scholarly journals The Linguistic Integration of Refugees in Italy

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bianco ◽  
Ortiz Cobo
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Council Of Europe ◽  
Italian Language ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
Linguistic Integration ◽  
Final Consideration

The creation of laws regarding the linguistic integration of migrants has contributed to the change in Italian language teaching, which has had to adapt its materials and methodology to migrants. However, the specific case of refugees has not been specifically assessed, with the exception of experimentation with the Council of Europe toolkit for refugees. This paper aimed to study the linguistic integration of adult refugees in Italy by conducting an ethnography through participant observation and semi-structured interviews between Italian language teachers and refugees. The results of this work show both the teachers’ perceptions of the refugees’ linguistic integration and the refugees’ perceptions of linguistic integration practice. The conclusions highlight the need for more hours of Italian language courses as well as lessons based on specific integration needs. Moreover, this study emphasizes that the integration practice itself implies language learning. A final consideration is made concerning the current integration situation of refugees in Italy.

scholarly journals TEACHING SPOKEN ENGLISH IN SPAIN: CLASSROOM PRACTICES AND TEACHERS´' PERCEPTIONS

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 583-596
Author(s):  
MARTA GARCÍA-SAMPEDRO
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Spoken English

Aim. This article presents the results obtained in a qualitative research related to classroom practices and perceptions of teachers of English as a foreign language in Spain. The aim of this study is to present examples of good teaching practices, including the types of resources, materials and assessment used in spoken English teaching.  Methods. A qualitative investigation that used ethnographic (non-participant)  observation in primary and secondary English classes was implemented in thirty-two schools. Additionally, twenty semi-structured interviews with primary and secondary teachers were conducted. Results and conclusion. The results show significant differences between both applied methods Non-participant observation indicates that spoken communication in English is not practised sufficiently. However, based on interview results, teachers do apply appropriate language learning strategies that could allow them to successfully teach speaking skills in their students. The results imply that in Spain, there are still many teachers and educational institutions that follow the Grammar Translation Method and other traditional methodologies, which still focus primarily on writing skills. However, several examples of good practices and inspiring methodological and motivational strategies have been found throughout this research, which might be considered as a precedent for those that focus on writing approaches. Cognitive value. This article displays an original research supported by University of Oviedo, through which, the reader can approach to the teaching of spoken English in Spain by means of  some teachers´ perceptions and examples of good practices.

scholarly journals Autonomy Perceptions from Teachers of English as a Foreign Language in Diverse Colombian Public Teaching Settings

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Dr. David Wealthy Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Research Production ◽  
English Language Teachers

<p><em>This qualitative descriptive case study reports the features in autonomy dynamics of three Colombian English language teachers in public schools in the District in Bogota Colombia. Three semi-structured interviews and reflective journals were used for data collection. The research question that guided this study was: What perceptions about autonomy do the three Colombian English language teachers have? The general purpose of this investigation was to identify the main features in teachers’ perceptions related to Autonomy. The specific objective was to identify the strategies that promoted autonomy in Teachers of English as a Foreign Language -TEFL- in different public schools in Bogota, Colombia. The study is, therefore, particularly significant as it can play a role in encouraging Colombian English as a Foreign Language -EFL- teachers to relate the factors needed to get a high quality in Education dynamics. Data indicated that the process heightened the teachers’ awareness of ‘self’ and practice. Autonomy also activated both the teachers’ ability to critically reflect on their context as well as focus on positive aspects of their practice through the willingness to improve their academic abilities and research production. Taken together, the findings serve as baseline data to further professional development in language assessment. </em></p><em></em><em></em>

scholarly journals English Language Learning Demotivating Factors for Saudi High School EFL Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Raneem Alyousif ◽  
Zainab Alsuhaibani
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Extrinsic Motivation ◽  
English Language ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Students

Demotivating factors are one of the sources that can reduce students&rsquo; motivation toward language learning. This study investigated language learning demotivating factors among high school EFL students. It also explored the educational implications and recommendations for promoting EFL students&rsquo; motivation from teachers&rsquo; perspectives. A total of 365 Saudi high school EFL students and 18 secondary English language teachers from six public schools participated in the study. The data of the study were collected via two research instruments: a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with students and teachers. The results revealed that subject- related and teacher-related demotivating factors were the most reported demotivating factors for Saudi high school EFL students. The results also showed that lack of interesting topics, lack of activities for practicing English, overemphasis on grammar, and incompetence of teachers were the most demotivating factors for EFL students toward English learning. Moreover, several recommendations for promoting students&rsquo; motivation have been suggested by teachers such as technology use, extrinsic motivation and encouragement, and competitive and collaborative work.&nbsp;

scholarly journals The Griefer and the Stalker: Disruptive Actors in a Second Life Educational Community

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Paul Lafayette DuQuette
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
English Language ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Fear And Anxiety

Linden Lab’s Second Life (SL) is well-known for its hands-off approach to user conflict-resolution. Although users are given tools to mute and block individual accounts as well as ban undesirable avatars from user-owned land, that does not prevent determined, malicious users from disrupting communities and harassing individuals. This case study focuses on two such malicious users exemplary of two specific types of malevolent virtual world actors: in-world griefers and online stalkers. As part of a decade-long ethnographic research project within the Cypris Chat English language learning community in SL, this paper utilizes data gleaned from notes on participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and first-hand encounters. It categorizes the disparate strategies these individuals have used over the years in their attempts to disrupt group cohesion, sow distrust between students and teachers, humiliate individuals, and foment an atmosphere of fear and anxiety. It then reviews the methods community members used to defend themselves from such attacks and analyzes the efficacy of these strategies. This study builds on our understanding of harassment in virtual worlds and acts as a cautionary tale for future virtual world educators and community leaders considering the development of their own online classes and groups.

