestions to improve DLLAs and proposes that, for the time being, educators should look beyond DLLAs and instead investigate how can apps that are not designed for language learning (generic apps) be used in the manner of DLLAs to avoid the issues that this paper identifies with them.

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