scholarly journals English Language Literacies – Practices, Competencies vs Demands in Academic Discourses

Sains Insani ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haliza Harun ◽  
Hazleena Baharun ◽  
Normazla Ahmad Mahir ◽  
Norhaili Massari ◽  
Hazlina Abdullah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Academic Literacies ◽  
Developed Country ◽  
Academic Publications ◽  
Higher Institutions ◽  
Language Competencies ◽  
Academic Discourses

The role and position of the English language within the higher education has increasingly plays a significant role as the leading language of academic publications, technologies as well as communication. The higher institutions in the country hold important responsibilities to educate and produce the younger generation of Malaysians as potential human resources that not only fulfil the needs of the local and international workforce in the attempt to achieve the national’s aspiration of a developed country. This study seeks to understand the undergraduate students’ English language literacies in relation to the demand of the literacy practices and competencies needed at the tertiary level. The literacy practices in this instance include academic literacies that encompasses not only knowledge of discrete language skills and appropriate language use in context, but it is to be holistically understood to include also competence in reading and writing. Subsequently, data were collected via questionnaires and focus groups with selected undergraduate from various disciplines to investigate whether their educational and environmental factors influence their existing level of English language competencies.. Findings of the study provides in-depth insights of the challenges faced, and the language literacy practices needed in meeting the expectations of potential employers of the required English language skills to be used at workplace. Peranan dan kedudukan Bahasa Inggeris di peringkat pengajian tinggi semakin meningkat kepentingannya dan telah menjadi antara bahasa utama didalam penerbitan ilmiah, bidang teknologi serta komunikasi. Institusi pengajian tinggi di negara ini memegang tanggungjawab yang utama didalam mendidik dan melahirkan generasi muda warga Malaysia yang berpontensi bagi memenuhi keperluan tenaga kerja yang berkemahiran tinggi di peringkat tempatan dan antarabangsa didalam usaha negara ini mencapai inspirasinya sebagai negara yang membangun. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk memahami keperluan penguasaan amalan literasi dan kecekapan Bahasa Inggeris yang diperlukan oleh pelajar di peringkat Sarjana Muda. Amalan-amalan literasi yang dimaksudkan merujuk kepada penguasaan literasi akademik yang merangkumi bukan saja pengetahuan kemahiran berbahasa serta penggunaan bahasa yang sesuai didalam konteks, malahan juga kecekapan didalam aspek membaca dan menulis. Oleh itu, dapatan data dilakukan melalui kaedah soal selidik secara bersasar kepada sekumpulan pelajar sarjana muda yang berlatar belakangkan pelbagai bidang di dalam mengenalpasti samada pengaruh persekitaran akademik mereka mempengaruhi tahap penguasaan Bahasa Inggeris sedia ada mereka. Hasil kajian memberikan gambaran yang jelas berkaitan cabaran serta amalan literasi bahasa yang diperlukan oleh pelajar sarjana muda didalam memenuhi tahap penguasaan bahasa Inggeris yang diharapkan oleh bakal majikan mereka berkaitan kemahiran Bahasa Inggeris yang diperlukan untuk digunakan di tempat kerja.

British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Students’ Manual: A Critical Analysis of the Coursebook Taught at Pakistani Universities for Academic Purposes (EAP) Students’ Manual: A Critical Analysis of the Coursebook Taught at Pakistani Universities

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Teaching Principles

English for Academic Purposes course focusing on the academic language needs of students is a subfield of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It is a type of specialized course to integrate specific subject matter, language content, and material based on learners’ needs. The study aims to evaluate the British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) coursebook in terms of content, sequencing, learners’ autonomy, motivation, feedback and focus on language skills. Furthermore, the study tries to provide a general perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of the coursebook for undergraduate students. The EAP Students’ Manual coursebook is used as a primary source for the data collection. The researcher has chosen Nation & Macalister (2010) model of language teaching principles to analyze and discuss the data. The study found the coursebook a useful, effective and an appropriate source of English language learning in terms of the investigated aspects of the book. The findings report that the coursebook provides practice and practical usage in all domains of the academically required English language skills. It helps the students to build language competency and to be more independent learners. In addition, it provides an opportunity to the learners to think in the target language, use the language more practically and learn it in a natural type of environment. The study concludes and suggests that the content needs to be supplemented with English language audios and videos presenting the students relevant documentaries and helping material in order to make the coursebook and the learning process more useful, effective, interesting and motivating. Furthermore, the study recommends that while choosing /designing a coursebook for a certain course, it needs to be evaluated following the various criteria and language-teaching-principles suggested by different language researchers.