Attitudes and motivation of hotel management undergraduate students towards foreign language courses

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-86
Author(s):  
Dolores Miškulin Čubrić
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Hotel Management ◽  
Italian Language ◽  
Cultural Aspect ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
Written Form ◽  
Foreign Language Courses ◽  
Educational Aspect

As a first stage of the project regarding an investigation of attitudes and motivation of Hotel management undergraduate students towards foreign language courses, in this paper attitudes and motivation of HM students towards the Italian language are examined. The results of the study involving three groups with 178 students show which aspects of the language they consider to be the most important for them, as well as which of them are most highly evaluated according to their opinion. The most important for them is "the instrumental aspect" (enabling students to use their knowledge in their future profession), followed by "the educational aspect", "the communicative aspect" and "the cultural aspect", while the written form of the language is completely neglected. These facts should be taken into consideration by language teachers when planning lectures, new language courses and curricula.

Open Up the Classroom

2018 ◽  
pp. 22-46
Author(s):  
Hélène M. Andrawiss-Dlamini ◽  
Donata Puntil
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Visual Media ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
Video Clips ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
Language Instructors

Language instructors strive to provide students with a language learning environment that is authentic and contextualised. This chapter encourages teachers to step out of the textbook and integrate audio visual media in language courses. It highlights the pedagogical benefits of these resources and addresses the possible challenges language instructors may face. Bringing examples from two languages (French and Italian), the chapter aims at providing guidance to all language teachers in using film excerpts and video clips in their teaching. With a focus on lower levels (A.2 to B1), it showcases how these tools can be implemented, detailing the criteria to take into consideration in planning the lessons. Three detailed examples are provided with the objective of enabling effective learning. The last section of the chapter reflects on the use of audio visual media in language teaching and offers insights from the learners as well as the teachers' experiences.

Effects of Teacher Portfolio Construction on English Language Teachers' Perceived Teaching Competencies

2017 ◽  
pp. 185-207
Author(s):  
Ece Zehir Topkaya ◽  
Handan Çelik
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Portfolio Construction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teaching Competencies ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Native Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Teacher Portfolio

This study investigates the effects of teacher portfolio construction upon in-service English language teachers' perceived teaching competencies. With the participation of six non-native teachers, data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews conducted before and after a sixteen-week teacher portfolio construction program. Analyses of the data through descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis revealed that the teachers' perceptions related to their teaching competencies were quite high prior to the portfolio construction process. After the process, however, decrease was observed in the teachers' perceived competencies. Findings also showed that the portfolio construction program was effective for the teachers' in that the process led them to become more self-evaluative, thus reflective and realistic about their competencies.

Language teachers’ perceptions of practitioner research

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 897-914
Author(s):  
Sabine Imad Arayssi ◽  
Rima Bahous ◽  
Rula Diab ◽  
Mona Nabhani
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Practitioner Research ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Theory To Practice ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine language teachers’ perceptions of practitioner research to establish an understanding whether research comprises a fundamental component in their career. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was conducted with language teachers and coordinators from various schools in Lebanon. Questionnaires were distributed to 50 language teachers, followed by semi-structured interviews conducted with language coordinators, and in-depth interviews with language teachers who are practitioner researchers. Findings Results indicated that research is a minority activity for language teachers due to lack of time, overwhelming working conditions and lack of flexibility in the workplace. Research limitations/implications There was a lack of cooperation between teachers and coordinators. Originality/value This study provides teachers in Lebanon with the opportunity of transforming their voice through participating in and being agents of research rather than solely observing the process which attempts to bridge theory to practice.

scholarly journals The Needs of Educators in Intercultural and Bilingual Preschools in Chile: A Case Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rukmini Becerra-Lubies ◽  
Aliza Fones
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Indigenous Language ◽  
Sociocultural Perspective ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Second Language Teachers ◽  
Mapuche People ◽  
K 12

Several studies have examined the lack of or the insufficient preparation of K-12 educators to work in intercultural and bilingual (IBE) schools in Chile, but little is known about the preparation of educators to teach in IBE preschools. Even less is known about teachers’ perceptions of their own preparation. This work contributes to a growing body of literature that examines the experiences and practice of second language teachers in Indigenous language education settings from a sociocultural perspective. This qualitative case study focuses on teachers’ perceptions of their preparation to teach Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuche people, in urban IBE preschools in Chile. Three research questions guide this study: What are teachers’ perceptions of their needs regarding their preparation to teach Mapudungun in urban IBE preschools? What are the current challenges that teachers face teaching Mapudungun in urban IBE preschools? Which experiences fostered their ability to teach Mapudungun? The findings of this study have implications for the incorporation of more complex notions of Indigenous language learning that are linked directly to Mapuche culture and its sociopolitical context, as well as the inclusion of teachers’ experiential knowledge in the preparation of teachers for work in IBE schools.

Online Informal Language Learning Among Foreign Language Teachers

2020 ◽  
pp. 315-332
Author(s):  
Violeta Jurkovič ◽  
Vita Kilar ◽  
Nives Lenassi ◽  
Darja Mertelj
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Social Group ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Online Resources ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
Online Behaviour ◽  
Insight Into

Today's online world provides foreign language users and learners with a multitude of opportunities to engage in a variety of language activities. A social group that can derive major benefits from the availability of online resources in different languages is foreign language teachers. Based on an ‘emic' approach, this study involves case studies of three experienced foreign language teachers that used diaries over a period of eight weeks to report on every instance of online use of their predominant foreign language and English. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain insight into online behaviour that was not specifically related to the eight-week period of diary-keeping. The results indicate that the online uses of the three participants, although they belong to the same social and age groups, display great variety in terms of online activities and the predominant language used to perform these activities.

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