scholarly journals Listening to the Learner: A Qualitative Investigation of Motivation Towards the Use or Avoidance of Self-access Centres

2010 ◽  
pp. 189-211
Author(s):  
Hamish Gillies
Keyword(s):  
Survey Data ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Student Body ◽  
L2 Motivation ◽  
L2 Motivational Self System ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Strong Ideal

This paper reports on a follow-up study to Gillies (2007), in which a survey was conducted to investigate how tertiary-level Japanese EFL students understand and interpret their use or non-use of their institution’s self-access centre (SAC). The survey data revealed general trends regarding the factors which motivate the students’ use of the SAC as well as reasons why students choose not to use it, while also suggesting four types of students, via cluster analysis. Employing Dornyei’s (2005) L2 Motivational Self System as a theoretical framework, the current paper attempts to probe deeper into the survey data, and specifically tease out the factors influencing the use or non-use of the SAC. It reports on a set of semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of nine students from amongst the survey respondents. The interviewees included representatives of each of the four clusters identified in the survey data. The interview transcripts were then subjected to coding and labelling, and key themes in the data emerged: the SAC as an environment; the SAC as a community of selves; the SAC as contrasted with the classroom. Related to these themes, it was found that in the first year of university, identities are forged, distinguishing regular SAC users and rare SAC users. The SAC is an attractive environment for students with strong ideal L2 selves, while being uncomfortable for less confident students. The former type of student is more likely to see the classroom environment as restrictive, while the latter views it as sheltered and supportive. Meanwhile, the level of English proficiency is not in itself predictive of SAC use, but rather the level of L2 motivation, in particular the strength of the learner’s ideal L2 self. The paper discusses these themes and findings, and concludes with implications for the SAC, and suggestions for making the centre accessible and appealing to a wider cross-section of the overall student body.

scholarly journals Taking a closer look at the speaking of ideal self of Spanish undergraduates

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 901-916
Author(s):  
Aránzazu García-Pinar
Keyword(s):  
Ideal Self ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Multimodal Intervention ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Self Image ◽  
L2 Motivation ◽  
L2 Motivational Self System ◽  
L2 Speaking ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Oral Presentations

Over the past fifteen years, research on second language (or L2) motivation has been dominated by Dörnyei’s influential paradigm, the L2 Motivational Self System. Students’ imagined visualisations are key components in this theory, as those students who have a clear ideal self-image with an L2 component will probably be more motivated to learn a language than others that have not established a desired future state goal for themselves. This article reports the qualitative findings of a mixed-method study that explored the effects of a multimodal intervention with influential speakers on changing the students’ attitudes in public speaking. Semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires were conducted with 11 engineering undergraduates, who volunteered to take part in the present study. Qualitative data showed that the multimodal intervention accompanied by goal setting (i.e., students’ classroom oral presentations) triggered an increase in some students’ future speaking selves. Six of the eleven students demonstrated a slight development in their levels of linguistic self-confidence, which made their vision of their ideal L2 speaking selves more realistic and clearer. The article discusses the implications of these findings and calls for a pedagogical shift that embraces more opportunities to assess the multimodal skills and strategies students need to become fluent L2 speakers.

First-Year Japanese Learners' Perceptions of Computerised vs. Face-to-Face Oral Testing

2020 ◽  
pp. 203-220
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Hasegawa ◽  
Julian Chen ◽  
Teagan Collopy
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Test Anxiety ◽  
Oral Proficiency ◽  
First Year ◽  
Oral Performance ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Japanese Learners

This chapter explores the effectiveness of computerised oral testing on Japanese learners' test experiences and associated affective factors in a Japanese program at the Australian tertiary level. The study investigates (1) Japanese beginners' attitudes towards the feasibility of utilising a computer-generated program vs. a tutor-fronted oral interview to assess their oral proficiency, and (2) the challenges and implications of computerised oral testing vis-à-vis Japanese beginners. It presents the initial findings of the qualitatively analysed data collected from student responses to open-ended survey questions and follow-up semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis approach was employed to examine student perceptions of the two different test settings and their effects on students' oral performance in relation to test anxiety. Despite the fact that computerised oral testing was overall perceived to be beneficial for streamlining the test process and reducing learners' test anxiety, the findings also identified its limitations.