British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Students’ Manual: A Critical Analysis of the Coursebook Taught at Pakistani Universities

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Teaching Principles ◽  
Language Needs

English for Academic Purposes course focusing on the academic language needs of students is a subfield of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It is a type of specialized course to integrate specific subject matter, language content, and material based on learners’ needs. The study aims to evaluate the British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) coursebook in terms of content, sequencing, learners’ autonomy, motivation, feedback and focus on language skills. Furthermore, the study tries to provide a general perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of the coursebook for undergraduate students. The EAP Students’ Manual coursebook is used as a primary source for the data collection. The researcher has chosen Nation & Macalister (2010) model of language teaching principles to analyze and discuss the data. The study found the coursebook a useful, effective and an appropriate source of English language learning in terms of the investigated aspects of the book. The findings report that the coursebook provides practice and practical usage in all domains of the academically required English language skills. It helps the students to build language competency and to be more independent learners. In addition, it provides an opportunity to the learners to think in the target language, use the language more practically and learn it in a natural type of environment. The study concludes and suggests that the content needs to be supplemented with English language audios and videos presenting the students relevant documentaries and helping material in order to make the coursebook and the learning process more useful, effective, interesting and motivating. Furthermore, the study recommends that while choosing /designing a coursebook for a certain course, it needs to be evaluated following the various criteria and language-teaching-principles suggested by different language researchers.

scholarly journals Current Needs and Difficulties in English Language Skill Faced by The Tourism Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1535-1554
Author(s):  
Ratnah .
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
English Language ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Language Skill ◽  
Reading And Writing ◽  
Hotel Employees ◽  
Language Competencies

Recently, the development of tourism  is increasing sharply and hotel industry has important role to support the tourism development in terms of providing the comfortable accommodation and excellent services and English language competencies should be possessed by the hotel employees in order to provide excellent services. However, some hotel employees still have low competence in English language skill. The purpose of this study is to find out the language skills that are mostly needed and categorized as the problems by the hotel employees in their work. This study employed quantitative study by using questionnaire and interview as the method of data collection.  The sample of this study was taken by using purposive sampling by taking 30 tourism students who have just completed their six-month internship program in the industry. Based on the results of data analysis, it has been found that most language skills (listening, speaking, and writing) are categorized “High”   used by the hotel employees, as their score between 3.41-4.20. While reading skills are categorized “Moderate” as its mean score between 2.61-3.40. And also All the language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are categorized “High” as problems faced by the hotel employees, as their score between 3.41-4.20.   

scholarly journals The use of technology in informal English language learning: evidence from Yemeni undergraduate students

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wagdi Rashad Ali Bin-Hady ◽  
Nasser Omer Mubarak Al-Tamimi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Informal Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrating Technology ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Informal Settings

Purpose This study aims to explore the use of technology-based strategies by Yemeni undergraduate students to develop their English as a foreign language skills in informal learning settings. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods research design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 110 undergraduate students enrolled at the English Departments in two universities in Yemen. In the first phase of the study, 10 students were interviewed to obtain information about their use of technology to develop their English language skills and subsystems in informal settings. Following the analysis of the interview data, a questionnaire was built to collect quantitative data, and the second phase of the study was carried out with 100 undergraduate students. Findings The findings revealed that students developed four technology-based strategies that they used in informal settings. These strategies included using social media, being inspired by someone, accessing social networks and websites. Students reported that these strategies helped them develop their listening, speaking and reading skills, while they also reported that their vocabulary was enhanced over grammar and pronunciation. Research limitations/implications The study findings can be of benefit not only for helping to raise students’ awareness of informal learning strategies to develop their English skills outside the classroom but also for teachers to rethink the importance of integrating technology tools and digital resources in their teaching practice. The results could also guide curriculum designers to augment textbook materials by integrating technology-based informal learning strategies. Originality/value This is the first study on this topic conducted in the context of higher education in Yemen and offers unique insights into informal learning practices of Yemeni students. In addition, the findings of the study open new dimensions for rethinking the classification of language learning strategies to include those that are technology-based and mainly useful for independent informal learning.

scholarly journals THE ROLE PLAYED BY FACEBOOK IN DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

2020 ◽  
pp. 11-22
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Facebook Use ◽  
Highly Effective ◽  
English Language Skills

This study investigates students’ perceptions about the use of Facebook as a popular forum of social media in relation to learning English as a foreign language. Their approaches while using Facebook and the nature of Facebook have also been examined. Data were collected from sixty-five undergraduate students through the tool of questionnaire. Findings suggest that Facebook use is highly effective in developing students’ different skills and areas of English language. Some of the possible threats to students’ proficiency have also been pointed out. The study concludes that students on the whole are positive about the advantages in English language learning while using Facebook. Facebook is not only use for messages, and talking but get something new for learning.

scholarly journals Academic English is No One’s Mother Tongue: Graduate and Undergraduate Students’ Academic English Language-learning Needs from Students’ and Instructors’ Perspectives

