scholarly journals Teaching speaking in large classes: Crossing the barriers

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 72-89
Author(s):  
Nargis Chowdhury ◽  
Sabrina M Shaila

The modern theories, approaches and methodologies regarding classroom language learning perceive learning as an interactive process. In countries like Bangladesh, where English is a foreign language, one common phenomenon is that the teachers have to deal with large classes. This paper tries to focus on how the English language teachers deal with large classes at the tertiary level, especially when they are conducting classes to practice and evaluate speaking skills of students. A survey was conducted on 52 English language teachers working at different private universities to find out the problems teachers face when the carry on and observe speaking classes. The study finds that students’ less exposure to the real life interaction in the target language, their nervousness, influence of the L1, adverse social environment along with other problems tend to hamper the smooth ongoing of the class. But as most of the teachers consider large class as a challenge rather than a problem, so they attempt to utilize different new methods of teaching speaking in classrooms. The authors of this paper suggest some innovative techniques and methods found to be effective and fruitful in large classes. Stamford Journal of English; Volume 6; Page 72-89 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sje.v6i0.13904

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 41-61
Author(s):  
Sisay Ayalew Tsegaw

The aim of this study was to describe the interaction of teachers and students at primary school levels in speaking class of English foreign classroom. It also aimed at describing how the participants experienced interaction and its level of interactional activities and influences. To carry out the real classroom interaction analysis in speaking class using FIACS technique, qualitative research / qualitative descriptive research was employed for this study, which is qualitative. The results were analyzed using qualitative/Latent content analysis mainly. The targeted schools selected using convenience-sampling technique, but English Language teachers were selected using purposive sampling. Qualitative methods of data collection, such as interviewing, observation, and document analysis were also developed and employed as major tools. The result from these instruments showed that the interaction was still dominated by the teachers as shown from the observation and recording, and the speaking skills input and process haven’t been found to have a positive change on their students speaking performance or improvement. Thus, all findings revealed that the teachers were not able to use the appropriate type of classroom language and provide formative feedback that really help in improvement of student’s language learning.


RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822098527
Author(s):  
Benjamin Luke Moorhouse ◽  
Yanna Li ◽  
Steve Walsh

Interaction is seen by many English language teachers and scholars as an essential part of face-to-face English language classrooms. Teachers require specific competencies to effectively use interaction as a tool for mediating and assisting learning. These can be referred to as classroom interactional competence (CIC). However, the situation created by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic which began in early 2020, and the recent advancement in technologies have led to teachers conducting synchronous online lessons through video-conferencing software. The online environment is distinctly different from the face-to-face classroom and teachers require new and additional skills to effectively utilise interaction online in real time. This exploratory study used an online mixed-method survey of 75 university level English language teachers who had engaged in synchronous online teaching due to COVID-19, to explore the competencies that teachers need to use interaction as a tool to mediate and assist language learning in synchronous online lessons. Teachers were found to require three competencies, in addition to their CIC – technological competencies, online environment management competencies, and online teacher interactional competencies – which together constitute e-CIC. The findings provide greater insights into the needs of teachers required to teach synchronously online and will be of interest to teachers and teacher educators.


2022 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdurahman Milad ◽  
Dwi Rukmini ◽  
Dwi Anggani ◽  
Rudi Hartono

This study instigates the teachers’ perceptions towards the implementation of the adapted communicative approach to teach English language in Libyan high schools in the city of Khoms. The participants were six teachers of different gender-based high schools. The study followed a pure qualitative method to collect and analyze the date, and the data were collected using an open-ended questionnaire. The findings reveal that the majority of English language teachers in Libyan high schools in Khoms city have positively perceived the implementation of the communicative approach (CA) to teach English language in their high schools’ contexts. They agreed to the majority of the questionnaire’s items such as: the CA emphasizes the communication in the target language and emphasizes that the learners need meaningful communication. All the participants said that they modify the principles of the communicative approach to meet the students’ needs and goals and most of them have agreed that the allocated time is not enough to complete the lesson in the classroom. This study draws out the pedagogical implication that the implementation of the adapted CA to teach English language in high schools in Libya can be quite adaptable, especially when the teachers have to fulfil the students’ needs.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badia Muntazer Hakim

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.