Effects of Reading-Listening Integrated Dictation on Chinese EFL Students’ Listening Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-429
Author(s):  
Haiyan Miao
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
First Year ◽  
College Level ◽  
Learning Gains ◽  
Text Difficulty ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Efl Students

Abstract This study examines the effects of reading-listening integrated dictation on Chinese college-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ listening. Different from previous research that explored reading while listening for listening development, this study combined the two skills in dictation in which listening was a continuation of reading. Participants were two groups of first-year Chinese EFL learners who were exposed to the target language under two conditions: the traditional dictation (i. e., listening-only) and the reading-listening integrated dictation in a counterbalanced order. Three datasets were collected: listening performance, perception questionnaires and follow-up interviews. Results indicated that the reading-listening integrated dictation was superior in terms of learning gains from listening and that their effect was commensurate with dictation text difficulty. The findings also showed that the reading-listening integrated dictation could enhance EFL students’ confidence and interest and make the use of strategies possible during listening.

scholarly journals Elements Hindering Vietnamese Tertiary Students’ Participation in Group Activities: A Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Lien Thi My Tong
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
First Year ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Group Activities ◽  
National University ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Efl Students

Plenty of meticulous research has been conducted to investigate the entire process for implementing group activities in language classrooms. Nevertheless, few detailed empirical investigations have been pursued in the sub-area of what influences the participation of English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) students in group discussions. Thus, the present study was conducted to examine the elements impacting the group-work participation of first-year EFL students at University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University (VNU). Ten EFL freshmen and four teachers of English participated in the study over a four-week period by attending semi-structured interviews. The findings highlighted a variety of elements discouraging the learners’ participation related to themselves, pedagogy, and culture and also revealed internal elements as the most significant.

scholarly journals Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Karla de Freitas Alves Pinto ◽  
Ruth Bernardes de Santana
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
High School ◽  
Young People ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
School Experiences ◽  
Research Data ◽  
First Year ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Schooling Experiences ◽  
Schooling Process

This article presents the results of a research that sought to analyze the schooling process of young students in their first year of Higher Education from a rural school. We try to highlight the most significant facts of the school experiences brought by students and their expectations for the future with the aim of understanding the meaning they attribute to the experiences in a school located in countryside. The research procedures were establishment observations, individual semi-structured interviews, questionnaire and documentary study The survey data suggest that young people are able to express their opinions about classes, content and school. From the research data, we can say that young people are able to express their opinions about classes, content and school. From the interviews, we realized that the meanings attributed to the school in the schooling process are positive, since young people feel confident in this institution.

scholarly journals EFL Students’ Perceptions of Teacher Feedback and Intra-Feedback in Writing Essays

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-49
Author(s):  
Maryam Kazemi ◽  
Shirin Abadikhah ◽  
Mahmood Dehqan
Keyword(s):  
Peer Feedback ◽  
Teacher Feedback ◽  
Alternative Form ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Content Organization ◽  
Writing Class ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Efl Writing Instruction

This study examines EFL students’ perceptions of teacher feedback and intra-feedback in writing essays in an EFL university context. Traditionally, teachers who were considered more knowledgeable provided feedback to students' writing. Recently, peer feedback is considered as an alternative form of feedback, which involves a dynamic process of reviewing and discussing one another’s text in a writing class. Intra-feedback, another form of peer feedback, is a reviewer-oriented practice in which two reviewers discuss their comments provided individually on the composition of another student. This paper investigates 21 EFL students’ perceptions of teacher feedback and peer feedback using intra-feedback technique. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a questionnaire and follow-up semi-structured interviews. The results of the questionnaire indicated that students perceived teacher feedback to be most useful in improving the content, organization and language of their essays. From the interviews with the students, their preferences toward feedback provider, feedback focus, feedback provision and intrafeedback inclusion were elicited. Some pedagogical implications for the EFL writing instruction can be made including creation of opportunities for students to become aware of effective reviewing techniques, improvement of peer feedback quality and increasing students’ confidence and critical thinking.