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Shih Huang
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Academic Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Academic English ◽  
Support Unit ◽  
Academic Communication

A research project designed to assess English-as-first-language (EL1) and English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) undergraduate and graduate students’ academic language-learning needs in the context of an academic language-support unit was conducted. This paper reports findings pertaining to 370 EL1 students and 88 instructors at the graduate and undergraduate levels. These participants responded to questionnaires, which requested them to rate the importance of academic language skills, to assess their own or their students’ skill status, and to respond to open-ended questions regarding their own or their students’ academic communication challenges. In addition to reporting EL1 students’ perceived needs and assessments of their skills, a comparison of findings between EL1 and EAL contexts is presented. Findings point to a match between instructors and students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in their perceptions of important academic language skills, but a great divergence in their assessments of students’ competence in those skills. These findings indicate a need to re-examine the divide often made in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programmes regarding divergent needs of EAL versus EL1 learners as well as to determine whether the convergence of their needs can be considered when planning EAP courses or workshops, especially during challenging economic times, when priorities must be set in response to the rise of international EAL student enrolment in English-speaking countries.

scholarly journals The Role of English Language Skills in Career Growth: A Study of Perceptions and Strategies Used to Improve English Language Skills by Graduate and Undergraduate Students of Karachi, Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol VI (I) ◽  
pp. 346-355
Author(s):  
Stephn John ◽  
Subhash Gurario ◽  
Jamshed Adil Halepota
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Sampling Procedure ◽  
Career Growth ◽  
Convenience Sampling ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
English Language Skills

The English language has a major impact on our companies and workplaces. Regardless of geographical, social, political, or religious divisions, English has become the lingua franca of the international corporate world. The purpose of this research study was to explore the role of English language skills in the career growth of a person and understand the perceptions of graduate and undergraduate students about learning and improving this language. For this purpose, relevant literature was scouted, and based on scholars points of view; a questionnaire was developed to get the opinions of the students. The data was collected using Google Form, employing a stratified convenience sampling procedure. The analysis shows a positive relationship between English language skills and career growth.

scholarly journals NARRATING THE SELF AND THE OTHER(S): BRAZILIAN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ RESPONSIVENESS TO ENGLISH, ELT AND LITERACY PRACTICES IN LEARNING AUTOBIOGRAPHIES

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-239
Author(s):  
Paula Tatianne Carréra Szundy
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Ideologies ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
College Education ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
In The Beginning ◽  
Interpersonal Level

ABSTRACT This article draws on constructs of the discursive dialogic analysis designed by the Circle of Bakhtin, on the notion of language ideologies and on a transgressive view of Applied Linguistics to interpret how undergraduate students majoring in English and Portuguese from a public university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, position themselves in relation to English, English Language Teaching and literacies in written learning autobiographical narratives. The learning autobiographies were produced by students in the beginning of their college education as future English and Portuguese teachers in an academic writing course. Parting from the assumption that what we come to identify as our thoughts, beliefs and “truths” is constructed in the interpersonal level before becoming “ours” (Voloshinov 1929 [1986]) and aligning myself with an ideological view of literacies (Street 1984, 1995 [2014], 2009), I analyze the ideologies about languages and literacies taking into consideration both the micro-context in which the autobiographies were produced and the macro societal levels that influenced how the selves and the others are positioned in the narratives.

British Council’s English for Academic Purposes: A Critical Analysis of the Coursebook Taught at Pakistani Universities

2019 ◽  
pp. 20-28
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Teaching Principles ◽  
Language Needs

English for Academic Purposes course focusing on the academic language needs of students is a subfield of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It is a type of specialized course to integrate specific subject matter, language content, and material based on learners’ needs. The study aims to evaluate the British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) coursebook in terms of content, sequencing, learners’ autonomy, motivation, feedback and focus on language skills. Furthermore, the study tries to provide a general perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of the coursebook for undergraduate students. The EAP Students’ Manual coursebook is used as a primary source for the data collection. The researcher has chosen Nation & Macalister (2010) model of language teaching principles to analyze and discuss the data. The study found the coursebook a useful, effective and an appropriate source of English language learning in terms of the investigated aspects of the book. The findings report that the coursebook provides practice and practical usage in all domains of the academically required English language skills. It helps the students to build language competency and to be more independent learners. In addition, it provides an opportunity to the learners to think in the target language, use the language more practically and learn it in a natural type of environment. The study concludes and suggests that the content needs to be supplemented with English language audios and videos presenting the students relevant documentaries and helping material in order to make the coursebook and the learning process more useful, effective, interesting and motivating. Furthermore, the study recommends that while choosing /designing a coursebook for a certain course, it needs to be evaluated following the various criteria and language-teaching-principles suggested by different language researchers.

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