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. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eka Pratiwi ◽  
Yuyun Yulia

In English language classroom, teachers’ questions are important parts of teaching English language. Teachers need to know what kind of questions which potentially support students learning target language.  However, students did not actively participate in learning particularly when responding teachers’ questions. To overcome this problem, it is important for teachers to modify their question through some techniques in order to get students’ responses. This study reports the types of teachers’ questions used by English teachers in classroom, and the classification of modification questions used by teachers during teaching English language in class.This research belongs to classroom discourse analysis. The research was conducted at tenth grade of SMKN 1 Nunukan. The data were collected through observation, video recording, and interview. The teachers’ questions were analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s (1995) model of qualitative data analysis.The research findings show that both teachers pose more questions of knowledge level than other levels, and the teachers used various techniques to modify their questions when the students did not give response. The modification of modifying questions are repeating and rephrasing. Then sometimes teachers negotiated questions by in Bahasa Indonesia or first language (local language). The domination of knowledge level questions and how teachers modified the questions is influenced by teachers’ competence, students’ competence, situation of teaching English language, and teaching material.


Author(s):  
Jenny Ang Lu

This chapter aims to investigate how podcasts can be made to fit into the repertoire of resources utilized by teachers, especially in language education. It focuses on arming the language teacher with a fundamental knowledge of podcasting, centering on its potential applications in the classroom. Podcasts are ideal resources for language teachers, especially English language teachers, because almost all topics imaginable are now being treated in podcasts and the bulk of podcasts are recorded in English. Aside from making use of language-teaching podcasts, language teachers can also incorporate English language podcasts dealing with a wide range of issues to cater to the varying preferences of students. In addition to discussing these points, this chapter also provides suggestions for the practical incorporation of podcasts in language learning and teaching, both inside and outside the classroom. Two case studies demonstrating possible ways to use podcasts in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context are presented.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Salma Niazi, Farida Azim Lodhi, Huma Mahmood

The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the effectiveness of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives, in teaching English language at university level in Karachi, Pakistan. The conceptual framework of the study, included the results of two groups of English language learners that were independent and controlled group. For the current study quantitative research design was used. The population was English language teachers and students of English Department, those were sixty. Stratified sampling was used to extract the research sample. A well-designed test containing twenty-five marks was constructed, to get the achieved outcome of language teaching and learning. It was concluded that incorporating Bloom’s objectives of teaching would be able to improve English language learning among students at tertiary level. It was recommended that teachers training workshops should be arranged for English language teachers, so that they may enhance their knowledge about teaching critical thinking while incorporating Bloom’s objectives of teaching methodology, that may be benefitted both language learners and research in the field of English language learning in Pakistan.


Author(s):  
Mustafa Zülküf Altan

Cooperative Learning is an instructional model in which learners work together toward a common goal (Johnson & Johnson, 1986; Slavin, 1993). Research has clearly shown that cooperation results in higher levels of achievement (Johnson, et al., 1993). This article focuses on Cooperative Assessment, two students, one paper, as learning, and proposes viewing assessment as an integral part of the process of learning and teaching by trying to provoke thoughts about positive interdependence, individual accountability and social skill development, three key features of Cooperative Learning. The paper presents pre-service English Language Teachers’ reflections on Cooperative Assessment used as part of the final exam for “Individual Differences in Foreign Language Learning” course in Fall Semester of 2018-2019 academic year. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0870/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Mazen Ismaeel Ghareb ◽  
Saman Ali Mohammed

Although the benefits of blended learning have been well documented in educational research, relatively few studies have examined blended mobilities in education in Kurdistan region government and in Iraq. This study discusses a blended mobility approach for a teacher training program designed for in-service English language teachers (ELT) and investigates its effectiveness by comparing the latest participation of the University of Human Development for computer science and proposing the same program for training English for lecturers and students. The research involved proposes new mobility program for teaching and learning English language and using their language skills in an ongoing business project using several software for communication and management of their projects. Results will show the framework for new blended learning and blended mobilities of many different English language teaching (ELT) aspects.


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