Developing the role of midwives as ‘contraceptive champions’ to support early access to effective postnatal contraception for women

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Gallimore ◽  
Alison Craig ◽  
Sharon Cameron ◽  
Dona Milne ◽  
Fatim Lakha
Keyword(s):  
Service Evaluation ◽  
First Year ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Early Access ◽  
Community Midwives ◽  
Hospital Doctors ◽  
Contraceptive Implants ◽  
Health Service Evaluation

ObjectiveTo evaluate the acceptability of the new contraceptive champion role to the first hospital and community midwives in NHS Lothian trained in this role.DesignHealth service evaluation.PopulationHospital and community midwives trained as contraceptive champions, NHS Lothian, Scotland, UK.MethodsQualitative research: 1:1 semi-structured interviews (baseline and follow-up) with five contraceptive champions.Main outcome measureQualitative data on views of the new contraceptive champions on the first 6 months of the role.ResultsAll contraceptive champions stated increased confidence in their knowledge of postnatal contraception. They reported that women had not questioned the role of midwives in inserting contraceptive implants postnatally in hospital and at home. Midwife colleagues and hospital doctors had been supportive.ConclusionThe new role of contraceptive champion is reported by midwives to have been well received in its first year by women, the midwives themselves and their healthcare colleagues.

scholarly journals Investigating the potential of humour in EFL classrooms: An attitudinal study

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
Talip Gonulal
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
College Level ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
English Classrooms ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Efl Classrooms

Studies on humour have indicated that humour has a lot to offer to both language teachers and learners. Creating a positive classroom environment and lowering affective barriers to language learning are among the several effects of humour. However, the appreciation of humour can be culture-specific and context-dependent. For example, greater values may lie in the employment of humour in English as a foreign language (EFL) settings such as Turkey where the communicative-oriented teaching methods are still in their infancy stage. The current study, therefore, examined the potentials of humour from Turkish EFL learners’ perspective to elicit their opinions regarding the importance and potent roles of humour in EFL classrooms. In this attitudinal study, a mixed-methods design was used. A comprehensive humour perception questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were employed. Two hundred and fifty college EFL students completed the humour survey and eight of them participated in the follow-up interviews. The results indicated that Turkish college-level EFL students have largely positive attitudes towards using humour in English classrooms. Additionally, students considered humour as an effective pedagogical tool that can increase their attentiveness, attention span, confidence in English classrooms, and teacher-student solidarity, as well.

scholarly journals Exploring The L2 Motivational Self System Of Chinese English Language Learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5C) ◽  
pp. 962-966
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
L2 Motivation ◽  
L2 Motivational Self System ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
English Learning Motivation ◽  
Self System

L2 motivation research has witnessed great development during recent decades. To re-conceptualize, the ‘integrativeness’ of the traditional socio-educational model, Dörnyei (2005) proposed the L2 motivational self system for better understanding and predicting L2 motivation. Therefore, the theory of Dornyei’s L2 Motivational Self System was employed to investigate the English learning motivation of L2 learners in China context by conducting a qualitative study. The data were collected from eight Chinese university students by semi-structured interviews. It revealed that the ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self and L2 learning experience all contributed to the intended learning efforts of L2 learners. Overall, the current study provided empirical and qualitative evidence to support the construct of Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System in China context

The First Year Experience of Ankara Child Follow up Center

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadime Yuksel ◽  
Safa Celik ◽  
Filiz Daskafa ◽  
Nilufer Keser ◽  
Elif Odabas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
First Year Experience ◽  
First Year
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